Otis Chalk

Texas ghost towns run the full arc: cattle railheads, cotton towns the boll weevil broke, and oil booms that went bust.

Otischalkia is an extinct genus of archosauromorph from late Triassic (late Carnian stage) deposits of Howard County, Texas, US It is known from the holotype TMM 31025-263, left humerus and from the referred specimens TMM 31025-262, TMM 31025-266, TMM 31025-264, TMM 31185-92 and TMM 31185-93. It was found in the Lower Dockum Group near the abandoned settlement of Otis Chalk. It was first named by Adrian P. Hunt and Spencer G. Lucas in 1991 and the type species is Otischalkia elderae. Originally described as a rhynchosaur, several recent studies found O. elderae to represent a nomen dubium.

The on-the-ground condition of Otis Chalk is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Otis Chalk is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.