---
title: "Phantom Settlements: The Places on Google Maps that Don't Exist"
description: "Explore the mystery of Argleton and other phantom settlements that appeared on maps despite never existing in reality, from copyright traps to cartographic errors."
url: https://decodingtheunknown.pub/article/phantom-settlements-places-google-maps-dont-exist.md
canonical: https://decodingtheunknown.pub/article/phantom-settlements-places-google-maps-dont-exist
datePublished: 2026-06-25
dateModified: 2026-06-25
author:
  - name: Simon Whistler
    url: https://decodingtheunknown.pub/author/simon-whistler
publisher: Decoding the Unknown
image: "https://media.decodingtheunknown.pub/cdn-cgi/image/width=1600,height=900,fit=cover,quality=80,format=auto/articles/ziefkorvoF4/hero.jpg"
type: Article
contentHash: e74114f4952afd955dbcfc2a37e66e6c17dbd4885f3df9e6421b9ac5c76a14a0
tokens: 41
summaryUrl: https://decodingtheunknown.pub/article/phantom-settlements-places-google-maps-dont-exist.md.summary.md
---

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Explore the mystery of Argleton and other phantom settlements that appeared on maps despite never existing in reality, from copyright traps to cartographic errors.
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