Uncovering The Mystery: Exploring The Enigma Of Lonnie, A Texas Ghost Town

In the Texas panhandle, you can find the remains of many towns that have been lost to time. In some places, you'll find rundown buildings. In others, you'll find only the foundations. There are even a few places that have left nothing at all. There is one ghost town in Childress County that has left behind nothing but the shell of a former church.

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Lonnie, Texas; The Panhandle's Most Mysterious Ghost Town?

What makes Lonnie, Texas so interesting is that there is just enough information out there to let you know it was there, but not enough to give you any real details on what life was like in the small town. You could say that Lonnie is in the running for the most mysterious ghost town in the Texas panhandle.

All that is left today of Lonnie, Texas is the husk of what used to be a church. It has been long abandoned and is in absolute disrepair.

The Mystery Of Lonnie, Texas; A Panhandle Ghost Town

Lonnie, Texas was located on what was ranchland owned by Diamond Tail Ranch. It was just north of the Prarie Dog Town Fork of the Red River. At one point, it had a post office and there were enough people there to warrant having a community center.

What life was like in Lonnie is a mystery. Not much exists about it. The post office only lasted from 1909 to 1913. The only mention of population size comes from the 1940s. At that point, the population was 10. Only 10 souls claimed Lonnie, Texas to be their home.

What adds to the mystery is that the community center in Lonnie was built in 1987. It's hard to imagine 10 people needing a whole community center. It seems like it would be cheaper and easier just to get together at someone's house. All the same, it was built east of highways 62 and 83.

All That Remains Of Lonnie, Texas, The Mysterious Panhandle Ghost Town

According to legend, the only thing that remains of this town is a crumbling abandoned building that is referred to as "the church". Looking at the only picture I've seen from the outside, I didn't notice a steeple. However, I've seen a lot of churches around that have decided to not feature a giant roof needle. So who am I to say it was or was not a church?

The mystery of Lonnie lives on, though. The only inhabitants now are the grazing longhorns nearby.

Check Out These Photos Of Ghost Towns On The High Plains

Ghost towns dot the landscape of the Texas panhandle, Western Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma panhandle. The best part? They're all within driving distance. Go take a look for yourself.

Gallery Credit: Charlie Hardin

The Derelict Beauty of Amarillo's Abandoned Buildings

What is it about abandoned buildings tempts our imagination? Perhaps it's the fact that all of these places were once alive at one point of time. All of these buildings were once a part of everyday life.

But as they are now, they are empty and barren. All we have left of these abandoned properties in Amarillo are memories left to the echoes of time.

Gallery Credit: Sarah Clark

Books That Use Amarillo or the Texas Panhandle as a Setting

Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle is a great city with great history. When it comes to the literary world, it is always great to see our area represented in books.

Here is a great list where Amarillo and/or the Texas Panhandle is used as a setting or mentioned in a book.

Gallery Credit: Lori Crofford