[Huinesoron]

Are you thinking "haunted city"? Because I'm thinking haunted city.

If we assume the Nazgul didn't keep an army on hand, then what we have is a valley with a noxious stream, bordered by white flowers which may have been cursed(? the Gateway says this, but I don't remember it). If you're brave enough to follow the path - up towards the black mountains, towards the foul land of Mordor - you eventually come to a sickly-glowing empty city. Empty, that is, except for a shadow of fear thick enough to walk across. We know what the Nazgul's shadow does to people - now imagine a city festering in it for hundreds of years. Nobody would ever get close.

But outside the Valley of Sorcery (not sorcerers, note), Ithilien is still basically fine. Just Don't Go Into The Valley.

-- though actually, the Gateway seems very confused about the population of Ithilien. Check this out:

Originally Posted by Tolkien Gateway: Ithilien

When Minas Ithil was captured by Mordor in T.A. 2002 it was renamed Minas Morgul, the Tower of Black Sorcery, a place of dread, and the remaining Gondorians deserted Ithilien.

During the Watchful Peace the lords of Morgul had secretly bred the Uruk-hai, and in T.A. 2475 these creatures assailed and overran Ithilien, captured Osgiliath. Boromir defeated the host of Morgul and regained Ithilien. However, from that time on no people dwelt in that region, and for Gondor, there was never full peace again until after the defeat of Sauron.

In the days of Steward Túrin II Ithilien was infested by Mordor-orcs and more people fled west of the Anduin; only the hardest people remained. Túrin built secret refuges around Ithilien for his soldiers.

In T.A. 2885, Ithilien was invaded in great strength of Haradrim from South Gondor. With the aid of King Folcwine of Rohan Túrin won a victory at the Crossings of Poros, though the princes Fastred and Folcred were slain.

The majority of the people of Ithilien fled across the Anduin to escape further attacks by Uruks from Mordor (T.A. 2901), but Túrin still kept scouts there, operating out of secret locations such as Henneth Annûn. Sauron returned to Mordor in T.A. 2951, and the remaining people started abandoning the area.

By my count, Ithilien was abandoned by Gondor in 2002, 2475, 2885, 2901, and 2951. Did they... like, keep going back? I feel that that would be a hard sell - "Hey kids, we're moving to the countryside! Don't worry, it's usually a couple hundred years between invasions of monsters and sorcerers, I'm sure we'll be fine!"

hS