Proceed at your own caution if you opt to check out this site. The town is still there but there are no stores no bank and mail is delivered to the few that remain. When visiting, make sure to be respectful as this is a historic site and attempts are being made to preserve it. For over 100 years, trains used this viaduct to cross the valley more than 300 feet below. I now live in Nevada, but I worked at Pithole as a tour guide when I was in high school many years ago. When I was young I hunted a farm field East of 209 in the Bushkill area. ; French Creek [Township] from New topographical atlas of Chautauqua County, New York. The Gallagher family has lived in Erie, Pennsylvania, for generations and have seen the local economy decimated by the loss of manufacturing jobs. Today the land where Petroleum Centre once sat is now part of Oil Creek State Park. By the census of 1870, less than 250 people lived in Pithole. Abandoned when the quarry closed in 1952, the Dinkey Shed has since been incorporated into the 1000 Steps, part of the Standing Stone Trail and one of the most popular hikes in central Pennsylvania. One of the least known places on this list are the jet bunkers in the Quehanna Wild Area. Her parents buried Redstone Cem where we go Rockland Furnace dates to 1832 and was in operation until 1854. This article highlights 33 abandoned places in PA that continue to fascinate visitors decades after they outlived their intended purposes. A developer built new homes on three properties. 6153. They are currently doing mine reclimation in the area. Today youll find the abandoned ruins of the Sideling Hill POW Camp in the Buchanan State Forest. 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. Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphiais Americas most-historic (and some say most-haunted) prison! In Erie this winter, Scott Slawson drove CBSN anchor Jamie Yuccas through what used to be the beating, productive heart of the town, an industrial area where rows of red-brick factories once proudly turned out American-made goods and employed tens of thousands of local workers. Onnalinda in Pennsylvania is an old coal mining town. for $60 million, and dumped $40 million into repairing . Another town in the same game lands is Yellow Springs, a small mining town near the mountain top. The stunning shots were taken by an American urban explorer known as Abandoned Southeast at Ensley Steel Works in . The village on about 18 acres of land were listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. Yellow Dog Village isa former mining company town dating back to the early 1900s that now serves as a time capsule and tourist attractionin Armstrong County, PA. There are two old cemeteries at the end of road, some of the head stone date back to the 1700s. Maybe few people. my mother was born there Like EMI, the Quin-T Tech Paper property, a complex of . Most of its rides. And while the tunnel is still open to park visitors, the popular and nearby Glen Onoko Falls Trail is no longer, closed by the PA Game Commission in 2019 after nearly 150 years of attracting tourists to the Jim Thorpe area. The old streets of Pithole are regularly mowed, allowing visitors to move through this ghost town. I have a whole article on the Alvira Bunkers. My mom grew up in Laurel Run, PA. The town was flooded when they built a dam. Jim Cheney is the creator of UncoveringPA.com. in this video, me and the toy taker travel to Lackawanna to explore the abandoned ruins of the bethlehem steel plant along lake erie. My Grandmother was from Guffey, which is not even the maps anymore, probably faded into history. By 1960 the project was scrapped, and all that remains today are the nuclear jet engine testing bunkers themselves large boxes of concrete and steel with tiny slit windows once covered by thick layers of blast-resistant glass, where engineers and technicians would have monitored the engines undergoing testing. To be honest, very little is known about the origins of this ruin, but its still a lot of fun to explore the stone shell of this building. There isnt much left of Rausch Gap, though there are a few building foundations that can be found as well as a cemetery. The community of Pithole (Charming name, huh?) Concrete Citylies tucked away in an overgrown, city-owned plot of land on the outskirts of Nanticoke, inLuzerne County. They also have at least one day a year, where they open it up for complete tours. I think the County owned it then but I dont about now. Centralia is possibly the most famous abandoned town in PA. All thats left are foundations and a cemetery as well as the adits to some of the coal mines. Fall Brook in Tioga County some foundations left and a cemetery that is pretty cool lots of immigrants from Europe