Nebraska Ghost Towns Part 2 // Amboy, Angus, Spring Ranch

[@khrysalisharlequin3196]

Hey, thanks for making this. I happen to live in a sort of "living ghost town" within 17, 28, and 29 min of these 3 ghost towns you focused on in this video 😅 . Gotta say the thunder & lightning storms are the best ive seen in the world, and im a bit of a traveler 😊! Thanks again for doing this. Cheers!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome! That was a fun day finding these towns - ended up being a beautiful evening!

[@johndouglas7787]

I used to own a lot in Cushing, Nebraska which is close to St. Paul. My Uncle bought it in an auction for $1 in the early 1960's. He gave it to me at the age of 8 if I would pay the property tax on it . Taxes were 30 cents a year paid in 2 installments of 15 cents. I kept it for 56 years before donating it back to the Village of Cushing a couple of years ago. My last tax bill was $4 for the year. I kept it for that long as a remembrance of my Uncle. Cushing, I'm sure by now, would be classified as a ghost town.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Just looked it up and Wikipedia says it has a population of 37! It’s growing!

[@kathy-ro6es]

That's a cool story about that land you owned. I've been to Cushing. Just for the fun of it.

[@sueelliott3206]

I really love what you're doing by taking time from your regular job to tell us about these old places I didn't know even existed in my home state. Thank you so much.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you very much! It’s a lot of fun for sure!

[@danjohnson7767]

I live north of Spring Ranch and can tell you there is a lot of history in the area. Go south of there for 50 miles you will see many abandoned farm steads. Times were tough in the day. The best parts of Nebraska are on the old gravel roads but not covered. Go south to Lawrence to see two Catholic churches. Yes that is right.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you for the info! I really enjoyed discovering the Spring Ranch area!

[@kellyschroer2114]

You can actually see one of the last remaining Fuller automobiles left, at the Nuckolls co. Museum in Superior, NE. It was donated to the museum just a few years ago. It is a beautiful car and fully restored. There is quite a bit of history on the Fuller Auto factory at the museum along with lots of information on the towns in Nuckolls Co., including Angus.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome! Thanks for the info!

[@randomvintagefilm273]

I can't believe I found this! My grandfather was born in Guide Rock NE, and his mother lived in Angus. I went there to explore in 2002, and there was a sign on the church with the service times hanging on a rope. I see that is gone now. Thanks so much for posting this, I always wondered how in the world they ended up there!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Nice! It was interesting visiting these towns. Cool stories about what happened to the towns!

[@diannabrown7754]

Some of these old towns would be great for off grid living.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Oh yeah for sure! I imagine the people living there currently agree!

[@brandonhinrichs4393]

What do you mean off the grid? Even these small towns are on the grid

[@diannabrown7754]

@@brandonhinrichs4393 off grid means no electricity,plumbing, water.

[@brandonhinrichs4393]

@@diannabrown7754 I know what off-grid means but even the smallest of Nebraska towns has electricity and running water. So unless you decide to walk out to the middle of a pasture with a sleeping bag and just live there forever you're still on the grid

[@diannabrown7754]

@Brandon Hinrichs not all of the places he visits has access to those things. Some are very remote.

[@papabear562]

There are bridges like the one in Spring Ranch around my area of Indiana that are off limits to any vehicular traffic. I'm amazed the one you drove across still allows for traffic to pass over it. Beautiful beautiful area of NE.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I was too - it’s so far out there I don’t imagine anyone from a city drives over it very often!

[@ronfullerton3162]

I use to make rural deliveries by truck through central Nebraska. That bridge he covered at Spring Ranch looks far better than some others that I had to cross to get to the customer. Every time, it was the only way in. And the customer would always say that the area farmers take full semi loads of grain across the bridges as well as their combines. And some of them make enough noise to "wake the dead" as the old timers would say.

[@tomwagner6334]

You’re making a Bellevue born and raised off and on a farm kid from the 60s and 70s really home sick. Thank you.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Aww thanks for the nice comment - really wonderful area to visit and explore!

[@kellyschroer2114]

A couple more ghost towns in Nuckolls county not far from Spring Ranch and Angus would be Mt. Clare and Cadams. Mt. Clare is southeast of Lawrence and Cadams would be northeast of Superior. Both were quite booming towns in their heyday.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Good stuff! I’d love to visit them!

