Mill 19 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania hosts the country's largest long-span rooftop solar array. Nearby, you can also explore the ruins of Kunes Camp. Even a Church called The Stone Church is still standing and throughout the year, hold special occasions where you can go inside. When my husband was still living, we loved going to Landrus and Fallbrook. Based in Carlisle near Harrisburg, Jim frequently travels around Pennsylvania and has visited, written about, and photographed all 67 counties in the state. Will the abandoned ski resort at Denton Hill State Park ever reopen, or will it remain a rusty tribute to days gone by? It is fascinating! 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. Known as Pine Grove Furnace Prisoner of War Interrogation Camp, German and Japanese officers were brought here after being captured and interrogated. This article highlights 33 abandoned places in PA that continue to fascinate visitors decades after they outlived their intended purposes. The article linked within this piece has all the info about how to request permission. "It was a symbol of pride for all these people," said Mark Goyke, manager of the special projects division at Scalo Solar Solutions. Many of the houses in Peale were moved to Grassflat. There is not much left but some foundations, sidewalks an old railroad tressle. Concrete City is an abandoned town in PA's Luzerne County. Its time to get out of this town.. Today, the ghost town of Greenwood and the abandoned remains of the furnaces are part of the larger Greenwood Furnace State Park. All of these abandoned places in PA were legal to explore at the time I visited them but that may not always be the case in the future, so please heed any no trespassing signs or the like should they pop up in the future. I live within miles of there still, as I also grew up within miles from there. Over dinner, she says of her father: He always tries his best, hes come through a lot of tough things. Pithole became known as a rough and tumble town reminiscent of the communities of the Wild West. What about Eldora Park in Washington County, in Carroll Township between Donora and Monongahela. He has also traveled to more than 30 different countries around the world. In 1911, the dam failed and the ensuing flood of water killed 78 people. When I was young I hunted a farm field East of 209 in the Bushkill area. Within a few decades, Centralia was nearly abandoned, though a few hearty souls still live there. But before they are gone, Ill share with you a few of the more interesting abandoned places in PA I have explored in recent years. Somebody needs to explore the area. 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. This sprawling collection of trolleys, trains, and buses is tucked away on a dead-end street (fittingly) in the PA Laurel Highlands. 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. One man who is packing up to leave is Jim Stewart. Tunnel is over 900 feet long so take a flashlight along. Marovich: In 1909, Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation (J&L), which already had a mill on the south side of Pittsburgh, wanted to expand, so it purchased land along the Ohio River near the town of . While hiking the trails here, dont miss the nearby historic dam and covered bridge along Valley Creek. Driving along Scotia Range Road throughState Game Lands 176near State College now, youd never guess that you are passing right by the location of a once-thrivingiron mining boomtown. Thanks for your help. Today, visitors can walk through the surrounding park, marvel at the size of Austin Dam and its crumbling ruins, and pay their respects to those killed here. Pittsburgh Mills in Tarentum. ), the Windber Trolley Graveyard is a fascinating destination, should you be lucky enough to score a visit. By December 1865, 20,000 people called Pithole, PA home. #Urbex #Abandoned #SteelMillFirst long video in a while! It consists to 3 streets Blue Row, Front Street and Back Street. Take, for example, theSteel Dynamics plant in Mississippis Golden Triangle. Today, the abandoned ruins of the former Pine Grove Furnace POW Camp are located in the Michaux State Forest. Today the Abandoned PA Turnpike is a non-maintained hiking/biking trail, but how long it remains a viable destination for those activities is anyones guess. However, the mine never again reopened as an active coal mine. Based in Carlisle near Harrisburg, Jim frequently travels around Pennsylvania and has visited, written about, and photographed all 67 counties in the state. Centralia is possibly the most famous abandoned town in PA. The park has created a walking tour around the former center of town that showcases the history of the area. What about the old amuzment park village in Shohola pa ? 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. Is this in Somerset County near Central City? The Bethlehem Steel Stacks in the Lehigh Valley are one of the most impressive abandoned places in Pennsylvania. You really need to revisit the area. The round bunkers alone are something to see as some of them are opened and you can walk inside. I lived there summer of 1970. I dont know if this is considered a ghost town, but there was once a village at Hickory Run State Park. [2] Fricks Locks is considered a modern ghost town and, although private property, attracts visitors. And due to the deteriorating condition of the buildings, its certainly possible that at some point Concrete City will simply become off-limits for liability reasons. 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. It closed because it's parent company, Giant Eagle, planned to. Also Orvistan which I believe was once a lumbering community as well. Fortunately, a group of local residents decided to open this abandoned mine to tours in 1962. in this video, me and the toy taker travel to Lackawanna to explore the abandoned ruins of the bethlehem steel plant along lake erie. The homes were lived in continuously until just a few years ago. 