Homes are still standing. While much of this Pennsylvania ghost town has disappeared, there are still remnants if you know where to look for them. The penitentiary was open until 1970 when it was closed in favor of more modern facilities. It had rides, a dance dance hall and was on the railroad tracks and people from the Mon Valley went there by train for picnic and enjoyment. There were a total of 20 duplexes in the community, so 40 carefully selected workers were chosen to move into the homes with their families. Proceed at your own caution if you opt to check out this site. There are definitely foundations, steps, the Stone Church, and 2 cemeteries left from Alvira. My father worked in the power plant and we lived in a company house. Steel Dynamics plant in Mississippis Golden Triangle. While access to the kilns is limited by a fence, its still fun to walk around them and look at these beautiful ruins. Donald Trump won the county by a few thousand votes, but like many other counties in the region, that marked a notable swing from 2012, when President Obama had won the county by double digits. He has also traveled to more than 30 different countries around the world. In later years it was a girl scout camp. Competition from automobiles and buses . finally they all went. Located in Lebanon County near the Appalachian Trail, Rausch Gap was formed in 1828. OnJuly 21, 2003, a tornado struck the bridge, destroying 11 of the 20 support structures. You can still find the original maps online and many foundations survived. The Westinghouse Atom Smasher can be found laying on its side in a residential neighborhood east of downtown Pittsburgh. Also wasnt Parker, east of Slippery Rock once called Parkers Landing possibly located on the other side of the small river. The dam was later rebuilt, but failed again in 1942. What about Wierham know my dad used to go there for groceries with parents in horse and buggy. It was abandoned for decades until the national park service opened it as a historical site. Make sure to obey any signage you might see, and obtain owner permission or pay the admission fees where required.). Thank you for sharing them. Orviston was a brick making company town too. Since then, its been hidden away in the woods of this state forest. Note: As of late 2021, it appears that Yellow Dog Village is for sale. It was always so interesting. Opened from 1855 until 1972, this was the longest active anthracite coal mine in the world and had tunnels as deep as 800 feet below the ground. Laquin on Barcley Mountain in Bradford County is abandoned and use to be a booming logging community theres a cemetery thats supposedly haunted by the people that died there from the plague. However, the site is also home to two long-closed steel mills that can be seen on tours of the museum. A part of downtown Monessen The layoffs at the mill began July 5, and a company spokesperson said that they would be spread out over a two-week period. It was fun imagining how they were laid out. Built in1922, the McGinnis Rod and Gun Club existed for roughly 20 years beforethe building was consumed by fire, leaving only the stone walls and fireplace you see today. It was constructed in the early 20th century as company housing for the DL&W Railroad. Geri Ghost Town in the Glen was located in Moosic Pa. Have you checked out Marstellar PA in Cambria County. Rockport Road Tunnel is an abandoned tunnel located near the Rockport access toLehigh Gorge State Park. After being closed in 1995, the Steel Stacks were abandoned for many years. Visit it often. Located in Michaux State Forest, Camp Michaux is a former prison-of-war camp from World War II. Occasionally open for tours operated by photographers specializing in abandoned places (and no I am NOT one of them! At some point, if I have to run for office to see change, then Ill do that.. Located near Grassflat, PA. Today, the ghost town of Greenwood and the abandoned remains of the furnaces are part of the larger Greenwood Furnace State Park. Its part of the deadmans hollow trail and the town has a great set up with a park sports fields and boat drop in area. While most of the buildings have been torn down, its still fascinating to drive around the old streets and see the curbs, gutters, and stone steps that are surrounded by fields of forested land. In areas of America that have managed to win back manufacturing work, automation has meant that while the jobs that return are higher-paid, they are fewer in number. Pithole was laid out in May 1865 after oil was discovered nearby. It was a trailer park with a pond across the street. TheDinkey Shedwas built in1938as a maintenance facility for the dinkey trains that pulled rail cars of ganister (sandstone) from the nearby Ledge Quarry in Huntingdon County. But this isnt merely a story of economics, this is a story of the human impact, the emotional toll that hits a community which has lost the means to provide for its people. Pithole became known as a rough and tumble town reminiscent of the communities of the Wild West. There are two old cemeteries at the end of road, some of the head stone date back to the 1700s. Petroleum Centre is another oil-boom community that once thrived in northwestern Pennsylvania. Clickon any of the icons below toget connectedto PA Bucket List on social media. Crum in shade Township pa you can find many foundations remaining and the famous haunted Crum cemetery the town had supposedly burned down. Credit: Scalo Solar Solutions. The tunnel is in complete disrepair and flooded and is dangerous to walk through but can be seen through. BethEnergy coal mining was discontinued in 1991, the railroad car industry was left in 1993, and shipbuilding was discontinued in 1997 in an effort to preserve steel production. Pennsylvania has dozens of historic iron furnaces. President Donald Trump visited Erie during his campaign, and promised Erie residents that he would bring back the jobs that had evaporated over the course of decades. Another ghost town is Fricks Lock in Chester County. Bernat lost his job