Why did ghost towns emerge?

Question

dont just tell me they left the town

Answer 1

But it's true. Alot of ghost towns started in settlement areas and later the location didn't work out so well so they had to up and move. The railroad came through somewhere else. The gold was gone. The locals too hostile.  Many things happened to New towns that later caused the citizens to up and leave.

Answer 2

drying up of resources. usually natural but can be something like a military base moving that causes the supporting industries to fold.

Answer 3

Towns were built up around a natural resource that would stimulate growth -- such as gold or silver.  Then the railroads entered the picture with a quicker crossing from coast to coast.  As the mines panned out, people moved closer to the travel centers.  

So, a town rich in gold but 500 miles from the nearest railroad pans out -- no more gold.  Not only that, but no new people come into the towns to add resources.  People begin moving away ... and then there were none.

Answer 4

usually because there was some commodity that ran out ie gold