Silkville Ghost Town

Franklin County, Kansas38.4500, -95.4892

Can you visit?

Likely private land

Private or unlisted land · Ask the owner first

Nearest town
15 miLyndon, KS
Mild months
Mar–Nov7 of 12
Next ghost town
9.8 miGreenwood
Silkville, Kansas
Photo: Bhall87 at en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Silkville is an abandoned town in Franklin County, Kansas. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and listed on the Register of Historic Kansas Places.

On the map

20 mi40 miOttawaPaolaBaldwin CityOsawatomieGarnettOsage CityBurlingtonSilkville
  • Other federal
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Silkville. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.

The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Lyndon, KS, about 15 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Lawrence, KS, 37 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Greenwood9.8 mi northeast
  2. Ohio City14 mi east
  3. Berea17 mi east
  4. McCandless19 mi east
  5. Hyattville19 mi southeast
  6. Garlington19 mi north
  7. Pleasant Hill20 mi north
  8. Pansy20 mi north

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

Private or unlisted land

The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road.

The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.

Weather by month

0°20°40°60°80°100°4120Jan4624Feb5733Mar6743Apr7654May8564Jun9069Jul9067Aug8258Sep7046Oct5634Nov4425DecJan: 0.9 inFeb: 1.5 inMar: 2.6 inApr: 3.6 inMay: 5.8 inJun: 4.8 inJul: 4.5 inAug: 3.8 inSep: 4.1 inOct: 3.0 inNov: 2.1 inDec: 1.4 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run March to June, September to November, judging by NOAA normals from Melvern Lake. July to August bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Melvern Lake station (USC00145210), 12 miles away. About 38.1 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationFranklin County, Kansas
Coordinates38.45000, -95.48920
Protected asNational Register of Historic Places, Register of Historic Kansas Places (NRHP 72000504)
Also known asSilkville, Kansas, Silkville Historic Site
SourcesWikidata Q14689940 · Wikipedia article · NPS register file

Questions

Where is Silkville ghost town?

In Franklin County, Kansas, at 38.4500, -95.4892. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Lyndon, KS, about 15 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Lawrence, KS, 37 miles away.

Can you visit Silkville?

Likely private land. The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road.

When is the best time to visit Silkville?

Mild months here run March to June, September to November, judging by NOAA normals from Melvern Lake. July to August bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

Are there other ghost towns near Silkville?

Yes. Greenwood (9.8 mi), Ohio City (14 mi), Berea (17 mi), McCandless (19 mi).

More ghost towns in Kansas

All 263 ghost towns in Kansas · Ghost towns near Kansas City