Abandoned America

All too often, the stories of abandoned places end in tragedy. In this episode, however, we're going to discuss an amazing success story: after nearly 30 years vacant, the gorgeous Lansdowne Theater is being rebuilt! My guest, Matt Schultz, the Executive Director of the Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation, shares with us how this miraculous turnaround is taking place and his experience on how to save a local landmark. Photos/history of The Lansdowne: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/historic-lansdowne-theater Support the Lansdowne Theater Restoration efforts: https://www.lansdownetheater.org/ Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠⁠⁠ Get Email Updates: ⁠⁠https://us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=24ba303f6c1b17ce6e5f37d49&id=88f0dd85ff

Did you ever wonder how someone could become so obsessed with abandoned buildings that it engulfs their whole life? This is my story: the strange tale of of how and why I began photographing abandoned buildings across the world and started the Abandoned America project - an origin story for the podcast and website, if you will. Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠⁠ Get Email Updates: ⁠https://us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=24ba303f6c1b17ce6e5f37d49&id=88f0dd85ff

There's an odd overlap between dreams, abandoned spaces, and photographs - they all present distortions of the reality we are familiar with. Why is it that we find all three so compelling? Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠ Get Email Updates: https://us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=24ba303f6c1b17ce6e5f37d49&id=88f0dd85ff

In this episode Matthew interviews Stacey Tenenbaum, a Canadian filmmaker who produced and directed a beautiful documentary called Scrap. Scrap takes a poetic and meditative look at what becomes of the objects we use after they've ceased to fulfill the function they were originally intended for. The documentary shares the story of some incredible people and spaces, including a photographer who documents e-waste processing facilities in India, an architect who is repurposing parts of ships into buildings, families living in decommissioned aircraft, and an artist who makes amazing sculptures out of old machinery. Perhaps our favorite segment is a thoughtful feature on Ed Metka, the gentle owner of the trolley graveyard featured on Abandoned America. Stacey explores the challenges of filming in the early days of Covid, the behind-the-scenes stories of her production, and much more. You can watch the trailer (or rent/buy Scrap) at the following links: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3rUcpvU  Apple TV: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/scrap/umc.cmc.6zorr6gt9htb4lat36rm6kjaf  Show Notes: ⁠⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/scrap-abandoned-america-podcast Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠

Gould Street Power Station in Baltimore was once the most impressive power plant in the city and considered a technological marvel, but now its demolition seems inevitable. In this episode, we'll trace the wild history of the site through the bitter public utility wars that led to its construction to its eventual closure and abandonment - a trip that includes a forgotten inventor, a brutal murder, and a look at what might be in store for the area in the years to come. Show Notes: ⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/saying-goodbye-to-gould-street Forest Haven photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/gould-street-power-station Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠

Forest Haven was a developmental center in Laurel, Maryland for children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities and chronic illnesses that was the site of what was described as "the deadliest known example of institutional abuse in recent American history." Today Forest Haven lies abandoned and mostly forgotten, but in this episode we'll explore how profound and often fatal neglect shattered lives of residents for decades, and why it was allowed to continue for years after some of the facility's most horrific injustices were brought to light. Show Notes: ⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/forest-haven-a-fatal-history⁠ Forest Haven photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/forest-haven-developmental-center⁠ Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica⁠

Rumors of why the small neighborhood of Lincoln Way wound up abandoned abound: did some monstrous beast scare away the residents? Or was it for some more realistic and relatable reason? In this episode we'll explore the mystery of how roughly 40 homes on a quiet Western Pennsylvania street were left vacant for years, still littered with the former residents' belongings, and uncover the true story of what became of the community. Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/lincoln-way-abandoned-america-podcast SS United States photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/lincoln-way Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

The SS United States is about as unique and incredible as it gets: an entire ocean liner that's larger than the Titanic, out of use since 1969 and moored in Philadelphia since 1996. Both the fastest liner ever built and the largest constructed on US soil, it's one of only two surviving relics from the entire age of passenger liners, and yet its future has been imperiled for decades and it seems like its time might finally be running out. We'll explore why the SS United States is so significant and meaningful, the desperate efforts to save it, and what it's like touring a ghost ship that ceased operations long ago and on which only echoes remain. Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-ss-united-states-abandoned SS United States photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/ss-united-states Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