recently, but remembers a boom time in the 90s when if you lost your job just after sunrise, youd find a new one before sunset. Her son Richard Rockwell has all the info on the park and the many changes it went through. Yellow Dog Village is a former company town in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Cant say that its my favorite only because its the only abandoned place Ive ever been to and that would be Centralia Pennsylvania. In 1924, an attempt was made to demolish the community, but the strong construction made this difficult enough that it was never done. The plant became the leading manufacturer of sheet piling and steel rails. Located in Columbia County in the states northeastern corner, Centralia was a bustling coal mining community until the coal seam below the borough caught on fire in 1962. Anybody who hasnt visited this lost Town, is missing out. Now part of the Allegheny River Rail Trail, explorers can hike or bike through this unlit, 2,868 foot-long tunnel. Can you be more specific as to where it is? Rusty Glessner is a professional photographer, lifelong Pennsylvanian, and creator of the PA Bucket List travel blog. They also have at least one day a year, where they open it up for complete tours. The goal of the work done at this once-secretive site was to developnuclear-powered jet enginesfor the United States Air Force, so that fighter planes and bombers could stay airborne indefinitely, without refueling. A lot of the kids went to college and never returned,and others left for jobs . There were a total of 20 duplexes in the community, so 40 carefully selected workers were chosen to move into the homes with their families. It has quite a history, dance hall, rides, trolley stops and had bands. The abandoned Bethlehem Steel plant's gas blowing room, one of the more impressive industrial ruins I've had the opportunity to explore. The rust belt states helped put President Trump in the White House, and the working class voters of those states, in places like Erie County, Pennsylvania, were a big reason they flipped Republican for the first time in decades. Did you know that during World War Two,German and Japanese prisoners of war were housed and interrogated at a secret camp near what is now Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Cumberland County?! The tunnel is roughly260 feet long, and other than the eastern portal, is completely unlined. You used to be able to access it via the Hawkins Hollow road, but that was closed to the public 15 years ago or so. There are actually two tunnels in that same area just a few miles apart. Justin Gallagher is one of those. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006, Carrie, as it's affectionately known, entices visitors to marvel at the scale and legacy of its industrial might. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn_Hole_Tunnel, Very interesting .Does anyone have a picture of Turners Inn Restaurant on Route 40? This massive tower stands tall over the trail, which runs directly underneath it. My aunt lived in Bull Run . Tons of cool architecture and history there. In this video, Me, Todd, and Jeremiah traveled to an abandoned steel mill. Yes it still runs as they have opened it up to the public as record you can go swimming there as they have sand along the bank and boat and fish and they even have a camp site now people go there all year round .I live in Fayetteville,Pa just about an hour from this place. While its not quite as well preserved or as well documented as Camp Michaux, its still a fascinating spot to visit, especially since its just around the corner from the aforementioned Abandoned PA Turnpike and South Penn Railroad Aqueduct. My children had some great times there. In 1922, the plant was bought by Bethlehem Steel (their main plant being in Bethlehem P.A. ) was founded during the oil boom in northwestern Pennsylvania. Thats the story of a lot of Erie. While he knows he may have to leave, he wants to see his hometown recover, which keeps him bound to home. The Gallagher family has lived in Erie, Pennsylvania, for generations and have seen the local economy decimated by the loss of manufacturing jobs. It is a short walk along the tracks through the woods. Its amazing to tour the homes and think about what it would have been like to have lived in this community. One of the least known places on this list are the jet bunkers in the Quehanna Wild Area. This article highlights 33 abandoned places in PA that continue to fascinate visitors decades after they outlived their intended purposes. However, for those interested in abandoned places in Pennsylvania, Mount Moriah Cemetery still has corners that are quite overgrown. Young and Sons Machine Shop. Theabandoned South Penn Railroad Aqueductin Fulton Countyis a perfectly-preserved remnant of a railroad that never was. Today you can hike or bike through this 3,294 foot long tunnel which was a critical link in the Western Maryland Railway, until the entire line was abandoned in 1975. It was constructed in the early 20th century as company housing for the DL&W Railroad. Today, its laying on its side around piles of bricks waiting for hopeful restoration. It is behind a f cow pasture. The Abandoned Cresson State Prison in Cambria County began as atuberculosis sanatoriumwhen it opened in1913and morphed over the years into a state hospital and finally a state prison. However, the mine never again reopened as an active coal mine. 33 Abandoned Places in PA You Can Legally Explore, a secret camp near what is now Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Haunted Quaker Church in Fayette County, the abandoned South Penn Railroad Aqueduct, abandoned hunting lodge at Linn Run State Park, abandoned ski resort at Denton Hill State Park, the abandoned ski resort at Denton Hill State Park, tours, workshops, exhibitions, and festivals, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, abandoned Lake Leigh Dam at Ricketts Glen State Park, Exploring the Best National Park Sites in Pennsylvania, Exploring the Battlefield at the