Ghost Towns of Kansas Vol. 3 (1983)

Ghost Towns Volume Three was planned as
the final volume in the trilogy. By the time
work began on Volume Three, I was ten
years into the project.  I had two books and
200 ghost towns under my belt.  There was
a real question about how far this project
could go. 

By 1982, I was busy earning my Master's
Degree in History from the University of
Kansas.  I was eager to locate a jobin my
field. I was not certain whether I could keep
this project going, and feverishly hunt for a
job in my field at the same time. 

After a six month break from research, I
began compiling a new list of ghost towns
for the third volume in 1980.   During the
summer  of 1980, research began between
classes at KU.   The geographical concen-
tration for this book was all over the place. 

They were randomly selected from all
Kansas regions.  But the size of the book this
time was out of control. In the end, it would
be nearly twice the size of Volume One, at
400 pages. On top of that, printing costs were
still out of control.  In the end, the combin-
ation would have a profound impact on sales,
as the price of Vol 3 came out at $17.95. 
A bit pricey since the first volume came out
at under $6

Nevertheless, the touring began and the
writing began.  The book took nearly a year
to write.  At the same time, I was writing my
200 page thesis for my Master's Degree.  One
day I would write the thesis, the next day Vol.
3.  Somehow they all came together.  The
touring began in 1979 to try and attempt to
photograph and locate all these ghost towns. 
I was successful in locating about 80% of
them, but it took three years of off and on
attempts to cover the entire state and get it
done.

Ghost Towns Volume 3 was released on June
16, 1983. Despite the hefty price tag, it did
alright. During the next three years, I covered
the state some more giving speaking engage-
ments and promoting all three volumes. 
Sales of all three volumes continued healthy
and brisk for years.  The trilogy was a success.

The story might have ended there, but it didn't.
Two more ghost town books down the road
would take the project another ten years into
the future. Ghost Towns 3 sold several
thousand copies.  Sales ended in 1988 upon the
release of the next ghost towns book, Ghost
Towns of Kansas:  A Travelers Guide.

Playlist:

White Cloud, Doniphan County
Palermo, Doniphan County
Centropolis and Minneola, Franklin County
Kickapoo City, Leavenworth County
Pawnee, Geary County
Neosho Rapids, Lyon County
Vernon, Woodson County
Freeport, Harper County
Cameron and Camchester, Harper County
Salem, Jewell County
Wellsford, Kiowa County
Waconda and Lake Waconda, Mitchell County
Phil Sheridan, Wallace County
Lone Star, Douglas County
Half Mound, Jefferson County
Afton, Marshall County
Moonlight, Dickinson County
Denmark, Lincoln County
Dubuque, Russell County
King City, McPherson County
Farms, McPherson County
Ost, Reno County
Walnut City, Butler County
Goguac, Stanton County
Kanona, Decatur County
Chetola, Ellis County
Yocemento, Ellis County
Minersville, Cloud County
Haskin's Camp, Butler County
Keighley, Butler County
LeHunt, Montgomery County
Rollin, Neosho County
Appleton, Bourbon County
Godfrey, Bourbon County
Fulton, Bourbon County
Albany, Nemaha County
Ash Point, Nemaha County
Capioma, Nemaha County
Kelly, Nemaha County
Irving, Marshall County
Bigelow, Marshall County
Randolph, Riley County
Havensville, Pottawatomie County
Kennekuk, Atchison County
Sparks, Doniphan County
Connor's Station, Wyandotte County
Valencia, Shawnee County
Willard, Shawnee County
Cato, Crawford County
Elgin, Chautauqua County
Hewins, Chautauqua County
Peck, Sedgwick County
Oatville, Sedgwick County
Dunlap, Morris County
Bazaar, Chase County
Lost Springs, Marion County
Rome, Sumner County
Castleton, Reno County
Bluffton, Trego County
Volland, Wabaunsee County
Nonchalanta, Ness County
Ryansville, Ford County
Wilburn, Ford County
Rosedale, Wyandotte County
Little Town, Labette County
New Chicago, Neosho County
Tioga, Neosho County
Pittsburg, Pottawatomie County
Manchester, Sedgwick County
Chicago Heights, Shawnee County
Delaware City, Leavenworth County
Louisville, Pottawatomie County
Canton, Anderson County
Palmetto, Marshall County
Central City, Nemaha County
Elk Falls, Elk County
Boston, Chautauqua County
Chantilly, Kearny County
Sidney, Ness County
Santa Fe, Haskell County
Old Ulysses, Grant County
Franklin, Douglas County
Wabaunsee, Wabaunsee County
Padonia, Brown County
Moneka, Linn County
Paris, Linn County
Marmaton, Bourbon County
Bala, Riley County
Liebenthal, Rush County
Toulon, Ellis County
Round Mound, Ellis County
Beersheba, Hodgeman County
Bismarck Grove, Douglas County
Wilsonton, Labette County
Votaw, Montgomery County
Zarah, Barton County