There’s something wholly intriguing about abandoned places. Ghost towns, old cemeteries, derelict buildings, and forgotten sites; are places that have been buried in the past — literally and figuratively.
With each passing day, these forsaken locations continue their descent into oblivion. Still, one type of site remains relevant: irony – because it is only through being abandoned that they can still resonate with our current culture’s ironic destiny.
Abandoned places have always been a source of wonder and curiosity. These 19 locations, due to being forgotten or just waiting for their period, are when they finally take on new life as people go about living out the adventures in these ruins that call out from beyond imagination!
Glenrio – Texas and New Mexico
Imagine, if you will – the sounds of cars zipping along Route 66, searching for a bathroom or snack. Then imagine being stuck at one intersection where two different states meet on this border town’s Main Street (no, really). It would be enough to make anyone want to give up hope, but thankfully, some holdouts out there refuse to let their towns become ghost towns!
Glenrio is a ghost town that once thrived due to its thriving railway industry. The Rock Island Railroad Depot served as both an office and station for trains passing through this area but eventually closed in 1955 after over fifty years of service – leaving two residents remaining who were all alone against nearly thirty thousand people living nearby back then!
These adventurous few can explore what remains today by driving around their former hometown with curiosity at peak levels high enough to see how things used to be here and imagine exactly what life might’ve felt.
Garnet Ghost Town – Garnet, Montana
Ghost towns are often a fascinating yet eerie sight to see. One of the most beautiful ghost towns in America can be found just outside Montana’s gorgeous western slope – Garnet!
Once home for over one thousand people during its gold rush days and now abandoned by everyone but nature itself since World War II has passed by, this story does not have a sad ending because today you’ll find one of if not THE best-preserved examples nearby with all original architecture still standing tall.
Home of Truth – Monticello, Utah
The abandoned ghost town of Monticello is just 15 miles away from Utah’s most intriguing settlement-a place called The Home Of Truth. This forgotten metropolis was founded in 1933 by Marie Ogden. She devised an idea for communicating with the dead after being spiritually Mediumized during her time at séance sessions across New York City!
She briefly set up shop here before moving on again; this sad chapter leaves behind little more than ruins that today stand as mute testimony to what once happened within their grasp.
The home of Marie has been a popular tourist spot for decades. Located in Utah, she shared this property with many others before leaving to live on her own when members started dropping off one-by-one until only she remained at The Home Of Truth near Moab after 1935; however, there are few left who know about its location other than those within earshot or sight distance because nobody wants anything else harmful spilling onto them so close as well considering what happened last time around.
Virginia Renaissance Faire – Fredericksburg, Virginia
Hear ye, hear ye: The Virginia Renaissance Faire has seen better days. This once-boisterous festival ground is now abandoned, with only the structures remaining from its glory days in Tudor style being consumed by wild woods that seem intent on taking everything back again.
The 90’s creation turned out to be just another failed project. It faced foreclosure before closing down permanently following many unsuccessful seasons where attendance never met expectations or potential customers’ charm calibration levels.
City Methodist Church – Gary, Indiana
The abandoned City Methodist Church in Gary, Indiana, is a place that inspires ghost stories and creepy lore. The town’s reputation as an eerily photographed city continues with this physical manifestation of their tenuous past-the church was built during one of the country’s most significant periods for steel production but soon afterward crashed due mainly to economic reasons leaving behind widespread unemployment, which led many people away from staying here anymore after only having populated it once before when becoming established themselves yet still manage to maintain some sort level.
Dinosaur World – Beaver, Arkansas
When the dinosaurs went extinct in Arkansas, it seemed like their world was too. The park opened up to much fanfare, only for things to gradually disappear as visitor numbers declined. Eventually, they closed down altogether – leaving behind 100 hand-painted sculptures that stand as silent sentinels today along one lonely highway outside Beaver.
Abandoned theme parks are not uncommon across America; some may think these places would make reasonable camping grounds or locations for ghost stories, but this story is different because instead of being solely an attraction on its lot (with ticket prices), Dino World had been built into the multimedia platform which included live shows alongside realistic fossil displays inside.
Santa Claus Land – Santa Claus, Arizona
The remains of Santa Claus Land stand as a sad reminder that America’s love affair with Route 66 has dwindled. This once enchanting year-round destination along the famous route can still be seen today, but only by those who know where it is located and how to get there from modern-day roadsides like any other ghostly ruin in Arizona.
