Govan Washington

The ghost town of Govan is located in Lincoln County, just a short drive from Coulee City. With just a few abandoned structures left, you may not even know it is there. I used to work with the lady who owns the old schoolhouse, and she gave me permission to enter.

This town was originally established in the late 1800s as a railway station on the Central Washington Railway. The town’s population significantly grew when a large sandbank was discovered, and the sand was used for railroad construction.

In the early 1900s, a judge and his wife were brutally murdered in town with an axe. It was considered one of the most brutal crimes ever committed in the county. Just a few months later, a masked gunman entered the saloon, and more even residents were murdered.

In the late 1920s, a large fire then swept through town, destroying many businesses. While many people went right to work to rebuild the town, it never fully recovered. It finally faced its demise when U.S. Route 2 was constructed and passed by the town, and more people traveled via automobile than the railroad.

Today there are a few structures left standing, including the abandoned Govan Schoolhouse that closed its doors in the 1940s.

It is believed this abandoned schoolhouse in Washington is haunted by the spirits involved in the murders from years ago and it has attracted ghost hunters from all over the country.

Some individuals even leave small gifts inside for the spirits to keep them happy. It couldn't hurt, right?