Abandoned Places - Blog Posts

Before the war my dad often took me with him to explore these abandoned places. He really likes to photograph ruins that are falling apart or overtaken by nature and i too think there is a lot of beauty in them, especially when the nature is absorbing them back into itself and covering everything in moss, little saplings growing from cracks in the walls. Its almost a religious experience when its so quiet there. As an assignment to make an artbook i took some of my dads photos and added cute ghosts to them. There is a tonn of really interesting and unique photos that never went into the project because i was simply running out of time and was stressed (like some photos fom Poland, Some really cool onse from Tarakaniv Fort. Some are on my computer but i siply didnt have time too look for them) But maybe i will be able to revisit this concept some other day and make.

Also now i see i should have posted this as one post instead of separete onse from the start but it fine

Centralia, Pennsylvania. For most of its history, the town of Centralia was a prosperous coal mining town. Centralia was officially founded in 1842 by Alexander Rae. The first mines opened in the area in 1856, and by 1890 the town had a population of 2,761 and hosted seven churches, five hotels, twenty-seven saloons, fourteen general stores, two theaters, a bank, and a post office. During World War I, production declined as many of the young men enlisted in the military. After the Wall Street Crash in 1929, several of the area mines were closed. However, many illegal mining operations continued in various places. By the 1960's, official coal mining in Centralia had completely ceased, but illegal mining continued until 1982.

In 1962, the Centralia Town Council was deciding what to do with the town landfill. The landfill was established the previous year to discourage illegal dumping and was located inside an abandoned strip-mine pit next to the Odd Fellowes Cemetery. On May 27, firefighters set the landfill on fire and let it burn before extinguishing it. However, the fire was not fully put out - it managed to enter the labyrinth of abandoned coal tunnels that snaked underneath the town.

Residents began to notice something was wrong around 1979. By this point there just over 1,000 residents living in Centralia. That year gas station owner John Coddington inserted a dipstick into one of his underground gasoline tanks to check the fuel level. When he withdrew it, it felt hot. So, he inserted a thermometer into the tank and was shocked to discover the temperature of the gas in the tank was 172° Fahrenheit. Beginning in 1980 several locals began to suffer from health effects due to the gases produced by the fire. Statewide attention began to focus on Centralia when sinkholes began opening at various places in the area. In 1981, 12-year-old Todd Domboski fell into a sinkhole in his grandmother's backyard that opened suddenly right beneath his feet. He saved himself be grabbing a tree root and was pulled to safety by his cousin Eric Wolfgang. The steam plume billowing from the hole was tested and found to contain lethal levels of carbon monoxide. At the same time, Governor Dick Thornburgh and State Rep. James Nelligen were visiting the area to assess the situation. In response to the worsening crisis, the U.S. Congress allocated $42 million for relocation effort. Most residents accepted the payments and moved out of town. Afterwards most of the town's structures were demolished. Some residents, however, refused to leave - with 63 residents remaining by 1990. In 1992, Governor Bob Casey invoked eminent domain on all properties within the town. The U.S. Postal Service discontinued Centralia's zip code in 2002.

There have been several legal attempts by the few remaining residents to stop the government from seizing their homes. The holdouts claim that the government wanted the mineral rights to all the coal deposits that remained untapped. In 2009, the state began formal eviction proceedings against the last few residents. These residents filed suit in 2010 claiming they were victims of fraud. By 2013, the residents settled, reaching an agreement that they could remain in their homes until their deaths, at which point the properties would be claimed under eminent domain. By 2020, only five residents still live in Centralia.

The fire underneath Centralia continues to burn. At its current burn rate, the fire could continue to burn for the next 250 years. Almost all the towns' structures have been demolished, and nature has mostly reclaimed the land. From above, the Centralia appears to be nothing more than a series of paved roads hidden within thick forest. There are numerous fissures all over the affected area spewing steam and toxic gas into the air. A section of Pennsylvania Route 61 passing through the Borough was closed after steam damaged and split the pavement repeatedly. There are many signs placed around warning of ground instability and toxic fumes.

The town has served as the model for numerous ghost towns in popular culture including Vampire Zero by David Wellington and Strange Highways by Dean Koontz. Most famously, the story of Centralia was used as research for the basis of the namesake town in the 2006 film 'Silent Hill' - a movie based the popular video game franchise of the same name.

Abandoned Places

The City of Pripyat  - Pripyat, Ukraine

After the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant the 50,000 residents of this city were forced to immediately evacuate. The city stands abandoned to this day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pripyat

Michigan Central Station - Detroit, United States

Built in 1913 this was once the tallest rail station in the world. Though at first a busy travel hub the station started to notice a decrease in passengers, eventually in 1988 this caused the station to be shut down for good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Central_Station   

Maunsell Forts  - United Kingdom

Created during WW2 by the British Navy these forts were made to deter and report German air raids on the coast. After the war, since they no longer serve a purpose they were abandoned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maunsell_Forts 

Six Flags New Orleans - United States

After being damaged during Hurricane Katrina this amusement park never reopened.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Flags_New_Orleans

Wonderland - Beijing, China

What was planned to be the largest amusement park in Asia, now sits as an unsettling set of structures that spawn rumors and uneasy feelings among those who visit it, after construction was halted due to lack of funding.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderland_Amusement_Park_(Beijing)

Tequendama Falls Hotel - Colombia

Built in 1923 as a symbol of the joy and elegance of the elite citizens of the 20s. This hotel was abandoned in 1950 due to river contamination.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequendama_Falls_Museum

Denbigh Asylum - Wales

Built in 1848 this mental asylum could house up to 200 patients before it was closed completely in 2002.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Wales_Hospital 

SS Ayrfield - Sydney, Australia

This 1,140-ton steamship that was built in 1911 assisted allied forces in both world wars and later became a cargo ship bringing supplies to and from various coastal cities before it arrived in its current location of Homebush Bay in 1972. After years abandoned, the ship has become a floating garden filled with plants birds and animals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homebush_Bay#Hydrography

  Abandoned Mill - Ontario, Canada

The Ballroom in a now Disused Psychiatric Hospital in Wales, UK. Only been closed 2 years.. Quick video from inside here - https://youtu.be/DP6GaQ3tS94

Saw this photo on Twitter yesterday and an idea for a story came to mind