There is a place in Kentucky that’s a haunting a reminder of the cruel passage of time. In a creek in Petersburg, Kentucky, the USS Sachem has sat abandoned for over 30 years. Once a majestic tourist boat, proud vessel in the U.S. Navy, and even a backdrop for a Madonna video, this abandoned ghost ship has descended into decay. It’s an abandoned place in Kentucky that’s shrouded in mystery and intrigue, with a story that needs to be told.

Deep in the forests of Kentucky, in a small creek in Boone County, the USS Sachem sits, slowly sinking into oblivion.
Life Adventure/Google Local
The story of how a commanding, 175-foot ship -- whose impressive resume includes being featured in Madonna's 1996 "Papa Don’t Preach" music video -- wound up in a small creek in Boone County, Kentucky, is fascinating.
Lila Campbell/Google Local
The vessel's story begins in 1902, when she made her sailing debut as a luxury liner used by businessman and yacht enthusiast John Rogers Maxwell. This New York mogul sailed her up and down the Empire State coastline in the early 1900s.
Charles Weaver/Google Local
The boat -- originally called Celt -- was then purchased by the U.S. Navy, who christened her USS Sachem SP 192, and converted her for war service in the Great War.
Abandoned Kentucky/YouTube
During this period, Thomas Edison -- yes, the inventor of the first incandescent lightbulb and first electric car! --- used the ship for experiments to help the U.S. defend against German U-boats during WWI.
Abandoned Kentucky/YouTube

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The boat changed hands a few more times, falling under private ownership and then reappropriated by the Navy during WWII.
Abandoned Kentucky/YouTube
The ship was later sold to Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises of New York in 1946, where she spent the next 31 years carrying tourists on scenic adventures in the Empire State's shores. She was ultimately retired from service in 1971.
Abandoned Kentucky/YouTube
Fast forward to 1985, when Cincinnati boat enthusiast Robert Miller purchased the now-rusted vessel, renaming her Sachem, and setting forth on an epic. 2,600-mile excursion -- her last, as it were -- from New York to his Kentucky property.
Nicole Halt/Google Local
But sadly, the Sachem proved too unwieldy a project for Miller, and it was here, in the wilds of Kentucky, where this ship began her descent into decay and ruin.
Abandoned Kentucky/YouTube
Today, the USS Sachem is owned by Miller's son, and sits on private property in a small tributary of the Ohio River. She is known as the Kentucky "Ghost Ship," and is being reclaimed by nature, slowly sinking into a creek in the middle of the Bluegrass State.
Cherie Whitacre/Google Local

For a hauntingly beautiful drone tour of this abandoned ghost ship in Kentucky, check out this video by local group Abandoned Kentucky:

Have you visited this abandoned ship in Kentucky before? Did you know the story of the USS Sachem — or that Kentucky had its own ghost ship?

If you’re into exploring haunting abandoned areas in the Bluegrass, you’ll definitely want to pay a visit to this Kentucky ghost town…

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More to Explore

Abandoned Places in Kentucky

Sarah M. | January 31, 2023

What are some other interesting abandoned places in Kentucky?

There’s something eerily alluring about abandoned places that makes us want to explore them, and imagine what it used to be like. There are a lot of abandoned places in Kentucky, including:

  • Ouerbacker House
  • Quinn Chapel Church
  • Red Bridge
  • Hayswood Hospital, and
  • William Tarr House — Kentucky’s very own real-life haunted house!

 

What's the most haunted place in Kentucky?

If you’re a fan of ghostly tales and haunted places, Kentucky has lots to keep you busy! Perhaps the most popular ghostly residence in Kentucky is Waverly Hills Sanatorium. This historic building in Louisville is well-known, especially by those who enjoy ghost hunts, and it’s even known around the world as one of the most haunted places in the U.S. Waverly Hills Sanatorium is a historic former hospital in Louisville that came close to being demolished. A historical society saved it and has offered tours, ghost hunts, and other events for several years. The building (and its ghostly residents) has gained much notoriety over the years thanks to famous ghost hunters, TV shows, and word of mouth from visitors. If you enjoy history, haunting tales, and meeting ghosts, a tour should be on your bucket list. Read more about this terrifying place... if you dare.

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USS Sachem Ruins, 2478 Lawrenceburg Ferry Rd, Petersburg, KY 41080, USA