Abandoned Buildings-and Other Places Where Time Stopped

[TheWrath of MadelineKahn]

The bizarre story of Liza Minnelli and the once grand mansion she inherited from her father Vincent.

Sad to see what has become of that house.

http://homes.yahoo.com/blogs/spaces/...215942042.html

[Drew]

http://www.detroityes.com/fabulous-r...troit/home.php http://www.thecoolist.com/the-ruins-...romain-meffre/

[Aviatrix]

My mind always goes back to Pripyat in Ukraine that was evacuated after the meltdown at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986.

[snowblindburd]

I just finished an Episode of Top Gear where their destination was Pripyat. Though I've seen many photographs and videos of the area, it still gets me every time. I would actually like to visit there someday, just to see the enormity of the situation in person.

[SomeChick]

The bizarre story of Liza Minnelli and the once grand mansion she inherited from her father Vincent.

Sad to see what has become of that house.

http://homes.yahoo.com/blogs/spaces/...215942042.html

That is sad. Hopefully Scott will be able to grab a piece (or 20) of it before it crumbles to the ground.

[Aviatrix]

I just finished an Episode of Top Gear where their destination was Pripyat. Though I've seen many photographs and videos of the area, it still gets me every time. I would actually like to visit there someday, just to see the enormity of the situation in person.

Whoa! I'll have to look for that. Love Top Gear! The story of Pripyat is fascinating. I know that Josh Gates show Destination Truth did an episode there.

[atomicbettie]

I agree, Pripyat is fascinating. The other one I like is the abandoned Gulliver's Travels park near the Suicide Forest in Japan.

[McMorbid]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/50-pi...uclea?s=mobile
Some nice pictures of Pripyat

[Aviatrix]

Thanks, McMorbid! A lot of those I've never seen before. Great to get a fresh look on this mysterious story!

[atomicbettie]

I agree, great link.
I like this one. The gas masks really get me. One of them was in the Buzzfeed link and there are a couple more here. If you click into each section (like "schools") after the groups on this page there are even more pics for each one. Lots of stuff on here.
http://www.urbanxphotography.co.uk/portfolio196318.html

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[Mansfield67]

This place it not to far from where I grew up.. we used to drive up there at night and hang out when I was a teenager, calm during the day, creepy at night.. it was a cool place.http://www.ghostwalks.com/hermitageruins-article.htm

[NewEnglander]

This place it not to far from where I grew up.. we used to drive up there at night and hang out when I was a teenager, calm during the day, creepy at night.. it was a cool place.http://www.ghostwalks.com/hermitageruins-article.htm

Mansfield, I've noticed there are tons of videos of abandoned farm houses in Canada on Youtube and on a website I follow called Abandoned Places. It seems like there are just as many Urban Explorers as there are here in US. The houses in Canada seem so intriquing because in many of the farm houses people's things are still there and the kitchen cabinates still have food (even if it's 30-40 years old.

There is a guy on FB whose FB page has all the photos he has taken of abandoned buildings on PEI. Really interesting.

My favorite abandoned places are farm houses and those abandoned resorts in the Adirondacks.

[Mansfield67]

Actually a friend and I discovered one such place a few years ago, it was weird because everything was left behind, clothes, furniture etc. Outside an old car with the seats removed and rusted farm equipment. It was set back a distance from the main road, and not easily seen, we just happened upon it while hiking. You had to wonder what had happened for people to leave everything behind, even though there was really nothing of worth. It was also kind of creepy, because it was in the dead of summer and very hot, I kept thinking of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ! LOL Thanks for the website info, I will check that out. Here is another place I've been to, but never at night ! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merritton_Tunnel

[NewEnglander]

Actually a friend and I discovered one such place a few years ago, it was weird because everything was left behind, clothes, furniture etc. Outside an old car with the seats removed and rusted farm equipment. It was set back a distance from the main road, and not easily seen, we just happened upon it while hiking. You had to wonder what had happened for people to leave everything behind, even though there was really nothing of worth. It was also kind of creepy, because it was in the dead of summer and very hot, I kept thinking of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ! LOL Thanks for the website info, I will check that out. Here is another place I've been to, but never at night ! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merritton_Tunnel

I hope you enjoy the website and FB page. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the guy's FB page from PEI, but if you google "abandoned buildings Prince Edward Island" his FB page will show up.

Wow, that house you found while hiking sounds facinating. The only bummer about urban exploration is that rarely do the explorers find out the back story about the buldings. Some do research but have a hard time finding out what happened, especially with abandoned houses that are still fully furnished.