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. Do you have a favorite Pennsylvania ghost town that we didnt include on this list? This former mining community has been abandoned for many decades and while much of it has been lost to the woodland, pieces remain, including several concrete structures and an old rail line. When it left, 60% of the bridge lay mangled on the valley floor. Keep up the great work. 1900 1923 1:62 500. The old Logging town of Hampton in Fayette County. I dont know where in PA. 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?! Residents from eight of the demolished homes chose to relocate permanently. Oil Creek State Park is known as the Valley that Changed the World and was the site of the worlds first commercial oil well. Today, the bridge is the central point of Kinzua Bridge State Park. The town is still there but there are no stores no bank and mail is delivered to the few that remain. Today the ruins of Austin Dam are part of a memorial park dedicated to the 78 people who lost their lives in the flood of 1911. This ingeniously constructed camp has survived in part because two of the four walls are actually massive boulders that were incorporated into the camp structure itself. I have read that the fires did/do burn from underground, as I understand it? Coal mining town & logging.Thats what my Grandfather did.Lost his thumb in Saw mill.Stayed in Gettysburg, Allentown, Coatsville,Burnham.ect.Family came to Pa. from Stockholm. I dont recall the reason for them but we played in them back in the late 1950s. 26 Steel Mill jobs available in Lake Erie Beach, NY on Indeed.com. The place has a haunted vibe. It was probably one of the most amazing places I visited time and time again! As with many similar operations, once the local limestone was exhausted, the kilns were abandoned, and their remnants are now part of Canoe Creek State Park. It was constructed in the early 20th century as company housing for the DL&W Railroad. Its kind of hard to see your parent struggle when theyre just trying to do everything they can for you.. Desperate times call for desperate measures, he says, and people will take a desperate position even if its not in our best interest sometimes.. Occasionally the water level drops and the houses/bridges/etc including a portion of the old Route 40/National Road becomes exposed. (About half an hour north of Pittsburgh) Most of the men there worked in the limestone mine. I grew up in Armstong County we use call Yellowdog , mutesville. I remember it when they were trying to get the people to move out. In the 1950s, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation obtained 51,000 acres of land in this remote area of Pennsylvania. I recall knowing folks from Helvetia heard they took it off the map a few decades ago. Since then, its been hidden away in the woods of this state forest. Ive never heard anything about this place since. Barclay, in Bradford County, was a coal mining community in the late 1800s. Today it can be accessed via bike or walking the Indian Creek Valley Trail. From actual surveys especially for this atlas. Austin Dam is located in rural Potter County, Pennsylvania. Demolished unfortunately. glen hazel. You're awesome for doing it! While access is not permitted, its still possible to see the remnants of the bunkers from above ground and to peer into a few holes to catch a glimpse of these historic structures. Theabandoned Sideling Hill POW Camp in Fulton Countywas used to house German prisoners of war after the Nazis surrendered in May, 1945. Many did for work. From 1834 to 1904, the furnaces of Greenwood in Huntingdon County produced charcoal-fired iron in great abundance, and a thriving company town that included nearly 130 buildings evolved around that industry. Carrie Furnace in Pittsburgh is nearly all that remains of the once massive Homestead Steel Works on the banks of the Monongahela River. Not sure if one can go up the road anymore as the road is fading away. Rockland Furnace was powered by a dam and water wheel on Shull Run, where today youll find the beautiful Freedom Falls. 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. For over 100 years, trains used this viaduct to cross the valley more than 300 feet below. Check out Eastern State Penitentiary in Philly, Carrie Furnace in Pittsburgh, and the Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike in Central PA. Jim Cheney is the creator of UncoveringPA.com. Near the park office once stood the community of Petroleum Centre, though all that remains are a set of steps that once led to the bank. And Trump won a 2-to-1 margin statewide among voters who believed that trade was taking away American jobs. By 1924, the community was abandoned. Sadly, years of neglect left this cemetery, which was first opened in 1855 and was once the site of Betsy Ross grave, overgrown and nearly unvisitable. There are some old foundations and a cemetery. I worked at Drake Well in the winter and was well versed in the history of the oil region. Would love to have good picture, so would many others. Another town in the same game lands is Yellow Springs, a small mining town near the mountain top. A lot of the kids went to college and never returned,and others left for jobs . My grandpa worked his way up to foreman. The plant became the leading manufacturer of sheet piling and steel rails. Today the land where Petroleum Centre once sat is now part of Oil Creek State Park. There is probably no ghost town in PA thats more famous than Centralia. In the old days, a mill like this would have needed 4,000 workers. I just decided not to include it since there really isnt anything from the town left there, minus the cemetery. 