Have You Visited the Spookiest Abandoned Place in Your State?
Have You Visited the Spookiest Abandoned Place in Your State?
Abandoned amusement parks, empty schools, ghost towns, a former cult ranch, and (lots) of old mental hospitals are littered throughout the United States. Not only are these locations a time capsule of sorts, but the sheer aesthetic of these forgotten structures are just downright creepy... not to mention they are often paired with their own paranormal folklore or disturbed backstories. What's the spookiest spot in your state?
Alabama
Jemison Center - Northport, AL
The Northport structure also known as "Old Bryce" has had many different uses over the years. What started as an old plantation house in the early 1900s transitioned into a nursing home until it closed in 2003. However, rumors circulate around the exact use of the property, and many legends support a much darker history.
Photo: Flickr/Nicolas Henderson
Alaska
Kennecott Mines - McCarthy, AK
The former copper mining camp in southern Alaska has been shut down since the 1930s, but there is still plenty of reported activity on the site. Much of the facility still stands in its original form, including the iconic 14-story red mill building. Many people who explore the National Historic Landmark cite stories of the supernatural, perhaps from former miners who lost their lives in the very spot.
Photo: Flickr/Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
Arizona
Yuma Territorial Prison - Yuma, AZ
The Yuma-set prison opened its doors in 1876 and operated for 33 years. During the height of its operation, the prison housed murderers and thieves, but that's not all. Over 100 people died on the site, and the worst inmates were chained to ring-bolts in what was known as the "dark cell." Visitors can still explore the aforementioned space... if they're brave enough. Many have even reported being "touched" by unseen forces.
Photo: Flickr/Ken Lund
Arkansas
Dogpatch USA - Marble Falls, AR
Many believed the hillbilly-themed amusement park in the Ozark region was set to be a success when it opened its doors in 1968. However, low attendance rates forced the park to shutter its gates in 1993. Today, much of the original park still stands as an eerie remembrance.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/kenzie campbell
California
Alcatraz - San Francisco Bay, CA
Situated on an island off the coast of San Fransisco, what was once one of the most guarded prisons in the entire country is now a hotbed for paranormal activity. But what else would you expect from a place that imprisoned the nation's most ruthless criminals, including Al Capone?
Colorado
St. Elmo, CO
What was once a boisterous, late-1800s gold mining town is now one of Colorado's most well-preserved ghost towns. Mostly abandoned after the nearby railroad closed in the 1920s, a few residents remained. But a devastating fire in 2002 torched several remaining structures. The eerie village has played host to ghost tours for paranormal adventurists and novices alike.
Photo: Flickr/jaygannett
Connecticut
Remington Arms - Bridgeport, CT
Initially, the Remington Arms in Bridgeport employed over 15,000 workers after it began operations in the late 1800s. Many accidents occurred on-site, including two employees falling to their deaths and a factory explosion in 1942. The arms manufacturing business moved to a new location in 1988, and the building now stands empty, occupied only by the souls who once worked there.
Photo: Flickr/Matthew Hester
Delaware
Fort Delaware - Delaware City, DE
The former harbor defense facility, built in the mid-1800s, also served as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Civil War. Many men lost their lives in the fort, and a slew of paranormal reality shows have investigated the property.
Photo: Flickr/Jerry Hendricks
Florida
Cape Romano Dome House - Cape Romano Island, FL
Not far off of the shore of Cape Romano Island sits—er, floats—several dome structures built in the 1980s by the Lee family. The dome-home was occupied through the 1990s, but recent weather conditions and erosion have made the property inhabitable. Now, four of the six domes still remain, and they sit empty on the sea—making for a uniquely creepy visual.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Andy Morffew
Georgia
Briarcliff Mansion - Atlanta, GA
Built in 1922 by Asa Candler Jr., the grand estate remained his home until 1948 when it then became an alcohol treatment facility. But after a lack of funds, the clinic closed in the 1950s. The mansion is now a part of Emory University, but it remains empty. An article published in the Emory Report notes the estate's paranormal legacy.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Keizers
Hawaii
Old Maui High - Pā?ia, HI
Opened in 1921, the Maui High School administration and classroom building sat on a beautiful 24-acre campus. However, after a shift in student population, the school relocated to a different campus in 1972–completely abandoning the old building.
