Boyd, Oregon Ghost Town!

Oregon Ghost Town Tour #2 – Part 4

In Spring of 2022, our family took a day trip to visit some historical ghost towns in Central Oregon. We visited Antelope, Shaniko, and Kent, Oregon – then we were hooked! We planned a second tour to see even more Central Oregon ghost towns. Join us as we take you through 6 more historic ghost towns. Grass Valley, Moro, Wasco, Boyd, Dufur, and Friend.

After resting for the night, we had a good breakfast in The Dalles, OR, then started South on Hwy 197. The next town on our trip was Boyd, OR. As of 2022, Boyd’s population is only a small handful of people. It’s no longer incorporated, so the don’t track a formal population. Boyd was established in 1870 and named for a local resident T.P. Boyd, who had built a mill in the area. The granary, mill, and Fifteen Mile Creek provided a stable foundation for this community to grow. At the height of its prosperity it had about 150-200 residents. Flour was the main source of income for the town. When the Great Southern Railroad (this is different from the Columbia Southern Railroad) stopped its service in 1936. In 1923, Hwy 197 was constructed and diverted traffic away from the town leading to its eventual disincorporation.

Watch our walking tour of the Boyd Ghost Town here!