In 1937 when “Arizona’s version” was founded, it meant more than just Christmas; It provided families a magical holiday experience all year long at their private park, which had become legendary among tourists seeking to evoke nostalgia during this period before television became popular Even though many people wanted purer simpler days without electronics distractions.
Tug Boat Graveyard – Staten Island, New York
The Arthur Kill tugboat graveyard is one of the most awe-inspiring sights in all of New York. It’s located just across from Staten Island, where boats are left to rust away at their moorings after being abandoned by owners who went elsewhere or were unable to keep them anymore, mainly because it can be such harsh conditions up here on our high seas neighboring stateside.
The past few years have seen an increasing number of these exquisite pieces of maritime history, so there’s more than ever a need for preservation – primarily since many will eventually wind up sinking anyway.
Joyland Amusement Park – Wichita, Kansas
Joyland Amusement Park was once a popular destination in the Midwest but has since been abandoned. Over time this park experienced fires and auctions that destroyed many of its attractions, leaving only some buildings standing. As nature took its toll on specific areas, making them look more rustic than before with Spray paint-covered platforms where children used to enjoy riding their bikes around while adults relaxed under shade trees watching them go by or take part inside old fashioned games like “footbag” which involves playing soccer without using your hands!
Laurel Valley Plantation – Thibodaux, Louisiana
Laurel Valley Plantation is a living testament to the history of our country. In Louisiana, visitors have an opportunity to step into books with over 50 original and well-preserved buildings that were once owned by Joseph Tucker, who bought more than 5000 acres along beautiful Bayou Lafourche during the early 1800s
The site offers a unique chance for those interested not only in seeing how things used to be but also in what life was like back then on this large-scale operation run entirely through sustainable practices such as renewable energy sources, which allows them to produce electricity from solar panels throughout the property.
When the first sugar foreclosure was filed in 1832, it had been a thriving business for over 135 years. The grounds were home to an impressive mill and slave cabins that still stand today and multiple other structures that have since burnt down or disappeared altogether. (The inside of these buildings is closed per request from owners, but you can view them from the outside.)
This former plantation is now one big ghostly reminder – not only of our country’s very conflicted history between slavery & freedom.
Dome Home – Cape Romano, Florida
The dome-shaped outlier known as the “Dome Home” is slowly being reclaimed by nature, which curious visitors can still see standing in turquoise waters off Marco Island. This 2,400-foot aquatic abode was built in 1980 and fitted with state-of-the-art solar panels to make it self-sustainable – but this home didn’t last long before being abandoned during Hurricane Andrew struck back again 25 years later in 1992; since then, its stood firm against numerous hurricanes including one just last year (2016).
Bodie State Historic Park – Bridgeport, California
If you are looking for a glimpse into life in the Old West, look no further than Bodie, California. The town was founded by miners who had discovered gold on its outskirts and still stands as a historic site today with many original structures remaining from back when it was just mining communities popping up all over this part of Nevada territory called “The Richest County In America.”
There are reports about how someone could be walking down some street straining their ears, trying to listen out if they heard any sound coming from behind them because what seems normal here isn’t always true elsewhere–. Yet, somehow, I found myself doing that very thing while exploring these grounds last weekend despite knowing full well.
Bombay Beach – Imperial County, California
Once upon a time, there was an oasis in the California desert. A nowhere town thrived with luxurious hotels and yacht clubs during the early 1900s. Still, it just disappeared one day, leaving many to wonder if they had been nothing more than lucky recipients of wishful thinking or architects willing participants who helped make this happen.
By the 1970s, fish were dying off; birds became ill while tourists continued their departure today; visitors will find vacant buildings were once stood, bustling resort towns full of endless possibilities.
Peter Iredale Ghost Ship – Fort Stevens, Oregon
The Wreck of the Peter Iredale is one of Oregon’s most infamous abandoned places. You’ll find this ghost ship at Fort Stevens, a once-active (and now inactive) military base that sits on 4200 acres just offshore from Portoboquil Bay near Autzen Beach House.
While it is an intriguing structure, what makes these waters so haunting are all those lost souls who were never lucky enough to escape alive.
Imagine being a part of the crew on this boat, with nothing to do but watch as it melts into foggy thickness. You have enough time before you need help escaping from inside your ship because something has gone wrong.
High waves crashing over the deck and strong currents dragging at both anchor lines pull insistently against their weights despite others within earshot who shout orders trying desperately not to let them know what’s happening out here!
The Peter Iredale was once an impressive four-masted steel bark that could be seen throughout these waters doing its job well, but we all knew better than to believe our luck would never run dry.