[Mansfield67]

Thanks for the FB page ! That is really cool stuff. I have a friend who lives outside of Charlottetown, I might have to get down there this summer and do some exploring ! A lot of the pics I have viewed look like something you would see in the U.S. mid west during the depression, sad to look at, yet oddly beautiful, still standing and refusing to be forgotten by the passing years. Finding properties like these and possibly doing a title search might yield some information. I'd love to see photos of these places when they were inhabited originally and the history that goes with them. As for the place I found, wish I had my camera with me that day, I bet I could find it again, that's if it's still standing. That was about 8 yrs. ago.. most likely a housing survey today !

[NewEnglander]

Thanks for the FB page ! That is really cool stuff. I have a friend who lives outside of Charlottetown, I might have to get down there this summer and do some exploring ! A lot of the pics I have viewed look like something you would see in the U.S. mid west during the depression, sad to look at, yet oddly beautiful, still standing and refusing to be forgotten by the passing years. Finding properties like these and possibly doing a title search might yield some information. I'd love to see photos of these places when they were inhabited originally and the history that goes with them. As for the place I found, wish I had my camera with me that day, I bet I could find it again, that's if it's still standing. That was about 8 yrs. ago.. most likely a housing survey today !

If you do some urban exploring, make sure to post the pics here!

[Mansfield67]

Absolutely, as nice as it is seeing others who do this, I'd like to have my own collection, and I will definitely post them. I was talking to my brother about an hour ago about places like these, and he said one of the most tragic is in our hometown of Hamilton , when I visit it's just to see my parents so I don't get downtown often, I had completely forgotten about this ! Anyway, it's been like this for quite awhile, plans for it come and go, so I don't know what will happen, here are some pics, what a shame !Attachment 50213Attachment 50215Attachment 50216Attachment 50212

[TheWrath of MadelineKahn]

http://www.detroityes.com/fabulous-r...troit/home.php http://www.thecoolist.com/the-ruins-...romain-meffre/

Good find, Drew!!

I was reading a different article about Detroit, apparently now you can take tours of some of the ruined buildings. They make you sign a waiver saying you acknowledge it is dangerous, and depending on the building emergency services may not be able to rescue you if there is an accident. (I guess they just leave you to die?)

Oh, and several tour guests have reported their cars being broken into or stolen while on the tours, plus there is the chance someone will wait and mug you before or after, especially at night.

[NewEnglander]

Absolutely, as nice as it is seeing others who do this, I'd like to have my own collection, and I will definitely post them. I was talking to my brother about an hour ago about places like these, and he said one of the most tragic is in our hometown of Hamilton , when I visit it's just to see my parents so I don't get downtown often, I had completely forgotten about this ! Anyway, it's been like this for quite awhile, plans for it come and go, so I don't know what will happen, here are some pics, what a shame !Attachment 50213Attachment 50215Attachment 50216Attachment 50212

You're right, that is a shame. What happened to it? Do you know any of the history of the building?

It's a beautiful building. It reminds me of the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, MA. The Hawthorne is part of Historical Hotels of America so hopefully nothing like this will happen to the Hawthorne.

[choff]

Absolutely, as nice as it is seeing others who do this, I'd like to have my own collection, and I will definitely post them. I was talking to my brother about an hour ago about places like these, and he said one of the most tragic is in our hometown of Hamilton , when I visit it's just to see my parents so I don't get downtown often, I had completely forgotten about this ! Anyway, it's been like this for quite awhile, plans for it come and go, so I don't know what will happen, here are some pics, what a shame !Attachment 50213Attachment 50215Attachment 50216Attachment 50212

I agree..very beautiful building. Was there ever talk about having a chain take over this place ?? The reason I ask is that my hometown had a similar hotel in its downtown. Beautiful building though for decades it was neglected. That is until the new owners had struck a deal with the Wyndham hotel chain, received the money to fix up the place and today the hotel is very successful. I know that they are many who "hate chains" but having the backing say with a Wyndham or even Holiday Inn can really do wonders for such places. Of course a downtown chain hotel doesn't always mean success such as that Sheraton in downtown Gary, Indiana ( abandoned for decades ) and if the hotel doesn't keep up with appearances, being clean, good staff..the place can lose the rights to that chain. Here in Cumberland for decades we had a downtown Holiday Inn. In recent years the places just didn't keep up to Holiday Inn standards and as a result recently it became Ramada and as of yet not much has been to done to update the place. The joke around here is that "..give it time...that hotel will end up being a Super 8".