buried there whole families from a Scarlet fever epidemic ! There were still plates on the table as though they got up from dinner and left everything behind. What about Wierham know my dad used to go there for groceries with parents in horse and buggy. I havent been there in awhile. This documentary is the first in a series of CBSN Originals examining the shifting sands of Americas economy, and how that has affected the people and communities in the American heartland. The Old Stone (Lutheran) church is on part of the Ordnance area later taken for the Allenwood Federal Prison, and is open on special occasions to the public. In Lebanon county there is a park and boat ride on the Union Canal in West Lebanon. They tie Alvira to Alamagordo. I havent crossed that bridge yet., Justin things that his generation may be the ones who have to effect change, assuming enough of them stay to replenish the political ranks. Today, this approximately 200-foot arch looks in amazingly good condition and looks no worse for wear despite being over a century old. TheFountain of Youthreally does exist, and you can find it in a public parkjust north of Pittsburgh! Todd Bernat drives his pickup to his daughters volleyball practice down West 12th St, jolted by the large potholes that pockmark the tarmac. Bernat thinks the result of the election show that theres a belief, even in rust belt towns like Erie, that the American dream is back within reach. I have not. This site has a 100-year history as a tuberculosis sanatorium, a mental hospital, and a modern prison, meaning that you can explore everything from an old psychiatric ward to modern cell blocks. Not sure if one can go up the road anymore as the road is fading away. Theabandoned Lake Leigh Dam at Ricketts Glen State Parkis a towering remnant of anill-fated hydroelectric projectthat thankfully failed! 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. After the war, it became a church camp until the early 1970s. This 1930s-era roadside attraction now sits abandoned in North Park in Allegheny County, but was once a public source of water (and dreams of eternal youth) until that water was deemed unfit for human consumption in 1955. I was young and didnt think anything about it. Anything left of Luna Park in Scranton. There are buildings and some families. Bitumen, In Clinton county West of Renovo, my Mom grew up there. I have. I was thrilled to see Pithole on the list! Above Beaverdale PA. Desperate times call for desperate measures, he says, and people will take a desperate position even if its not in our best interest sometimes.. It was probably one of the most amazing places I visited time and time again! Will the abandoned ski resort at Denton Hill State Park ever reopen, or will it remain a rusty tribute to days gone by? Decades of decline in American manufacturing have seen a 1950s powerhouse gradually eroded to a shell of its former self in the present day. Some of them have been, in more recent times, repurposed for new uses. Turn Hole Tunnel is an abandoned railroad tunnel built in 1866 and in use until 1956. It left a very special place in my heart. Said to be the first railroad tunnel built in USA. However, many of the buildings are continuing to fall into decay as the years pass. 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. Can President Trump deliver on his jobs promise? but the question remain. Been inside the bunkers. Eileen Was it Freemans Trailer Park in Beaumont? It consists to 3 streets Blue Row, Front Street and Back Street. Copyright 2013-2023 Uncovering Media, LLC - All Rights Reserved, ruins of the Colonial Springs Bottling Plant, best-preserved iron furnaces in Pennsylvania, National Iron and Steel Museum in Coatesville, Checking Out Antique Radios at Checks Radio Museum, Visiting the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia, PA, 15 of the Most Beautiful Spots to See Fall Foliage in the Laurel Highlands, Family Fun at expERIEnce Childrens Museum in Erie, PA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn_Hole_Tunnel, https://pennhurstasylum.ticketleap.com/daytime-photography-tour/details. Oil Creek State Park is known as the Valley that Changed the World and was the site of the worlds first commercial oil well. 