This Abandoned School In Ohio Looks Good For Its Age... Until You Go Inside

The brick façade of the Higginsport School is a nod to its respectable past. At the time it was built in 1880, it was considered one of the best schools in the country and held an attendance of 250 students, roughly the same as the current population of the entire tiny town it calls home. These days, the long abandoned schoolhouse has clearly seen better days, but there is still something hauntingly beautiful here. Hiding inside the boarded up walls, things get a bit more eerie.

Lindsey Vetter Photography

Higginsport School operated from 1880 up until 1987. Plans for the gymnasium and other buildings to remain open for community events were crushed when costs to heat the building forced the town to close its doors for good.

Lindsey Vetter Photography

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Lindsey Vetter Photography

Nature has taken its toll on the old structure, but it found temporary use as an emergency shelter for the displaced residents during the 1997 floods. The former school even earned recognition as a State Historical Building in 1999, but that didn’t stop vandals from doing further damage to the interior, forcing the structure to be closed down once more in 2005.

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Lindsey Vetter Photography

Lindsey Vetter Photography

Lindsey Vetter Photography

Some things seem to have remained untouched over time. Old furniture sits in several of the rooms, and there are even long past due school papers scattered across the floors.

Lindsey Vetter Photography

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Lindsey Vetter Photography

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Lindsey Vetter Photography

The old chalkboards remain in place, but the creepy additions made by vandals are quite unnerving.

Lindsey Vetter Photography

Spray painted images spread across the old peeling paint unceremoniously adorn the walls.

Lindsey Vetter Photography

Lindsey Vetter Photography

Harsh weather and a badly leaking roof have done serious damage to parts of the wooden floors. The building was considered for demolition, but a grant to offset the cost of repairs has kept the structure standing.

Lindsey Vetter Photography

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Lindsey Vetter Photography

Although the building is structurally sound, over a decade of neglect have made this location unsafe to the public and entry is prohibited. Higginsport School gained a new owner in 2014, and plans to repair and restore this historic relic of the past are underway.

Note: Higginsport School is off-limits to the public for good reason; this place is not safe to explore and entering the buildings is considered trespassing and can land you a hefty fine (or worse). Please respect the posted warnings, the owners, and the history of the school and enjoy the views of the exterior only.