Fort Ritner, Indiana, Level 4 Ghost Town
Fort Ritner, Indiana is a Level 4 ghost town located about 13 miles southeast of Bedford, Indiana. The town once had a population of about 1,000 people in the early 1900s but in the 2000 census the population was hovering around only 75 people. Today in 2023, the population could very well be south of the 75 residents that were living here in 2000. Here’s the story...
Fort Ritner was platted in 1857 and named for Michael Ritner, a foreman of the railroad that built the massive train tunnel just 1 mile west of town. When first platted, there were almost 290 available plots in town. Today, there might be about 20 homes inhabited.
One of the first merchants to open shop was William Holland who had a grocery store and a tavern. When he died in 1905 he was one of the wealthiest men in Lawrence County and owned quite a bit of land as shown in the plat book.
In its heyday, the early 1900s, Fort Ritner was home to two saloons, a railroad depot, at least 2 churches, possibly 3, a flour mill, a blacksmith shop, a saw mill, 2 grocery stores, a hotel, a telephone exchange, a post office, a doctors office, a grist mill, a barbers shop, a dress maker shop and a justice of the Peace. In 2023, all that remains of the commercial entities is the former Holland General Store built in 1913 which is now a private residence. Which places Ft. Ritner in the “Level 4 Ghost Town” category.
With the East Fork of the White River just 1/2 mile south of Fort Ritner, floods have always played a major roll in the history of the town. The 1913 Flood somehow triggered a fire in the grocery store of William Holland which resulted in his first store burning down to the waterline. The 1937 Flood was even worse forcing all of the residents to leave town or seek refuge in the Ft. Ritner Methodist Episcopal Church which sat on high ground.
A 2 story hotel once stood on Front Street almost directly across from the former Holland General Store. This was one of the oldest buildings in town, constructed in the 1800s. Unfortunately it burned to the ground in 1977.
On the morning of Monday, December 27, 1909, two freight trains traveling east and west on the same set of tracks approached the sharp curve just 1/2 mile east of Ft. Ritner. Due to the curve and the cliff on the north side of the tracks, neither engineer could see the other train coming until it was too late. Some trainmen were able to jump to safety before the collision but unfortunately 5 were killed in the accident making it the deadliest train wreck in Lawrence County history.
Four schools have been built in Fort Ritner but only one remains.
In 1855 the “Wildcat School” was constructed one mile north of Fort Ritner on the head of Wildcat Creek. The land was deeded by William & Sarah Foster on June 9, 1855 for school purposes. The school was in use for only 3 years until 1858.
In 1858 the Town School was built at the corner of Depot & Third Street on Lots 112-113 & 114 which were deeded by Edwin B. Fanning for school purposes. This school was in use until 1883. I couldn’t find any remains of the building.
In 1883 the two story, two room Clay Hill College was built and sat o the hillside and slightly west and north of the Winfred and Maggie Dixon home. The 1 and a half acres of land for the school was deeded by Martin & Mary Dixon. This school was in operation until 1911. It looks as if a newer home has been built on the site of where the school may have once stood.
In 1911 the last Ft. Ritner school was built on Lots 83-84-85 & 86. The one story, two room school was in operation until 1952. In 2023 it is being used as a private residence.
A post office once stood on the west side of the 1913 Holland General Store and then was moved inside the store. In 2023 the remains of the Post Office can be found at the Lawrence County Museum of History in Bedford, Indiana.
Today Fort Ritner, Indiana is only a shell of it’s former self. Less than two dozen houses make up Fort Ritner with a population of only about 50-65 people. Will anything be left in Fort Ritner 100 years from now? Only time will tell.
GPS Location: 38°46'14.2"N 86°16'50.2"W
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Located along the B&O (CSX) railroad this is an interesting place. There used to be a rail line from Rivervale (4 miles west) up to Bedford that carried freight and passenger trains until the 1920’s. Turners (located where the recently removed Monon railroad crossed Indiana highway 60) would qualify as a ghost town for sure. Nothing left except a house or two. At one time it had a depot, post office and general store. I’m really enjoying these videos as that’s why I go on vacation alone. If I see something interesting I stop and check it out and I avoid interstates as they’re boring.
Adamsboro in Indiana had a post office in the little store next to where the railroad tracks use to be has 9 or 10 homes.
Don't know how long that store has been closed, but I'm sure I remember it being a dark brown building and having stopped there for a coke back in the late 1980's.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
That's about when I discovered it.
Cool ghost town, seeing the old photos of what it used to look like is awesome! Thanks for sharing this wonderful place and its history with us! 👍
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
8 ай бұрын
Glad you liked it!
Great job Satolli and crew.🧢🇺🇸
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
8 ай бұрын
Thanks John!
You might check out Willow Valley as well. It’s about 5 miles east of Shoals and 3 miles west of Huron on US 50. There’s a couple of homes and the gypsum plant is still going (I think) and there’s a cool railroad tunnel to check out. The railroad is still there but is out of service between Washington and Mitchell as of July 2024.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
2 күн бұрын
Can you give me a GPS Location?
