Tahawus Ghost Town

  • Save

Tahawus is a ghost town in the Adirondacks, located in Newcomb, NY of Essex County. The town was once functional as an iron ore mining town, but now lies in ruins.

The history of Tahawus dates back to the 1820’s, when Archibald McIntyre and David Henderson discovered iron in the area. The pair started the Adirondack Iron Works, which would function at this location from 1827 to 1857. The iron was found to have an impurity and this played a role in the end of the company’s work at this area. The town was soon abandoned.

The area was taken over and used as a club for many years before being reopened as a mine in the 1940’s, which remained operational until 1962. The impurity of the iron that the original miners dealt with, titanium dioxide, was what the new miners were searching for. After years of success at the location the workers were transferred to other locations and Newcomb and the town was left to nature.

Most of the buildings have either been demolished or succumbed to the environment, but remains are still visible today. Among the buildings still standing are the McNaughton Cottage, the old pump house, the McIntyre Blast Furnace, and a collapsing home. Along the road you can observe multiple chimneys, the remains of what where once houses.

  • Save
The exterior of the McNaughton Cottage, where Vice President Theodore Roosevelt learned that President William McKinley was dying in 1901.
  • Save
The remains of the McIntyre Blast Furnace, built in 1854.
  • Save
The chimney remains of homes in the mining town of Tahawus.
  • Save
The interior of the McNaughton Cottage in Tahawus.
  • Save
A collapsing home in the town of Tahawus.
  • Save
Remains of an old pump house that was used to generate power from water taken from the Hudson River.
  • Save
The remains of a home in the town of Tahawus.
  • Save
The basement of the McNaughton Cottage.
  • Save
The Hudson River and old pump house.
  • Save
The interior of the McNaughton Cottage.
  • Save
The interior of the McNaughton Cottage.
  • Save
The remains of the McIntyre Blast Furnace.

The town of Tahawus is easily accessible on Upper Works Road with parking available at the Upper Works Trailhead. The area is lined with signs describing the history of the once thriving mining town and visitors are welcome. With any abandoned location, be sure to take necessary safety precautions and be aware of your surroundings. Check out these safety tips for Urban Exploration.

If you are a hiker take note of the many Adirondack High Peaks that are accessible via the nearby Upper Works Trailhead, including Mount Marcy, the highest peak in NYS.