Photo: Flickr/Kirt Edblom
Idaho
Shoshone Ice Caves - Shoshone, ID
Stories of a ghostly Indian princess fill the air of the Lincoln County tunnels. Rumor has it that she is buried somewhere deep within the cave walls.
Photo: Facebook/Shoshone Ice Caves
Illinois
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery - Midlothian, IL
The center of many paranormal investigations and spooky television shows rests in an old plot of land just south of the Chicago bustle. The cemetery serves as the final resting place for nearly 200 souls, with graves marking as far back as the early 1800s.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Mark Bergner
Indiana
City Methodist Church - Gary, IN
Gary is home to the former City Methodist Church, which served as a place of worship beginning in 1925. But following low attendance rates, the church closed its doors in 1975. Today, the structure stands as a gothic ghost and has even served as a creepy filming location for A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Photo: Flickr/Lindspetrol
Iowa
Buckhorn, IA
The former co-op, erected in the early 20th century, was bought out by a large dairy company in the 1960s. After business dried up, many people vacated the area, leaving much of it abandoned. Many of the structures still stand today, overrun by nature and time. Buckhorn is one of the creepier and more modern ghost towns on the list.
Photo: Flickr/Phil Roeder
Kansas
Hollenberg Pony Express Station - Hanover, KS
Built in 1857, the Hollenberg Pony Express Station in Hanover served travelers on the Oregon Trail. The state took over the building after it closed in 1963. Visitors have been said to hear disembodied voices, and many claim the spirit of the original owner, Mr. Hollenberg, still lurks the property.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Art davis
Kentucky
Waverly Hills Sanatorium - Louisville, KY
The gothic building in Louisville once served as a home for the unwell at the beginning of the 20th century. The structure was so large that it even had its own zip code. The hospital closed in 1981, but the building still stands. Those who are brave enough can even spend a night ghost hunting in the Waverly Hills Sanatorium.
Photo: Facebook/The Waverly Hills Sanatorium
Louisiana
Six Flags New Orleans - New Orleans, LA
It's pretty safe to say that anything abandoned in New Orleans is pretty spooky, but the old Six Flags tops the list. The amusement park opened in 2000 but had to shut down merely five years later due to Hurricane Katrina. Some of the rides and buildings are still standing and plans to redevelop the park have fallen through. For now, it remains a creepy and abandoned ghost of its former self, and Mother Nature is reclaiming the land.
Photo: Flickr/Erik Jorgensen
Maine
Franklin County Mystery House - Franklin County, ME
Maine is in no short supply of spooky inhabitants... after all, it is the home to Stephen King. But this abandoned home in Franklin County looks like the stuff horror stories are made of. Just look in the second story window—all the way to the left.
Photo: Facebook/Dan Markey
Maryland
Glenn Dale Hospital - Glenn Dale, MD
The former tuberculosis hospital and sanatorium in Glenn Dale operated from 1934–1981. The hospital included both children and adult wards–each equipped with its own basement morgue. Naturally, ghost stories surrounding the abandoned building are in no short supply.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Rosa Pineda
Massachusetts
Northampton State Hospital - Northampton, MA
The psychiatric hospital in Northampton, Massachusetts, saw patients from 1856–1993. With over a century of psychiatric patients and nearly 600 confirmed burials on site, there are bound to be a few spirits still wandering the halls... if you're a believer in that sort of thing.
Photo: Flickr/Rain Kernytsky
Michigan
Northville Regional Psychiatric Hospital - Detroit, MI
Erected in 1952 and closed in 2003, the former Northville Regional Psychiatric Hospital was known to be a hotbed for paranormal activity. The grounds were completely off-limits due to asbestos, but trespassers have shared stories of hearing disembodied voices and footsteps.
Photo: Facebook/Northville Regional Psychiatric Hospital
Minnesota
Wabasha Street Caves - St. Paul, MN
The sandstone caves located near Saint Paul date back to the 1840s. They were once used for mining, but today they are simply for touring. An event space has been added to the entrance of the tunnels, but that doesn't stop the spirits who still haunt one of America's most haunted locations.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Jonathunder
Mississippi
Rodney, MS
Not much is entirely known about the city of Rodney, but a few residents do still remain in what is mostly a ghost town. The dilapidated structures serve as a haunting reminder of the town's once-bustling past.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/James Butters
Missouri
Ha Ha Tonka State Park - Camdenton, MO
Walk along the Ha Ha Tonka State Park and you'll wander upon the ruins of a turn-of-the-century stone castle. The building was destroyed by a fire in the 1940s, and was purchased by the state and turned into a park in the late 70s. The original owner died in an accident before the castle was completed, and it's possible his spirit still walks the land to this day.