[@mikebritton8798]

Looks like a beautiful area. We have many of these ghost towns in my area. Built roughly 10 miles apart as railroad waysides when trains were slow and needed water and coal. All of these in my area were still towns when I was young and most are done now. Kinda sad because life happened there and all have a story to tell. I'm glad I got to be a part of it. I love your videos and your choice in background music. Nostalgic and relaxing.😌

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you very much for watching and for the nice comment! I think these towns are great and I love finding them. Even though many have similar stories, they all have unique differences. Thanks again!

[@bglrj]

I can't tell you how much I enjoy your posts. By far my favorite travelogs. Each one is a real treat.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I really appreciate that! I got lucky with the beautiful skies that night!

[@kaymerry369]

This area had interesting stories. Old bridges was neat. The sunset was really amazing. Great video. 😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I got really lucky with that sunset! Very beautiful!

[@mikehuhman3249]

You have some really cool videos ! Thank you. I'll keep watching 👀

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I appreciate the support!

[@chrisackerley1842]

The color of the light in Angus is just beautiful. You caught it at just thr right time of day in just the right time of year. Good job.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yes I got very lucky that night! Also had an awesome sunset at Spring Ranch! Thanks for noticing!

[@brandiewhisenhunt289]

When you were crossing the bridge I was rooting for you 😂 hurry hurry!! Very beautiful country!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Haha there is video of me running across it that got cut from the final edit 😂😂

[@ronfullerton3162]

Those old bridges look awful scary when you are sitting in your semi, and that is the only way to get to your delivery. But the customer will say the farmers are coming across them with full loads of grain heading for market. Haven't jad one go down on me yet. They shake, rattle, and creak the whole way across. And they are scattered all over eural Nebraska! Some are pony truss or overhead bridges, which are fewer and fewer to see anymore. Much character to them just like the one at Spring Ranch.

[@cmarie2333]

Great video! I grew up right in the middle of all three of those towns. Another one you might want to consider visiting is Cowles. It's a tiny town of 21 people that is a little north of Red Cloud, south of Blue Hill. Anyway, back in the late 1800's it had a semi-pro baseball team that Cy Young played for!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you! Good stuff!

[@rolandemartin854]

Back in 1963-64 when I was running routes for the old Abbott's Dairy out of Hastings, I used to drive across that bridge twice a week. Don't know if story is true, but heard that way back when, there were some horse thieves caught and hung from that bridge.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I believe that’s what happened in what I referenced in the video notes. And it was the first woman hung. Kind of wild!

[@robertwynn5844]

Love these. I found my own ghost town the other day. Meadville north of Ainsworth. Beautiful site for a community. Few others to look at: Nora, Paul and Howe.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Awesome! Are those all in Nebraska?

[@robertwynn5844]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy Yep. My home state.

[@charliedixon4721]

Hi Wiseguy. Your small town America travels are very important, thank you for showing and documenting. Question, could you please tell me where the music at the start of this video is from? I've been looking for it for some time. Thanks, Charlie

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

It’s called Tenderness and I found it on the website Bensound.com (free to use). Thank you!

[@charliedixon4721]

Cool! Thanks. See you on the road.

[@ronfullerton3162]

Slow mind of mine, now a month or so after first viewing this video, I thought of something about the Amboy area. Just south of the mill, across highway 136, and back off the road aways is a large round barn that they call the Starke's round barn. Got to go back there when they had a fall festival. Enjoyed the program being held that day, and especially enjoyed checking out the barn and it's construction. I think you would of enjoyed visiting the barn, but I do not know if it is open that often or not to the public. As always, your videos are fun because I love the exploring of those lost times hiding out there in the countryside.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Sounds interesting! I always feel like I never have enough time to see and learn as much as I want about each town!

[@ronfullerton3162]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy I know the feeling! I will go somewhere and start talking about it. Then someone will say, "Did You see. . . . "? Nope! Drat!

[@janfeuerborn2707]

We so enjoy your videos! We plan to consult them before we make our next road trip!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

That’s cool! Where are you planning to explore next?!?!