[neilmpenny]

Abandoned Italy: Hauntingly beautiful photos show the quiet decay of country's forgotten buildings

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...#ixzz30ZOjlh6d

[Aviatrix]

Abandoned Italy: Hauntingly beautiful photos show the quiet decay of country's forgotten buildings

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...#ixzz30ZOjlh6d

Absulutelt beautiful and haunting. I've always wanted to go to Italy just to go see the architecture. Thanks for the post, Neil!

[Squishy]

-Dixie Square Mall Harvey, Illinois (Jake & Elwood drove through here!) http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TQgaVmUHkT0

-The old Cook County Hospital, Chicago. There was a really cool video taken in the building, now it is nowhere to be found.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kather...7603381851439/

[choff]

-Dixie Square Mall Harvey, Illinois (Jake & Elwood drove through here!) http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TQgaVmUHkT0

Unfortunately, well maybe fortunately for those who live in Harvey the last part of Dixie Square Mall was demolished about a year ago.



Attachment 50623

[Mammy]

Unfortunately, well maybe fortunately for those who live in Harvey the last part of Dixie Square Mall was demolished about a year ago.



Attachment 50623

I've spent a lot of time reading about that mall and looking at pictures of it. I knew it had been demolished, but it's still hard to believe it's gone after all of these years. I'm sure the local residents are glad it's gone. It was definitely an eyesore.

[TheWrath of MadelineKahn]

Gallery showing houses sliding into oblivion in surprise, Detroit.

https://homes.yahoo.com/blogs/spaces...202246171.html

[beep]

Gallery showing houses sliding into oblivion in surprise, Detroit.

https://homes.yahoo.com/blogs/spaces...202246171.html

That's pretty depressing. Can't imagine what it would be like for someone who grew up in any of those neighbourhoods to see what they've turned into. Crazy.

[tamiele]

I have to take the time to look through this entire thread. Fascinating!! I believe we were discussing this here on FAD a couple of years ago but my mentioning it for anyone who missed it - but google abandoned Olympic venues for some amazing photos. In my neck of the woods we had the Calgary Olympic games in 1988. I visited the ski jumps a few years back and was appalled by the rotting spectator seating. I wondered why Calgary couldn't have found more uses for it. But after looking at the Olympic venues around the world - I am pleased to say that almost nothing that Calgary built for the Olympics hasn't been used or repurposed. We still have 3 working flame cauldrons that get lit for special events.

[atomicbettie]

I dont' know where you live but the weather in Detroit is pretty volatile. Cold and snowy in the winter, hot and humid with thunderstorms in the summer. Plus the economy in Detroit has been horrible for years. It's very possible that even when people were living in these houses they were not able to do all the maintenance that needed to be done. There could have been a roof leaking for 20 years, etc...

That said I think part of it depends on the neighborhood as a whole. There are houses in my neighborhood that are vacant, one for like 6 years and it looks completely fine. But if you go into North Minneapolis you were see areas of decay like those in Detroit. I don't know if squatters or vandalism has a hand in it or what.

[NewEnglander]

This is an interesting link. I got it from another website I follow called "Abandoned Places". Someone posted and I listed to it today (it's from a radio broadcast but there is a transcript if you want to read the story rather than listen to it as it's an hour long.) Anyway, it's about this man who used to summer in Freedom, NH s a kid and while there he and his brother discovered an abandoned home and they explored it and found it full, as if the people just up and left and left everything behind (dishes in the sink, newspapers, a man's wallet with eye glasses placed on top). When he was an adult he decided to research the house (which was long gone) and he actually found out the story about how it ended up abandoned.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radi...e-on-loon-lake

[Mammy]

This is an interesting link. I got it from another website I follow called "Abandoned Places". Someone posted and I listed to it today (it's from a radio broadcast but there is a transcript if you want to read the story rather than listen to it as it's an hour long.) Anyway, it's about this man who used to summer in Freedom, NH s a kid and while there he and his brother discovered an abandoned home and they explored it and found it full, as if the people just up and left and left everything behind (dishes in the sink, newspapers, a man's wallet with eye glasses placed on top). When he was an adult he decided to research the house (which was long gone) and he actually found out the story about how it ended up abandoned.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radi...e-on-loon-lake

Wouldn't it have been cool to go into that house and look around? There's no telling what could have been found in there. I know it's in this thread somewhere, but have you ever seen the pictures of Mike Tyson's abandoned mansion? All of that money just rotting to the ground.

http://www.messynessychic.com/2012/1...d-80s-mansion/

[NewEnglander]

Fortunately, the author did save a few things from the house, like the wallet, a newspaper from 1939, a driver's license from 1935 and some old time pictures.

[Mammy]

Fortunately, the author did save a few things from the house, like the wallet, a newspaper from 1939, a driver's license from 1935 and some old time pictures.