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. 6153. How about Fallbrook in Bradford or Tioga county. There are buildings and some families. There are definitely foundations, steps, the Stone Church, and 2 cemeteries left from Alvira. The mine coal seam declined and the power company closed the plant in about 1952. At Rausch Gap there are cellar holes near the rail trail on the uphill side you can find by following the old road bed that goes past the stream mitigation project upstream from the rail trail bridge and you can find the foundations of a railroad engine repair shed. For each destination below, be sure to click on the blue text link to view detailed directions and in-depth information about it. Today, its laying on its side around piles of bricks waiting for hopeful restoration. Known officially as a Van de Graaff Generator, this was the first industrial generator of its kind and was built in 1937. As a kid I had family that lived there so I was there quite often, my aunt used to own the only store in the town which has unfortunately been turned into a hunting camp after she sold it, so theres now no stores, there used to be a post office/motel as well which has now also been turned into residential apartments. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. There is a turn out off the road in the valley from Arnot to Morris. 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). This massive tower stands tall over the trail, which runs directly underneath it. More information Abandoned steel mill Erie PA #abandoned #steel #mill #erie #photography Comments Comments are turned off for this Pin More like this Also, are there several small stone markers where the residence lived? In 1922, the plant was bought by Bethlehem Steel (their main plant being in Bethlehem P.A. ) Its not a rugged trail is a bike/walking trail so it easily accessible maybe not wheelchair but beginner hikers and kids would have no problem making it to the site. In later years it was a girl scout camp. Rockland Furnace, located just minutes from the Rockland Tunnel, was used to produce iron ore starting in 1832, before being abandoned in 1854. Her parents buried Redstone Cem where we go In Warren County was located the town of Corydon, PA. For the majority of the time its located at the bottom of the Allegany Reservoir, but every once in a while when the reservoir is lowered for the winter months, the town is accessible on foot. Located in Venango County, the furnace sits about a hundred yards downstream of Freedom Falls. I now live in Nevada, but I worked at Pithole as a tour guide when I was in high school many years ago. This mine opened in 1860 and was actively mined until 1966. Competition from automobiles and buses . Ruins to explore and in the summer there are weekend yours. The ruins of the Colonial Springs Bottling Plant are located along the Mount Misery Trails in the little-visited western side of the park. While nearly all of the community has been torn down, its still interesting to drive the city streets and see the curbs, sidewalks, and stairwells that lead nowhere. Today, signs offer a self-guided walking tour through the ruins of this camp for visitors wanting to learn more about this unique historic spot. My mom grew up in Laurel Run, PA. Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphiais Americas most-historic (and some say most-haunted) prison! 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. 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. This Abandoned Aging Relic of The Pennsylvania Steel Industry Is Still Stunning Pennsylvania, located in the heart of America's Rust Belt, takes pride in a strong industrial past: the steel industry, in particular, is a vital part of our history and culture. regularly. If youre looking for the best abandoned places in PA you can legally explore, this is the article for you! Today, both bike riders and hikers can check out the base of this tower to learn more about the railroading industry in the area. Its where Indian Creek flows into the Tough. / CBS News. My great grandparents lived there. Today, the kilns sit in the middle of a park in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Visit it often. There are many haunted houses in the area. I think Fallbrook was. In addition to learning how a coal mine worked, the Number 9 is interesting because it contains several abandoned buildings and apparatuses within the mine itself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn_Hole_Tunnel, Very interesting .Does anyone have a picture of Turners Inn Restaurant on Route 40? However, few have been left alone in the middle of nature like Rockland Furnace. The post office and the fire dept are both in existence too. In the late 50s and 60s it was a girl scout camp. Now almost entirely derelict, Slawson says many remaining locals avoid driving this depressing route, peppered with the what President Trump referred to as Rusted-out factories, scattered like tombstones, in his bleak inauguration speech. This tunnel was opened in 1886 by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company and carried trains until it was abandoned in 1956. If you opt to go in, use extreme caution as theres no telling what else might be inside. The Bayless Paper Mill was rebuilt after the flood in 1911, but ultimately succumbed to a massive fire in 1944 and was abandoned after that. I think the County owned it then but I dont about now. 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. I have a whole article on the Alvira Bunkers. Correction: Landrus is between Arnot and Morris, PA. 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