Elkmont, Tennessee
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a cherished American treasure, and there are numerous cabins and campsites where one can stay while visiting this incredible world. The historic Elkmont District — located deep in the depths of these mountains–used to be an upscale campground for vacationers from around Tennessee during what we refer to as “the timber business” era (1908-30).
However, it has since been abandoned decades ago because its proximity wasn’t ideal when compared to other parks like seriousness near them or convenient by car.
Hudson River State Hospital – Dutchess County, New York
The Hudson River State Hospital was once one of the country’s most notorious abandoned hospitals, and it still holds that title today. This old psychiatric hospital in New York had an impressively sprawling campus with beautiful architecture designed by architects who created Central Park (yes).
Opened from 1871 until 2003, when they finally shut down after years upon the end of disrepair, what took place inside these walls makes them worthy enough for any horror movie scriptwriter’s nightmares.
The hospital was once considered very progressive and offered several “modern” treatments for the mentally ill, like electroshock therapy or lobotomies. Today it’s said that these procedures haunt its halls with patients who were subjected to them in an abandoned complex which has since become designated New York landmark status as well despite being widely recognized by then-famous architect NL stick-built downtown Manhattan around the 1900s time frame.
The story goes on about how this old building housed some awful things, such as tragedy but also contains beautiful history.
Orpheum Theatre – New Bedford, Massachusetts
The Orpheum Theatre is one of the most brilliantly designed buildings in all of America, with as tragic architecture and heart-wrenching to behold. The Massachusetts venue opened its doors around 1912 when it was built according to Beaux-Arts style, including soaring ceilings made from gold leaf paint, which gave way for some truly breathtaking performances on stage – not just about music or plays but also shooting ranges and gym facilities too! For nearly 50 years until 1958, this grand space saw people come here daily during performance time: opera singers performing trouser roles while riding horses alongside actresses.
Kennecott Mines – Kennecott, Alaska
Way up in America’s Last Frontier, the Kennecott Mines have a reputation for being both mysterious and intriguing. These mines were once part of an abandoned copper mining camp from 1905 to 1938. Still, like many prosperous places, they eventually fell victim to Great Depression – becoming one of the best-preserved towns left standing and earning recognition on our National Historic Landmark list!
Nowadays, tourists flock here not only because it is considered quite scenic (indeed it is) but even just curious about what life might’ve been like back then.
Ohio State Reformatory – Mansfield, Ohio
While most of us are content to explore our backyards, there’s always something special about exploring an unfamiliar region. Ohio has some truly haunted places you shouldn’t miss if your heart (and courage) are strong enough! One such place is Mansfield Reformatory – where lonely cells and restless spirits await those who dare venture inside these 130-year-old admins’ former reform schools that became known simply as ‘Reform.’
The facility is known to house some of the country’s most violent ghosts; spirits who fought each other in overcrowded isolation cells are said to haunt this former prison. It closed in 1990, and since then, it had gained national acclaim, like when they were used for filming “The Shawshank Redemption.”
Today you can explore an abandoned place that houses such tragic history – but be sure your visit isn’t just one night because there’s plenty more where those came from.
Have you ever been to an abandoned place that refused to let go? I have, and they are all worth hearing. As we fall, planning on venturing out with your ghost hunt across this great nation of ours in search of those who remain unknown – the ghosts from our pasts still lingering around like tangible votes against progress every day despite being forgotten by most people today.
Abandonments can make one feel small but mighty at once because these sites hold such powerful memories.
Addresses:
Glenrio, TX 79045, USA
Glenrio, NM 88434, USA
City Methodist Church, 577 Washington St, Gary, IN 46402, USA
Garnet, MT 59832, USA
Staten Island, NY, USA
Fort Stevens, Warrenton, OR 97121, USA
Bodie State Historical Park, California 93517, USA
Elkmont Road, Elkmont Rd, Tennessee 37738, USA
New Bedford Orphuem Theatre, 1005 S Water St, New Bedford, MA 02744, USA
The Ohio State Reformatory, 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905, USA
Santa Claus, AZ 86413, USA
Salton Sea Beach, CA 92274, USA
Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark, Kennicott, Chitina, AK 99566, USA
Home of Truth, Monticello, UT 84535, USA
Wichita, KS, USA
Beaver, AR 72631, USA
Fredericksburg, VA 22401, USA
Laurel Valley Village Store, 595 LA-308, Thibodaux, LA 70301, USA
