209 - Ghost Towns in the American West with Aubrey Carter

In this episode, we explore the fascinating world of ghost towns in the United States—places where thousands of people once lived, worked, and searched for fortune… and then suddenly left behind. We begin in Coloma, California, where gold was discovered in 1848, sparking the famous Gold Rush. You’ll learn how towns like this quickly grew into busy communities filled with miners, shops, and saloons—and how just as quickly, they became completely empty when the gold ran out. ⭐ Speak about the topics we discuss in this podcast! Join the Academy. Together with guest Aubrey Carter, we dive into what it’s actually like to visit ghost towns today. From Virginia City and Nevada City in Montana to Goldfield Ghost Town in Arizona and the famous Whaley House in California, we talk about real places you can explore—some of which are even said to be haunted. You’ll also learn how Americans talk about these places in everyday English. We explain expressions like “this place is a ghost town” and “this place is dead,” and clarify commonly confused words like salon vs. saloon. We also cover idioms like bite the dust and kick the bucket, including when it’s appropriate (and not appropriate!) to use them. Along the way, we explain vocabulary so you can build your English while learning about U.S. history and culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You can listen to 209 - Ghost Towns in the American West with Aubrey Carter online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

209 - Ghost Towns in the American West with Aubrey Carter is an episode from American English Podcast by Shana Thompson.

This episode is 36:41 long.

This episode was published on Mar 26, 2026.

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