
Julia G. answered 03/31/21
History Major with 10 Years of School Experience
Boomtowns were created when settlers in search of economic opportunity moved out into the American West. These towns were oftentimes set up in places where natural resources were easily accessed. The problem with most natural resources, though, is that once they are gone, they're gone for good. Dried up resources meant that all of those people who moved out westward and lived in the Boomtown now had to go find those natural resources somewhere else. Once all of those people left the boomtown, it became a ghost town, where no one lived anymore. Another way boomtowns become ghost towns is due to changes in access. If a more formidable path to a through destination is created, towns on old pathways may be abandoned. Changes in access include the development of new railroads, highways, and access via water routes. Thirdly, boomtowns can become ghost towns as a result of natural and man-made disasters. Flooding, droughts, disease, and radiation are all examples of some disasters that would cause a boomtown to turn into a ghost town.