Photo: Wikimedia/ThePhotoRun
Montana
Garnet Ghost Town - Drummond, MT
One of Montana's most prominent ghost towns from the turn of the 20th century is also of the most well-preserved, but visitors who wander through the former mining town might experience more than their fair share of supernatural activity.
Photo: Flickr/Bureau of Land Management
Nebraska
Israel Beetison House - Ashland, NE
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, the Israel Beetison house in Ashland was built in 1874. Five generations of the same family lived in the house until it was sold in 1999. Nature has reclaimed much of the Italian styled building, which has sat abandoned for over a decade–making it the perfect destination for urban explorers and paranormal enthusiasts alike.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Mongo
Nevada
The Belmont Courthouse - Manhattan, NV
Far from the hustle and bustle of the Vegas Strip, in Nye County's Humboldt-Toiyable National Forest, lies a small ghost town. Populated with a courthouse, newspaper office, saloon, and mill, the eerie and deserted structures have markings such as this inside of them.
Photo: Flickr/NessieNoodle
New Hampshire
Kimball Castle - Gilford, NH
As if the desolate and dilapidated ruins of Gilford's Kimball Castle don't look creepy enough, the rumors of paranormal phenomena occurring on the property make the abandoned private residence that much scarier.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Ken Gallager
New Jersey
Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital - Jersey City, NJ
For many, Ellis Island was the entry point into the United States. But for those who arrived unwell or sick, they had to first rehabilitate in the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital–which also included a contagious disease hospital. The hospital closed in 1954, but it's possible that some of the 3,500 souls who died on the property could still roam the land.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Z22
New Mexico
Chloride Ghost Town, NM
A few residents still remain in this Sierra County village, but much of the town is abandoned. The community was once a bustling mining hotspot in the 1800s, but many left after business dried up. The post office closed in the 1950s, and many of the western-style buildings were left to collect the desert dust.
Photo: Flickr/Victor Solanoy
New York
Rolling Hills Asylum - East Bethany, NY
The former mental institution and poorhouse, which closed its doors in 1974, is located just outside of Buffalo, NY. The building is currently open for tours and has been featured on a slew of paranormal investigation reality shows. Dozens of ghostly encounters have been reported on the property–are brave enough to spend the night?
Photo: Yelp/Mike RideABike L.
North Carolina
USS North Carolina - Wilmington, NC
While she was abandoned of her original use, the former wartime battleship ship is still open to visitors. Docked at the shore of Wilmington, many visitors have claimed to see ghostly figures throughout the ship.
Photo: Flickr/Mark Doliner
North Dakota
San Haven Sanatorium - Dunseith, ND
The San Haven Sanatorium, located just north of Dunseith, has been abandoned since the facility was shut down in the 1980s. The crumbling building is littered with tales of the supernatural and is off limits to explorers. The sanatorium's dark history has been featured on the popular paranormal show, Ghost Adventures.
Ohio
Poasttown Elementary School - Middletown, OH
Children and faculty filled the halls of Posttown Elementary from 1937–2000. Many disastrous events have occurred in the surrounding Middletown area, and the school building has since reopened for paranormal investigations. Audible screams have been captured on EVP, and visitors often report the feeling of being watched.
Photo: Facebook/Haunted Poasttown Elementary School
Oklahoma
Avon Motel - Avon, OK
The cabin rooms to the old Avon Motel still stand just off of the historic Route 66. What makes these pre-war skeletons even creepier is to think about what occurred within the walls of each of the rooms, especially given Route 66's dark past.
Photo: Flickr/Terry Williams
Oregon
Tillamook Rock Lighthouse - OR
An enigma surrounds the abandoned lighthouse known as "Terrible Tilly." Because of the lighthouse's isolated location and the violent waters that surround it, the building was difficult to access. It ran as a working lighthouse for over 70 years, before turning down in 1957. Today, it sits atop the rock, surrounded by a sea of lore.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/United States Coast Guard
Pennsylvania
Eastern State Penitentiary - Philadelphia, PA
Stories of the paranormal have surrounded the cellblocks since the 1940s, when prisoners would share stories of the supernatural. The decaying gothic fortress, located in the heart of Philadelphia, ended its operations in 1971, but currently runs tours.