Located a short distance from one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States, it's hard to imagine why the Fallside Hotel in Niagara Falls, NY would have been abruptly closed and left abandoned. To tell the story we need to look at the boom and subsequent implosion of the area's tourist economy, caused by industrial pollution and misguided urban renewal projects. We'll also talk about what the town's plans for the future are and how the fate of the Fallside Hotel may in fact be a symbol of rebirth for the area around it. Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-fall-of-the-fallside Fallside Hotel photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: ⁠⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/fallside-hotel Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

What would you do if the only bridge to your community burned and the town refused to rebuild it? The residents of Long Beach, CT found out the hard way and it destroyed their entire neighborhood, leaving nearly 50 beachfront homes abandoned. In this episode of the Abandoned America podcast, we'll explore the tragic story of what went wrong, how the fate of Long Beach was tied to the defunct Pleasure Beach Amusement Park located next to them on the peninsula, and what happens when the towns around you turn their back on you in a time of crisis. Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-story-of-pleasure-beach Long Beach/Pleasure Beach photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: ⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/pleasure-and-long-beach Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

The morning we snuck into Taunton State Hospital before dawn was like something out of a dream. It's one of those profound experiences that haunts you for the rest of your life, something you try to explain to others but can never quite find the words to express. Join Matthew Christopher of Abandoned America for a 22-minute exploration of what Taunton State Hospital's story was, why anyone would go to such great lengths to see it before it was destroyed, why it still matters today, and how even in the darkest places there still is beauty if you look for it. Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/taunton-state-hospital-nothing-ever Taunton State Hospital photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: ⁠https://www.abandonedamerica.us/taunton-state-hospital Support the podcast on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

The Randall Park Mall in North Randall, Ohio was, for a brief moment, the largest mall in the world. Less than 40 years later it was in ruins. In this episode we'll cover the mall's extravagant opening, tumultuous lifespan, why it finally closed, and what it was like visiting it in the aftermath. For a shopping center, it has some pretty shocking crimes in its past, and its story is more haunting than you might think. Come join Matthew Christopher of Abandoned America for a quick primer on the life and death of a megamall, once a mighty symbol of both the dreams and nightmares of American consumerism that now is no more.  Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/randall-park-mall-everything-must Randall Park Mall photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/randall-park-mall Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

Gary, Indiana was once a thriving metropolis, but now it's a city of ruins. In this episode we'll discuss Gary's founding as a steel town, its economic collapse, and what still remains - including the abandoned City Methodist Church, the Gary Public Schools Memorial Auditorium, and the Palace Theatre. How did a city go from being called the "City of the Century" to having roughly a third of its buildings vacant, and what is it like going there today?  View the photo gallery/show text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/gary-indiana Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/gary-indiana-city-of-the Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

Amusement parks are a happy part of many people's family memories - so it's hard to imagine a theme park of over 200 acres sitting abandoned for nearly 20 years. That is just what happened with the massive Six Flags New Orleans, however: left to rot after Hurricane Katrina submerged it for weeks, it has been vacant for over three times as long as it was open. Why wasn't the park reopened or redeveloped? Today I'm joined by Jake Williams, writer and director of the recent documentary about Six Flags New Orleans Closed For Storm, and we'll discuss the story of what happened, what the impact of the park's closure and abandonment has been, and what it's like exploring the remains, which are now inhabited primarily by alligators and snakes.  Check out Closed For Storm and Bright Sun Films View the Six Flags gallery on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/six-flags-new-orleans Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/abandoned-amusement-parks-six-flags

In this episode we cover the demolition of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in West Philadelphia, a beautiful and historic church that could have easily been saved and repurposed but like so many others was torn down under questionable circumstances. We'll talk with Christopher Daniels, a teacher who found himself thrust into the role of a community activist trying to save a building whose fate seemed already sealed to find out what he did and what can be learned from the community's efforts to prevent the shocking destruction of a building many in the area knew and loved. View the photo gallery of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/our-lady-of-the-rosary Chris Daniels' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillyreligiousarts Donate to Chris' GoFundMe for classroom supplies: https://gofund.me/ee96de6a Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-destruction-of-our-lady