@ChadQuick270W
2 күн бұрын
@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 I’ll check on google maps in a bit and see if I can. I never really used those before. I guess I’m old fashioned lol. I just drove US 50 a lot in the 1990’s and being a train fan found a lot of “out of the way places”.
@ChadQuick270W
Күн бұрын
@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 here’s what google maps has: 38.6875265, -86.7209649 It’s “Deep Cut Lake Road” off US 50 about 3 miles west of Huron.
It's neat that you drive It's like you going for a drive Nice for people can't get out
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
16 күн бұрын
Glad you like that!
Imagine all the life that began and ended in this sweet little town over the past 140 years
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
8 ай бұрын
Exactly!
@michaeldaulton7858
15 күн бұрын
I've been working on 43 years
Liked the explanation. Thanks
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
Good! Glad it made sense.
Great video, I love the then and now photos.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
8 ай бұрын
Thanks! I like them too.
Amazing research. How about scipio,,Hayden, brewersville,holten,Nebraska? I know, its a lot to research. However you did an amazing job on this little hometown. Frog legs on Thursday or Friday. All you can eat. Don't know if they are still in business but it was awesome the people were like family. Couple decades ago.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
2 ай бұрын
They are all on my list! It just takes time...
Great video as always Satolli!
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
8 ай бұрын
Well I have to give you credit for giving me the inspiration to cover Fort Ritner. It was on my radar but it wasn't at the top of my list until you showed me those pictures. Thanks!
@brandonbedford
8 ай бұрын
@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 No problem! SHAARD has pictures and information about pretty much the entire state, it is a great resource
EXCELLENT AS USUAL
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
Thanks! Glad you liked it.
This my first time seeing one of your videos, you did an excellent job. Is the train tunnel there still used at all? I figure probably not but wanted to ask anyway.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
3 ай бұрын
Yes the trains run through the tunnel daily. Glad you liked the video.
Deep Indiana....Thanks!
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
Ай бұрын
You're welcome!
I am a long time viewer, but I am a slacker in replying to your videos. I quietly have watched your videos for the past few years and totally enjoy them. The length of them are perfect and I truly enjoy the content that you put out. For instance, this Town is a very interesting Ghost Town. You can definitely see how at one time it was probably full of children and activities and it is just very intriguing to watch how you display the town as it is now compared to what it was. Keep up the great work. I will try to be more diligent in commenting and likes! I do have a question about this video. At the corner of Front St and Ft Ritner there was a raised foundation. It also had steps leading up to the foundation. Did you happen to find out what that foundation once was?
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
8 ай бұрын
Thanks for the comments. That foundation belongs to the store that once stood there. At time stamp 6:08 you dan see the store in the center of the photo along with the steps and foundation.
Where's Susie Selleck? I hope she's doing OK. Great video! Love what you guys do!
Enjoyed your video. What I also noticed were the lack of empty houses. How did they pay to have them removed? The small towns around here are littered with burnt out and abandoned buildings.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
8 ай бұрын
I have no idea.
I live here and this place has lost its way for sure. My mom was the last postmaster there which I think was 2009 or 2011? Ether way there was a house fire in 2011 on the second floor of the post office and we moved out.
@jacobbrownthe2nd
8 ай бұрын
I just live further down fort ritner road.
Would be a great town to dig out old privys!
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
8 ай бұрын
I agree.
Did you get to check out the abandoned ft ritner bridge ?
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
8 ай бұрын
Yes! I even did a video about that bridge a couple of years ago: kzread.info/dash/bejne/mHpl0I-QpLaYdKw.html
👍👍
My freind in bloomingron had a company weddle foods that used to deliver to that store on his route i went on with him.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
2 ай бұрын
Cool!
@hobsonschoice8649
2 ай бұрын
@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 I have made a video on Facebook also of the abandoned bridge at ft ritner as well as up the road in sparksville
@hobsonschoice8649
2 ай бұрын
@historyinyourownbackyard2363 There's an abandoned bridge there that is cool as well ive made a vid about it and the one up the road in sparksville.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
2 ай бұрын
@@hobsonschoice8649 here you go...kzread.info/dash/bejne/mHpl0I-QpLaYdKw.html
Is all of the land privately owned?
@jacobbrownthe2nd
5 күн бұрын
Yes. A guy bought up most of Fort Ritner for likely very little. Tweakers don't pay taxes.
You said that a category 4 ghost town is completely gone. Ft. Ritner still has residents, yet you describe it as a category 4 ghost town. ???
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
16 күн бұрын
No, just the opposite. A level 1 Ghost Town is completely gone. Level 4 still has people living in town.
@fr57ujf
16 күн бұрын
Thanks. I got it backwards.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
16 күн бұрын
@@fr57ujf no problem.
I don't like my house being on here please edit it 120 and 125 perry st, remove my houses please
@bryan__m
2 ай бұрын
But now you just told everyone where you live.