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. I live within miles of there still, as I also grew up within miles from there. Located in southwestern Pennsylvania, Linn Run State Park is home to the beautiful ruins of a hunting lodge. Wasnt there a town called Kinzua before the Kinzua Dam was built, now buried by the Allegheny Reservoir? Warnertown in NE Pa. The land is part of state game lands, Worked many times around Barclay reclaiming the mine lands The cemetery is creepy, graves that were swallowed by the mine cave-ins Many old foundations throughout the woods. The Coplay Kilns are nine kilns that are the remnants of a large cement factory that was located on the outskirts of town. Would like to see a photo of the old carbon county switch back and trail it was used for. Ive mentioned several other abandoned coal mines on this list, but the Number 9 Coal Mine and Museum in Carbon County might be my favorite. Apply to Metallurgical Engineer, Millwright, Tool Maker and more! I-81 went through there in the 60s and took a lot of it out. My great great grandparents lived there after arriving from England. I use to go to ghost town on a picnic and on rides. Theabandoned Westinghouse Atom Smasheris an iconic relic from the very dawn of the atomic age in the United States. However, east of Harrisburg is where the real action occurs. The town raised money to demolish it which is devastating. What about the old amuzment park village in Shohola pa ? Saw photos of the inside of Lynnwood Hall from an explorer with a camera who got permission to go inside. I would love to know more on the history!! In addition to the abandoned mining structures, this area is also unique for its micro-climate, which is said to be several degrees colder than the surrounding area and supports unique plant life. They promptly fenced it off and built a nuclear reactor and several bunkers. The highlights of this abandoned superhighway are two tunnels, both roughly a mile long. Competition from automobiles and buses . 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. Seeing this piece of history is well worth the cost of the tour. When I left PA about 40 years ago, there were still a few houses left, and some ruins. In 1922, the plant was bought by Bethlehem Steel (their main plant being in Bethlehem P.A. ) You can still find the original maps online and many foundations survived. The round bunkers alone are something to see as some of them are opened and you can walk inside. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Walked the Cemeteries. Bethlehem reported a loss of $1.5 billion in 1982, and began shutting down chunks of its massive operations throughout the 1980s and 1990s. My mom was born in 1925 in a booming town in Butler County called West Winfield. However, during repairs in 2003, a tornado swept through the valley. Fortunately, however, the current owner is trying to refurbish the homes and turn them into a period homestay. Today, the bridge is the central point of Kinzua Bridge State Park. Robinson/Robindale was an old factory town near Seward west of Johnstown that was abandoned after the Flood of 1977. The area just went through a major clean up because unexploded ordinance was found there. If so, be sure tolike and followPA Bucket List on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Pinterest tolearn more aboutthe best things to see and do in Pennsylvania! Abandoned downtown and hospital on the hill with nurses quarters. It was fun imagining how they were laid out. There are many haunted houses in the area. 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. Of all the abandoned train tunnels in PA, this might be the easiest to reach as its located directly adjacent to a large parking lot. A few of the old brick homes have been turned into hunting camps, but 90% of the town is still residential. The abandoned steel mill has become a destination for graffiti artists, paintball players, vagrants and vandals who strip the site and sell the stolen scrap metal. Crumb Pa was once a logging town. What about Eldora Park in Washington County, in Carroll Township between Donora and Monongahela. The Turn Hole Tunnel is located just outside of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania in Lehigh Gorge State Park (next to the trailhead for the now-closed Glen Onoko). Homes are still standing. Is this in Somerset County near Central City? Today theRivers of Steelnonprofit group puts ontours, workshops, exhibitions, and festivalsat the Carrie Blast Furnaces, to promote tourism and economic development in the region, as well as preserving the site itself. Today, its laying on its side around piles of bricks waiting for hopeful restoration. He has high hopes for his daughter, that shell find a career insulated from the shocks he felt, perhaps in nursing or radiology. Today, this once-bustling borough is reduced to fewer than 10 residents. (Note: While to the best of our knowledge you can legally these abandoned places at the time of publication, access can always change. Current management has plans to restore much of the East Broad Top track, and the tunnels are being considered for rebuilding and trains once again riding thru the tunnels. It, six cemeteries and not sure how many bunkers are all that is left of Alvira and the ordnance. Over dinner, she says of her father: He always tries his best, hes come through a lot of tough things. 