[@garyholt8315]

hi wiseguy, I loved this video so much ! did not have any idea there was a car maker in small town nebraska. btw I found your video on Grasmere ID fascinating, truly the middle of nowhere, and that airstrip lol ! am I the only Canadian viewer ?🤔 keep up the great videos, 2 yrs on and hope your subscribers grow ! Gary, edmonton, alberta, canada 🇨🇦

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thank you to my Canadian fan! 😊 Yeah it’s pretty amazing they produced such good cars from this little town! Thanks for watching this and the Grasmere one! I do Toni’s if you’re the only Canadian viewer, but there probably aren’t many. I appreciate your support 😊

[@garyholt8315]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy if I am the canadian outlier, I am fine with that lol ! I love the places u pick. the Oregon trail and route 66 were top notch. I have more time indoors now, we got snow 4 days ago so I will catch up on some of your other videos. btw, u haven't had a bad video yet 👍✅❤🙂🇨🇦👌❄🌨

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

That is very kind of you to say! I definitely think I have a few videos that aren’t great haha, but I really appreciate the support from the great white north! Stay warm up there - we had a bit of winter this week too. I’m not ready for it yet 😂😂

[@kellyschroer2114]

There is a lot of information on the Fuller Automobile company of Angus at the Nuckolls County Museum in Superior, NE. I served on the museum board when we were gifted one of the last remaining Fuller autos known to exist. It is a beautiful car! The man who started the Fuller company was quite interesting and was ahead of his time. It is a very interesting story. Some of the original blocks of the walls from the old factory building where the cars were made still exist and are located in Nelson, NE.

[@ruthmusic2]

Once again, my favorite part is the old bridge. But the mill in Amboy was so neat I had to look it up online and found out it operated until the 1940's. There are some neat pictures of it online including one where you can read the name "Amboy" on the wall of the mill.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah those two things were really impressive! And I got lucky with the sky that night - made it look even more “abandoned”!

[@hungarysammy]

Great video! Very interesting! I'm surprised the bridge was open!😬

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Me too! You don’t see many like that these days. Thanks!

[@stephenyoung2742]

Funk, Nebraska is my favorite!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Definitely a fun state to explore!

[@stephenyoung2742]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy People stop in Funk take a photo next to Funk sign and post they are in a FUNK!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂😂

[@ronfullerton3162]

I am not a native Nebraskan, but have lived here for thirty years now, and have traveled much of the state through both work and motorcycling. So many intriguing little burgs with unique names. Ong, Gohner, Tamara, Scotia, and the list goes on. So fun to find and explore these poor nearly forgotten towns.

[@opossuminthecatfood]

Not to be a nerd but a woman by the name of Mrs Holton was lynched in Keya Paha County, Nebraska in 1895. You should explore more areas in the Nebraska sandhills. Elsmere, Purdum, Johnstown, Wood Lake.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Nerds are the best 😂😂 Thanks for the suggestions!

[@EliteMidNite]

The fuller car is in the nuckolls county museum in superior

[@Nellsbells84]

You didn’t even go to the cemetery where the hung lady was buried! It was just west of you! 😂 come back again and I’ll show you around and tell you my ghost story from the hotel that was still standing when I grew up there

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah unfortunately I missed it. It was getting dark and wasn’t marked on any maps I had.

[@travis303]

In Angus, among the drone shots, was a patch of green in the shape of a football field which made me wonder if it was an old maybe high school football field? I didn't see any lines on it so may be used for something else now but it looked the right size and shape.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I’m assuming it was an agricultural field, but you’re right - I had the same thought at first!

[@travis303]

There is a ghost town, or very small town, in California called Amboy. The attraction there is an extinct volcano you can hike

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yes! I’ve been there and it was a short part of my Route 66 California video. Cool place, hope to go back!

[@travis303]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy haha, I completely forgot all about that. Of course you know about that! Now I wonder if I had known that before or if I was unknowingly recalling your video 🤣🤣 I feel dumb 🤭

[@travis303]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy That was back when I first discovered you. I barely remember what I did yesterday, much less what I watched back then 😆

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂😂 don’t worry I forget all the time 😜

[@ArrowheadSunday]

How long you been doing this and how do you get people to subscribe

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I started the channel in the summer of 2020 and it was a slow process for about 2 years. Subscriptions have come at a random pace but certainly the more when a video gets popular. My main advice is to create a schedule and post videos consistently on that schedule. And keep evolving with the quality and subject you are interested in!

[@bobschroer8313]

Norman Nebraska would make good story.

[@mariakettlehut7399]

Do you see for sale signs on any of these empty buildings?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Every once in a while I see one, but not very often.

[@travis303]

Spring Ranch: "Site of the only female lynching in Nebraska" That's a pretty grisly claim to fame.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah that was interesting when I found out about it. Actually didn’t find out til after I visited, which is why it was on the caption and I didn’t say anything about it.

[@ronfullerton3162]

Nebraska had gender equality even back then!