Many mining "booms" were followed by "busts." When the mines no longer yielded ore, people left the towns. Once prospectors moved on to more promising sites or returned home, the town was then called a "ghost town." Many of these still exist in the West today as a reminder of the glory days of the mining frontier.

Boomtowns are typically characterized as "overnight expansions" in both population and money, as people stream into the community for mining prospects, high-paying jobs, attractive amenities or climate, or other opportunities.

Settlements that appeared suddenly and grew very quickly were known as boom towns. Many went from boom to bust in a matter of months. Some were built near gold or silver mines or were built near forests to feed the timber trade. When the gold and silver disappeared or if all the trees had been cut, the people moved on.

Boom Town is a 1998 historical fiction picture book written by Sonia Levitin, illustrated by Cat Bowman Smith and published by Orchard Books. Boom Town tells the story of Amanda and her family after they move to California to accompany her father in his search for gold during the California Gold Rush.

The term “boomtown” usually refers to a small, rural, isolated community that experiences rapid energy development, and the associated industrialization and population growth that come with it.

Boomtowns—places that undergo rapid growth due to sudden prosperity—took hold during the Gold Rush and Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, when communities blossomed after discovering valuable resources in their backyards.

The cities of San Francisco and Columbia are two examples of boomtowns during the gold rush. A lot of boomtowns eventually turned into abandoned ghost towns. When the gold ran out in an area, the miners would leave to find the next gold strike.