Pleasance, the abandoned town located in the northern parts of the Cholla Springs in Red Dead Redemption 2, is an area of mystery. While some of the game’s towns, like Valentine and Rhodes, thrive and look lived-in, Pleasance looks as if it’s been abandoned for decades. It’s a ghost of a former life, with no one but creepers lapping the streets during the game’s opening hours. But what happened to it, why did the people leave, and what secrets does it hold?
The people of Pleasance were made up of a mix of Mexicans and Native Americans. The town was founded by, and remained under, the control of the Mexican government during the late 19th century. It was most prosperous between the two decades of 1881–1891, when many of the townsfolk ran a variety of businesses. Animals, tobacco, and cotton were abundant in Pleasance, with small wineries, farms, and flour mills being common sights. The town also had its own jail, sheriff office, post office and school.
The end of Pleasance’s prosperity came in the mid-1890s when a string of natural disasters – floods, mudslides, and dust storms – hit the town. To make matters worse, the increased presence of bandits in the area and Mexican bandits in particular, meant many of the town’s horses and cattle were stolen, making it difficult for the local farmers and ranchers to make a living.
The death knell of Pleasance came in 1896, with the arrival of Dutch van der Linde’s gang. The gang looted the town, stealing most of its valuables and leaving the people destitute. Dutch’s men also burned most of the buildings to the ground, and killed those who remained in the town. The remaining townsfolk had no choice but to flee, never to return.
Today, Pleasance is a shadow of its former self, inhabited only by small animals. There are still some signs of its once-thriving life, though, most notably the old windmill, post office, jail and church. There is also an old grave in the town, which is said to be the final resting place of a former sheriff who bravely tried to protect the citizens from Dutch’s bandits.
The mystery of Pleasance remains around Red Dead Redemption 2, and its past life is a reminder of how quickly times can change. This once-booming town is now an empty shell, its secrets lost to time. All that’s left are crumbled walls, piles of rubble, and the memories of those who once lived there.
