Courtland, Arizona

Courtland is a true ghost town -- the only inhabitants I encountered were a few hornets that had taken up residence in one of the ruins. The remaining walls of this concrete ruin stood like monuments to some lost civilization, silhouetted against a lonely sky.

Courtland is on the dirt road between Gleeson and Pearce in southeastern Arizona, about four miles north of Gleeson. Three or four roofless ruins are on either side of the road, and the jail is about a half-mile farther north along the road. At the time of my visit (October 2004), none of the buildings were posted against trespassing.