Today's episode is about an abandoned garden - but not just any garden, this one was created by America's first female landscape architect, Beatrix Farrand. Farrand is remarkable for many reasons - she designed the innovative and revolutionary landscapes for some of America's wealthiest families and most prominent universities and even landscaped the White House. However, much of her work today is lost. I'm joined by Karen Waltuch, Horticulturist at the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association, and David Hayes, Natural Resource Program Manager at Roosevelt Vanderbilt Van Buren National Historic Sites in Hyde Park, NY and we're going to discuss Farrand's legacy, her forgotten Wild Garden at Bellefield Mansion in Hyde Park, NY, and the amazing efforts of a dedicated group of volunteers to restore it and share it with the public.  Support the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association: https://www.beatrixfarrandgardenhydepark.org/ Show Notes and Links: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-lost-garden-of-beatrix Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

In this episode we talk with Dr. Cristina Visperas about her new book "Skin Theory: Visual Culture and the Postwar Prison Laboratory", which explores the shocking past of the now-abandoned Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia. For decades Dr. Albert Kligman conducted unethical and harrowing medical experiments on Holmesburg's inmates - in this episode we explore what those experiments were, how they formed the basis of the modern dermatology industry, and what happened in their aftermath. Read Cristina's New Book "Skin Theory: Visual Culture and the Postwar Prison Laboratory": https://amzn.to/3VOaMZX Show Notes and Links: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-skin-experiments-at-holmesburg Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica View the photo gallery on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/holmesburg-prison

The documentation and exploration of ruins may have existed for centuries, but the history of the subject in the internet age is still a relatively short one. In the last episode we talked about the legacy of Ninjalicious, who helped turn people on to the subject, and in this episode we're going to take a look at the best known and most popular website on the subject before the advent of social media: Urban  Exploration Resource, or UER.ca. I'm joined by Avatar X, the founder of UER, and we'll take a look at  the cultural impact of the website, which recently celebrated its 20th  anniversary. We'll also talk about the ethical debates, the challenges of creating a community for explorers in the shadow of Ninjalicious' death, how UER was founded, and much more. If you don't know much about  the subject of urban exploration, this is the episode that will give you  the context for how it grew to such a prominent subculture today. Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-story-of-urban-exploration Support the Abandoned America podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica Visit Urban Exploration Rescource: https://uer.ca/

"Urban Exploration" is a term used by many to describe trespassing, primarily in abandoned places, and over the last 20 years it has developed into its own counterculture and art genre. Today we'll talk about Jeff Chapman, also known as Ninjalicious. A Canadian who found his love for going into restricted areas during his struggle with a terminal illness, Ninjalicious would spend the remaining years of his life sharing his passion for trespassing and building the bedrock of the urban exploration movement. My  guest in the episode is Ninjalicious' friend Avatar X, a legend among urban explorers in his own right who created the website UER.ca, the origin point for the community that Ninjalicious advocated for. Together we discuss why Ninjalicious matters so much if you want to really get where the urban exploration started. Visit Infiltration.org: http://infiltration.org/ Visit Urban Exploration Resource: https://uer.ca/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-history-of-urban-exploration-ninjalicious

The Retail Apocalypse is upon us, or so we're told: the US has gone from 2,500 malls in the 1980s to about 700 today, and as anchors fold even more are expected to close in years to come. Today I'm joined by guest Alexandra Lange, architectural critic and author of the new book "Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall", to discuss the amazing life and death of the shopping mall. We'll examine how the mall serves as a nostalgic touchstone for so many, their problematic reinforcement of structural inequality, the phenomenon of dead malls, and what might lie in store for shuttered malls in the future! Buy Alexandra's new book, "Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall": https://amzn.to/3eKViXc Check out Abandoned America's photo gallery of dead malls: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/dead-malls Support the Abandoned America podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica Show Notes and Links: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-life-and-death-of