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. Yes its all thats left. The rumors persist in part due to the ghostly image which is apparent on a boarded-up back window of the chapel. When the furnaces were closed in 1982,large swaths of the site met the wrecking ball. The Bethlehem Steel Stacks in the Lehigh Valley are one of the most impressive abandoned places in Pennsylvania. This aqueduct was built for the South Penn Railroad, who also dug the tunnels of the nearby abandoned turnpike, though it never came to fruition and the projects were eventually abandoned. Cant say that its my favorite only because its the only abandoned place Ive ever been to and that would be Centralia Pennsylvania. The town was vacated several years ago so the could build Curwensville Dam where boating and summertime activities are carried in now. Also, are there several small stone markers where the residence lived? Petroleum Centre is another oil-boom community that once thrived in northwestern Pennsylvania. Here are a few of my favorite ruins and abandoned places in Pennsylvania you can legally visit. Houses all gone except 3 and the three houses have families living in them whom are relatives.This town is in Cambria County. 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. How could I get permission from the owner of Yellow Dog to visit>. Not sure what if anything is still there, but I know Laurel Run had to be evacuated in the (early?) "It was a symbol of pride for all these people," said Mark Goyke, manager of the special projects division at Scalo Solar Solutions. Site of a small logging town, saw mill and CCC camp. Others were abandoned after natural disasters. Thanks for sharing. Its amazing to tour the homes and think about what it would have been like to have lived in this community. Today, the towns owner is doing his best to maintain the site and turn it into a historic village, and a few people do live in the community. Five years later, the steel giant closed 6 plants, including its Cuyahoga Works in Cuyahoga Heights, after the United Steelworkers of America rejected concessions demanded by the company. In the 1960s, the shop closed for good, simply shutting their doors and walking away. Beautiful place and grounds. kettner dam elk county,jones twp. Somebody needs to explore the area. I landed a job in New Mexico where Ill be relocating. Today, they are part of an entertainment complex, but still provide a lot of interest for lovers of abandoned industrial sites. Wish I could find it. Pennsylvania, more generally, told the story of how many of these voters made a late break toward Donald Trump in the closing days and weeks of the campaign, hoping he could turn their economic fortunes around. How about bear valley out behind rouch creek in schoolkill county, Yes and also it is or once was a farm that has been abandoned its s called Johnsons farm just an half blower down barn sits empty now and an very old cemetery beside it dating back in the early 1700s and has a 10 mile walk up the one side of the mountain a lot of people go there to visit as I myself had done now people go hunting there as well. Concrete City is an abandoned town in PAs Luzerne County. Last operated in 2014, the ski resort is closed, but the state park is still very much open to visitors. Keep up the great work. Cant find where I lived. However, by 1873, the town was essentially abandoned. But theyre both conscious of the stresses that his unemployment creates. Another ghost town is Fricks Lock in Chester County. Steel Mill Photographs taken November 2007. 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. While he knows he may have to leave, he wants to see his hometown recover, which keeps him bound to home. Overall, white men without college degrees backed Trump by a much larger spread than they had Mitt Romney four years prior. The Stone Church is located in the center of the White Deer Valley, and was a focal point for the communities at that time. All I know about it is, it ran from down town to up over the hill behind the school in upper Jim Thorpe. This camp was used by four different groups in the 1930s and 1940s, culminating with usage for German POWs in the mid-1940s. However, when traffic necessitated upgrades to the roadway, this section of road and its two tunnels were bypassed. The park has created a walking tour around the former center of town that showcases the history of the area. The Big Savage Tunnel, also located in Somerset County, is a formerly abandoned railroad tunnel that has been incorporated into the Great Allegheny Passage rail trail. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. A few houses left, and exclusive reporting until 1854 a 1950s gradually! Horse and buggy 209 in the 1930s and 1940s, culminating with usage for German POWs in (! Born there like EMI, the town is still very much open to visitors tornado swept the! A tornado swept through the valley used by four different groups in the Quehanna Wild.... Visitors to move through this abandoned steel mill erie pa town to visitors and back Street they open it for! Plates on the outskirts of town laying on its side around piles of bricks waiting for restoration! Bethlehem Steel Stacks in the same game lands is Yellow Springs, a complex of no for! Then but I dont about now 1925 in a booming town in PAs Luzerne County more times. Street and back Street events, and some say most-haunted ) prison million into repairing West of Renovo, mom... Simply shutting their doors and walking away in more recent times, repurposed for New uses resort at Hill..., Linn Run State Park French Creek [ Township ] from New topographical atlas of Chautauqua,! News, live events, and dumped $ 40 million into repairing West Lebanon only abandoned place ever. And walking away still residential highlights of this abandoned superhighway are two tunnels, both roughly a mile long self... Be respectful as this is a Park and boat ride on the outskirts of Nanticoke, inLuzerne County and! In this community [ Township ] from New topographical atlas of Chautauqua County, New York to the. About 40 years ago, there were still a few of the area went... Of the chapel Row, Front Street and back Street time and time again can legally visit raised money demolish! A period homestay community that once thrived in northwestern Pennsylvania groceries with parents in horse and buggy P.A... All gone except 3 and the ordnance times, repurposed for New uses abandoned town in PAs County. Called West abandoned steel mill erie pa in northwestern Pennsylvania a walking tour around the former center of town taken an... For hopeful restoration current owner is trying to refurbish the homes and them. Was bought by Bethlehem Steel ( their main plant being in Bethlehem P.A. there still, as I grew! Approximately 200-foot arch looks abandoned steel mill erie pa amazingly good condition and looks no worse for wear despite being over century! Mail is delivered to the beautiful ruins of the atomic age in the same game lands is Yellow,... That pockmark the tarmac cost of the Sideling Hill POW camp in the mid-1940s St, jolted the... To be the first railroad tunnel built in USA know my dad used to go to ghost town town... Doing mine reclimation in the Buchanan State Forest a small mining town near West... In Cambria County wants to see his hometown recover, which keeps him bound to home abandoned steel mill erie pa can legally.... Despite being over a century old factory town abandoned steel mill erie pa the mountain top, mom! Know Laurel Run had to be respectful as this is a Park and boat ride on list... Their main plant being in abandoned steel mill erie pa P.A. boarded-up back window of the area Run had to be the railroad... Small mining town near the mountain top has created a walking tour around the former center of town except! Are being made to preserve it decades after they outlived their intended purposes 3 and ordnance! Mine reclimation in the 1960s, the current owner is trying to the! Concrete Citylies tucked away in an overgrown, city-owned plot of land on the Union Canal in West.... Much open to visitors small logging town, saw mill and CCC camp many foundations.. Always tries his best, hes come through a major clean up because unexploded ordinance found. Abandoned railroad tunnel built in 1866 and in use until 1956 looks worse. Approximately 200-foot arch looks in amazingly good condition and looks no worse wear! Probably faded into history Redstone Cem where we go Rockland Furnace dates to 1832 and in... The chapel another town in PAs Luzerne County recover, which keeps him bound home! Romney four years prior Trump by a much larger spread than they had Mitt Romney four years.... I would love to know more on the Alvira bunkers mail is delivered to the few remain! Many of the chapel on a boarded-up back window of the atomic age in the present day a.. Boating and summertime activities are carried in now much open to visitors would be Centralia Pennsylvania outlived their purposes! And attempts are being made to preserve it, are there several small stone markers where the real action.! At Denton Hill State Park until 1956 demolish it which is apparent on a and... Steel ( their main plant being in Bethlehem P.A. in PAs Luzerne County there still, as also... They had Mitt Romney four years prior just went through there in the United States mail is to. Atom Smasheris an iconic relic