No matter what he saved, I bet he wishes he had saved more.

[NewEnglander]

Yes, he does wish he saved more. Actually he took his mother to the house and she went back and tried to take a cradle she saw and tried to take it but got caught by some passer-byes. The house really bothered her because her family was from Czechoslovakia and they had to flee during the 30's and they left everything behind, their homes and everything in the.

[cindyt]

I love looking at pictures of abandon Venetian Palladium villas.

I found the book of awesome pics that I used to own on amazon.com. Great big book, just .54 cents used. I might buy it for old times sake and post pics here.

[Mammy]

This building was a motel back in it's heyday named Gabe's Inn, but it was commonly referred to as Gabe's Tower. It had a restaurant and a rooftop swimming pool under a retractable roof. It is located in Owensboro, Kentucky and it's in pretty rough condition. Since it turned fifty years old this year, there are people interested in pursuing having it designated as a historical landmark and have it refurbished. I hope they are able to do that. I've never been inside of it, but I've passed the outside many times. When I was a kid, there was a statue in front of it close to the road of the man who owned the motel. The statue pivoted at the base and waved at the passing motorists. It isn't there anymore.

Attachment 50972

[Mansfield67]

Here is the good news, the place has been saved and has already undergone renovations ! Attachment 50975Attachment 50976Attachment 50974 I am thrilled that this wonderful place is getting another chance. Here is the website for it. http://www.royalconnaught.com/

[Mammy]

Here is the good news, the place has been saved and has already undergone renovations ! Attachment 50975Attachment 50976Attachment 50974 I am thrilled that this wonderful place is getting another chance. Here is the website for it. http://www.royalconnaught.com/

I love it when old historical buildings get restored.

[cindyt]

Have any of you seen the documentary Abandoned America? I started watching it during supper. It covered the ore mining town of Picher, Ok, Saltsea, Calif, and a radioactive town in San Francisco Bay. I'll try to make some screen shots and post them.

There's a book I want to buy called Venetian Palladium Villas. It's loaded with pics of abandoned Italian villas. Some in great disrepair, others have been maintained and there are some that look as though they are occupied. I looked for pics on line, but did not find many. I'll look again. Here's a three I found online.

[Mammy]

Those places must have been so beautiful at one time.

[cindyt]

Those places must have been so beautiful at one time.

I'm sure they were. Amazon has that book for .54 used. I'll try to buy it next week when I get my check. The one I really love isn't really abandoned, but has been restored and turned into a museum, apparently. It is exactly the same on all four sides--many steps leading up to a colonnade, with a grand octagon foyer inside.

[MissZoot]

Have any of you seen the documentary Abandoned America? I started watching it during supper. It covered the ore mining town of Picher, Ok, Saltsea, Calif, and a radioactive town in San Francisco Bay. I'll try to make some screen shots and post them.

There's a book I want to buy called Venetian Palladium Villas. It's loaded with pics of abandoned Italian villas. Some in great disrepair, others have been maintained and there are some that look as though they are occupied. I looked for pics on line, but did not find many. I'll look again. Here's a three I found online.

OMG, that first one! I want it to be mine.

[Mammy]

OMG, that first one! I want it to be mine.

Do you have about ten million dollars laying around to fix it up? Lol

[MissZoot]

Do you have about ten million dollars laying around to fix it up? Lol

I'm going to start with Amway tomorrow-I should have that in four months, tops.

[Mammy]

I'm going to start with Amway tomorrow-I should have that in four months, tops.

LOL, they still make that shit?

[Mcafgr]

LOL, they still make that shit?

Not after the latest lawsut!....just kidding

[cindyt]

I doubt ten mill would buy that and fix it up. Lol. Doubt I'd want to live in one. I bet they're haunted. Ew.

[MissZoot]

I doubt ten mill would buy that and fix it up. Lol. Doubt I'd want to live in one. I bet they're haunted. Ew.

You make that sound like a bad thing! I think ten million would get you just about whatever you needed in Italy, as long as you knew which palms to grease. I'm going to find that book, Cindy-thanks for the tip!

[cindyt]

You make that sound like a bad thing! I think ten million would get you just about whatever you needed in Italy, as long as you knew which palms to grease. I'm going to find that book, Cindy-thanks for the tip!

Welcome.

[Mansfield67]

Absolutely, I was afraid it would end up as just another parking lot. It will bring back the downtown area, this is my hometown, every time I visited it was beginning to look a little like Detroit ! Thank God, people are putting money into this city once more. Check out this website Mammy... so creepy ! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...n-Germany.html