Eastern Washington Ghost Town is Haunted With The Most Gruesome Murders In State History

The abandoned town of Govan, Washington sits a few hours north of Tri-Cities in Lincoln County off of highway 2. With the exception of a couple of occupied homes, the town is a ghost town (cue whistling wind and creaking barn door sound effects).

Govan, Washington, Was a Thriving Little Farming Community in 1941

At one time, like all towns, Govan was full of life and commerce. It had its own post office, schoolhouse, farms, and homes full of people. Today, a few of the buildings are still standing - empty - each with their own story - two of those stories include murder, mystery, and gruesome detail.

A Wealthy Judge, An Ax, and a Horrific Crime Scene

Just over 120 years ago in December of 1902, J.A. Lewis and his wife were hacked to death with an ax inside their home - Lizzie Borden style. Mr. Lewis was a Judge and it's suspected to have been a robbery gone bad as the Lewis' were very well off. The crime was considered one of the most grisly murders in Washington State history. The horrific killing was never solved.

Murder strikes again in Govan

39 years after the Lewis' were slaughtered another murder took place. In 1941, a mother and her son were slain. The mother was found dead on their farm, her son's body wasn't found until 1949. His remains were located in a nearby field. Both are unsolved murder mysteries.

More Calamity Blazes Through Govan in the 1970s

The town of Govan has had its share of heartbreak - two different wildfires roared through in the early 1970s and after that, for the most part, it became a ghost town. The Population of Govan in 2019 was 3.