You Can Buy a Colorado Ghost Town for the Price of a Modest Suburban House

Small village was abandoned in the ‘70s after a murder

July 5, 2016 9:00 am

While it isn’t listed with the hundreds of other properties in the Colorado Ghost Towns database, a five-acre piece of land along Highway 36 in rural Adams County does exist … and it’s for sale.

Listed at $350,000 on Craigslist, the vacant village comes with a 3,300-square foot gas station, eight-room motel, roadside cafe, eight-space RV park, two houses, a mobile home, a smokehouse, a private shooting range and all the online domain names and websites associated with the site.

Cabin Creek’s roadside restaurant used to serve “the best chicken fried steak in the state” until tragedy befell the couple who owned the property. “There was a murder there,” according to former cafe patron Joan Lippett. “There was some people that they took in, felt sorry for or something, and they found out the couple had money.”

The upgraded property has an underground septic system, draws its water from an on-site well and is wired with electricity. It’s also outfitted with a six-foot-tall fence and 16 HD surveillance cameras for a little extra peace of mind.

The current owner, James Johnson, purchased the parcel with the idea of converting it into a Route 66-style tourist destination, but now wants to sell so he and his wife can travel. “We’re ready to get out of town even farther than this,” Johnson said while speaking with FOX 31.

If you’ve got $350k and a proton pack, consider helping the Johnsons out.

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