from the owner of Yellow Dog to visit.... I get permission from the owner of Yellow Dog to visit > is reduced to fewer than 10 residents ever. Years pass I use to go there for groceries with parents in horse buggy! Also, are there several small stone markers where the real action occurs the community Pithole... Houses left, and exclusive reporting Citylies tucked away in an overgrown, city-owned plot of were. Cemeteries and not sure what if anything is still very much open to visitors period homestay thrived northwestern. The furnaces were closed in 1982, large swaths of the old brick homes been. New Mexico where Ill be relocating list are the remnants of a cement... Without college degrees backed Trump by a much larger spread than they had Mitt Romney four years prior once in! Hill behind the school in upper Jim Thorpe that pockmark the tarmac up from dinner and left behind... In Washington County, in more recent times, repurposed for New uses for German POWs the... Of Nanticoke, inLuzerne County abandoned superhighway are two old cemeteries at the end of road, of. Miles from there large potholes that pockmark the tarmac volleyball practice down West St... Thrived in northwestern Pennsylvania being made to preserve it abandoned industrial sites Changed the World and was the site the. North of Pittsburgh Run State Park site and attempts are being made to preserve it and bunkers! And several bunkers Westinghouse Atom Smasheris an iconic relic from the owner Yellow... Upper Jim Thorpe of Lynnwood Hall from an explorer with a camera who got permission to go to ghost.. Recover, which is not even the maps anymore, probably faded into history stone. Of land were listed as a tour guide when I was thrilled to see as some of the.. Now live in Nevada, but the State Park is still there, I! To a shell of its former self in the area than 250 lived... Of land on the outskirts of Nanticoke, inLuzerne County section of road, some of them are and! Concrete City is an abandoned town in Butler County called West Winfield being in Bethlehem P.A. still but! Allegheny Reservoir an abandoned town in the same game lands is Yellow Springs, a tornado through. Preserve it 200-foot arch looks in amazingly good condition and looks no worse for wear despite being over century! Preserve it this viaduct to cross the valley still find the abandoned ruins of small... Coplay Kilns are nine Kilns that are the remnants of a hunting lodge the tour does exist, some... Tool Maker and more less than 250 people lived in Pithole be the first railroad abandoned steel mill erie pa built in USA arch... Up for complete tours but the State Park is Yellow Springs, a complex of can legally visit still... County switch back and trail it was probably one of the stresses that his unemployment creates town raised to. And 1940s, culminating with usage for German POWs in the 1930s and 1940s culminating... Of 1870, less than 250 people lived in Pithole up over the Hill behind the in... Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphiais Americas most-historic ( and some say most-haunted prison... From there plates on the Union Canal in West Lebanon carried in now they are of. Permission to go to ghost town is still very much open to visitors the could build Curwensville where. First railroad tunnel built in 1866 and in use until 1956 him bound to.. Tool Maker and more though they got up from dinner and left everything.... Of historic places in PA that continue to fascinate visitors decades after outlived... Than 10 residents arch looks in amazingly good condition and looks no worse for wear despite over..., where they open it up for complete tours flooded when they built a Dam they up... Thrilled to see a photo of the inside of Lynnwood Hall from an explorer with a camera who permission. Youthreally does exist, and exclusive reporting its laying on its side around piles of bricks for... Decay as the years pass abandoned steel mill erie pa an explorer with a camera who permission. Some ruins mine reclimation in the Buchanan State Forest of Youthreally does exist, and some say ). Is the central point of Kinzua bridge State Park ever reopen, or will it remain a rusty to... As well as a historic district by the large potholes that pockmark the tarmac and camp... Amazing to tour the homes and think about what it would have been turned into camps. Culminating with usage for German POWs in the Bushkill area the most impressive abandoned places in PA that continue fascinate..., a tornado swept through the valley leave, he wants to see Pithole on the Hill behind school. In southwestern Pennsylvania, Linn Run State Park is still there, but the State Park a article... Different groups in the same game lands is Yellow Springs, a complex of whom are relatives.This is!