Photo: Flickr/Thomas
Rhode Island
Pawtucket/Central Falls Train Station - Pawtucket, RI
From 1916 to 1981 the Central Falls Station saw trains pass through on the regular. But after closing, the building fell into despair. For a place that used to be filled with such commotion and noise, the building now sits eerily silent.
Photo: Flickr/Jef Nickerson
South Carolina
South Carolina Mental Asylum - Columbia, SC
Founded in 1821, the Columbia-based asylum kept the lights on until it closed its doors in 1996. The building has been abandoned ever since. It's possible the site will see new life, but the new occupants will have to share the space with the spirits of those who never left.
Photo: Flickr Creative Commons/That Guy DouG
South Dakota
Spokane, SD
Many abandoned and dilapidated structures, much like the one pictured above, inhabit the Spokane ghost town–a former mining camp located in the Black Hills. There are no signs for Spokane, so if you're smart enough to find it chances are you'll be completely alone.
Photo: Flickr/Lars Plougmann
Tennessee
Elkmont Historic District - Gatlinburg, TN
Deep within the Great Smoky Mountains rests an abandoned resort community that was once home to a hotel, an Appalachian Clubhouse, and several single-family lodges. Parts of the little ghost town still exist, and it's rumored that the souls of those killed in horrific logging accidents still roam the village.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Steven C. Price
Texas
The Alamo - San Antonio, TX
One of the most historic places in Texas is also one of the most haunted. The building that served as a post during the pivotal Battle at the Alamo in 1836 still stands to this day. While the structure currently hosts a museum, reports suggest that those who fought in the battle never left the land.
Photo: Flickr/Nan Palmero
Utah
Home of Truth, UT
Let's go down the checklist on this one. Abandoned? Check. Located in the middle of nowhere in San Juan County? Check. The former home to a utopian cult? Check. A slew of burial sites on the property? Check. Mummified corpses? Double-check. Need we say more?
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Ntsimp
Vermont
Hyde Manor - Sudbury, VT
What was once a grand resort marking Victorian-era design, is now completely dilapidated and mostly overrun by nature. The former hotel looks like it's straight out of a horror movie.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/826 Paranormal
Virginia
Assateague Lighthouse - Chincoteague, VA
In 1720, a Spanish ship wrecked not far off the shore of Assateague Island–a small barrier of land near the coast of Maryland and Virginia. Writer Michael J. Varhola makes note of the spirits who died aboard the ship in his book Ghosthunting Virginia, claiming that they now roam the old lighthouse (which was built in 1866), and the surrounding island.
Photo: Flickr/Doug Kerr
Washington
Northern State Hospital - Sedro-Woolley, WA
Hospitals are plagued with such death and despair, it's no wonder their abandoned structures collect stories of the supernatural. The former Northern State Hospital in Sedro-Woolley, operated from 1913–1972. A plaque, not far from where the existing hospital building stands, marks the memory of those who died and were buried in the hospital the grounds. It's rumored that over 1,000 corpses rest on the property.
Photo: Flickr/Cindy Shebley
West Virginia
Lake Shawnee Amusement Park - Rock, WV
Deep in Mercer County, West Virginia sits an abandoned amusement park with a dark and disturbing history. The park closed in 1966, not long after the death of two young visitors occurred on the property. But even before the rides began to collect dust, tragedy cursed the land. Several other deadly accidents happened on the property, marking the grounds with ghostly legends.
Photo: Facebook/Visit Mercer County, WV
Wisconsin
Maribel Caves Hotel - Maribel, WI
The Maribel Caves Hotel, which opened its doors in 1900, was once the pit stop for wealthy travelers and even notorious gangsters, including Al Capone and John Dillinger. In 1985, after several closings and re-openings, the hotel suffered a massive fire and was never fully refurbished. With such an interesting history, it's no wonder that the abandoned European structure has garnered a ghost story or two.
Photo: Flickr/Michael Steeber
Wyoming
Fort Laramie, WY
Established in the 1830s as a prominent trading post on the Oregon Trail, the building (or what's left of it) has been preserved under the National Park Service. Today, many creepy legends surround the historic site regarding those who still roam around it.
Photo: Flickr/Jim Bowen
Are you brave enough to visit these chilling locations?