If you left your house today and never returned, what would it look like in 100 years? If no one else took possession of it or cleaned it, chances are your glass of water would remain sitting on your table indefinitely, as dust filled the glass, the table rotted away, and rats built nests in your couch. Here are some buildings and areas in Pennsylvania that experienced just that– complete abandonment. The remnants of the activities that went on there now serve to capture explorers’ imaginations.
A raging mine fire has been burning beneath the ground in Centralia for over fifty years, deeming the ground unstable and the area unsafe for life. Many buildings remain untouched from the day their residents left, save for the vines that have grown around their structures.
Sideline Hill Tunnel is one of three turnpike tunnels that were abandoned after sections of the highway were re-routed. Today the tunnels remain for curious visitors to explore and for creepy crawlers to habitate.
Urban explorer and photographer, Johnny Joo, captured this austere photograph of an abandoned cathedral in Pittsburgh. The movie "Dogma" was filmed, in part, at this location.
Here is another eerie photograph captured by the explorer Johnny Joo, this time of an abandoned neighborhood. No one knows exactly why Lincoln Way was deserted by its residents, but as you can imagine, urban legends abound.
The Brownsville Hospital was converted into a nursing home before shutting down completely in 1985 due to law suits and complaints about the living conditions at the facility.
Pennsylvania's industrial history has left remains scattered across its landscape. One such remnant is Carrie Blast Furnace, which was part of the Homestead Steel Works. The local community may transform the area into a historical park.
The massive 192-acre industrial area has sat desolate for nearly thirty years. We're surprised that no development has occurred here-- but grateful for such an expansive abandoned area to explore.
No litany of abandoned places in Pennsylvania would be complete without mention of one of the largest and first modern prisons in America. Many later prisons followed precedents set by this institution that held countless notorious criminals, including Al Capone. Arguably, it is not completely deserted, as it has become a tourist destination. Yet, this just goes to show you the appeal that abandoned architecture holds to our imaginations.
If you decide to visit any of these places, make sure you are careful of shaky architecture, deteriorated floorboards, and the legal ramifications of trespassing. It is tempting to go creep around inside some of these ghostly structures, though. Do you know of any abandoned buildings near you?
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