The Lone Star State is speckled with the ruins of frontier forts too, many built in the mid-1800s to protect settlers as they moved westwards. These include the mid-19th-century Historic Fort Phantom Hill in Abilene and Fort McKavett in Menard County.

The remains of an earlier fortified settlement, the 18th-century Presidio of San Saba which was built by Spanish colonial soldiers, is another of the state’s historically significant abandoned sites. A more modern – and much photographed wreck – is the weather-worn sign of the long-gone Stardust Motel on the way into Marfa. The retro sign (pictured) sits along US 90 where the roadside motel once welcomed travelers.

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