Gettysburg National Military Park, Exploring Lyman Run State Park in Potter County, Hiking to the Throne Room Along the Standing Stone Trail. A visitor center is located at the corner of town which offers a fascinating look at this short-lived community. If youre looking for the best abandoned places in PA you can legally explore, this is the article for you! It, six cemeteries and not sure how many bunkers are all that is left of Alvira and the ordnance. Its one of the most hi-tech steel mills in the country, and since 2007, it has processed more than 3 million tons of steel a year. Barcly MTN had a old coal town the cemetery is still there, Landrus, pa between arnot and morris run pa. Today, the Alvira bunkers, as well as remnants of Wisetown, are located in theUnion Countyportion ofState Game Lands 252, approximately 7 miles south of Williamsport. When you strip better than 30,000 jobs out of an area, this is what happens. His union represents around 3,000 workers now, but the calls that come into his office are often from people whose jobs have disappeared. Abandoned downtown and hospital on the hill with nurses quarters. See Howard Tunnel in York County, Pa for the oldest operating railroad tunnel in the world. Today, the homes sit hidden in the woods on land owned by the city. It is nearly 500 feet long, and visitors can walk through the tunnel, keeping an eye out for abandoned tracks along the way. While you cant go into the furnaces, an elevated walkway allows visitors to get a close up look at these blast furnaces and peer inside their rusty confines. Mengine said Wednesday that the authority has agreed to pay $100,000 for the former Quin-T property, which produced gaskets for many years. I lived in Clairton , pleasant hills and bethel Park, I now live in California but miss Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. Interactive atlas of historical coal mine maps in Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Active and Abandoned Mine Operations has collaborated with Pennsylvania State University to produce the Pennsylvania Mine Map Atlas. They promptly fenced it off and built a nuclear reactor and several bunkers. They can be accessed from several points along the spectacular Lehigh Gorge. Located in McIntyre Township near Ralston, PA, I was raised In Ralston went to school there as a child gram lived by the cemetery trains went by our house. When I was young I hunted a farm field East of 209 in the Bushkill area. 6153. Abandoned Places Erie Pennsylvania Steel Mill Best Places To Live The Old Days Ghost Towns Old Houses Wonders Of The World More information . There are two access points for the turnpike: one near Breezewood and one in Fulton County. Looking for more abandoned places to visit? Rust Belt Pennsylvania - Abandoned Rust Belt Pennsylvania The industrial heart of the Rust Belt is western Pennsylvania as once-mighty steel mills, coke plans, and machine shops, scattered alongside railroads, rivers, and highways, have downsized and closed. I went to help clean with Titusville Pa American Legion when I was little. My favorite is the giant elevator that once took miners deep underground. Many did for work. Been inside the bunkers. Exploring Hidden Ruins at Raystown Lakeis your guide to discovering theabandoned ruins of roads, bridges, and homesof historical significance, hidden around and beneath the surface ofRaystown Lake. While the property is typically closed to the public, the owner often lets visitors roam around with prior permission. One terminus of the Old loggers path. Looking around I noticed others with worn names. Theabandoned Alvira munitions bunkersare remnants of the American WWII war effort, as well as reminders of what lengths the federal government will go to to seize private property for the greater good. You missed fallbrook pa the cemetery is still there and there are also some remains, There are some pretty cool ruins in Allegheny county a town called little Boston in the Elizabeth area I was told but not sure if the info is correct but the ruins may be from an old terracotta factory. The park has created a walking tour around the former center of town that showcases the history of the area. At the end of the tunnel, youll find a spectacular view overlooking the Lehigh River. (About half an hour north of Pittsburgh) Most of the men there worked in the limestone mine. The depot was built on land that was once the town of Alvira before it was seized by the government for the depot. The article linked within this piece has all the info about how to request permission. Located on state game lands a short distance south of Williamsport are the Alvira Bunkers. Williams Grove closed in 2005 after more than 150 years in business. Just a thank you for Pennsylvania history. Based in Carlisle near Harrisburg, Jim frequently travels around Pennsylvania and has visited, written about, and photographed all 67 counties in the state. Austin Damin Potter County was billed asthe dam that could not breakat the time of its construction in 1909. In Lebanon county there is a park and boat ride on the Union Canal in West Lebanon. Yes its all thats left. Would love to have good picture, so would many others. My mom grew up in Laurel Run, PA. Bethlehem Steel. The paved main street (complete with yellow pavement paint) can still be seen, along with several foundations and the remnants of the town cemetery including some old grave stones left behind. What about Eldora Park in Washington County, in Carroll Township between Donora and Monongahela. Located along the Railroad Arch Trail, the South Penn Railroad Aqueduct sits at the end of a quiet and easy trail. Rockland Furnace was powered by a dam and water wheel on Shull Run, where today youll find the beautiful Freedom Falls. This 18th-century village outlasted the canal, being abandoned in the late 20th century with the construction of the adjacent Limerick Nuclear Power Plant. You're awesome for doing it! Passed front of house.Could see smoke stacks. 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