[Ads-l] Ghost Town

[MULLINS, WILLIAM D (Bill) CIV USARMY CCDC AVMC (USA)]

I saw that quote, and did not use it because I wasn't sure if it meant "deserted town", as we use the phrase "ghost town", or a town literally associated with ghosts (and I did find several examples of "ghost town" where it was clear that "association with ghosts" was the intended meaning).
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From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of ADSGarson O'Toole [adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM]
Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2020 2:58 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: [Non-DoD Source] Re: Ghost Town

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The citation below from 1894 contains the phrase "all that remains of
the ghost town". Interestingly, the phrase "ghost town" has more than
one interpretation. Spiritualists attempted to found a town, but their
enterprise did not succeed. The remnant was called "Spookville", and
the journalist also referred to it as a "ghost town".

Date: April 22, 1894,
Newspaper: The Times
Newspaper Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Article: A Spiritualists' Boom Town
Quote Page 22, Column 7
Database: Newspapers.com

Caution-https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50148310/ghosttown/

[Begin excerpt]
A SPIRITUALISTS' BOOM TOWN
IT STANDS A MELANCHOLY WRECK ON CALIFORNIA HILLS.
"SUMMERLAND" WAS ITS NAME
Now It Is Known as "Spookville" and Town Lots Are Very Cheap There
Because the Town Was Struck by a Storm Late One Night.
>From a Correspondent of The Times.
Los Angeles, Cal., April 20.

One of the many amusing features of the "boom" towns and colonies of
California was the recent attempt of a number of spiritualists to
found a colony, where those who could not see into the future were not
permitted to dwell. A few of the leading Spirits bought a large tract
of land on a promontory overlooking the ocean, about twenty miles
south of the Santa Barbara.
. . .
The dismantled place is now known as "Spookville," and as the train
whirls by the passenger who is looking for California curios is shown
a tent on a hill—all that remains of the ghost town.

The only occupant is, or was, a hermit, who for a time lived in a
cave. The neighboring ranchers reported strange noises, and at once
the report spread that "Spookville" was haunted—a sure-enough spirit
had come to the deserted town-site to mourn over the losses of the
colonists. But it was only the hermit, singing or talking to himself,
while sitting out upon the front steps of his cave on moonlight nights
and enjoying the cool breezes from the ocean.
[End excerpt]

Garson


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