Archive for the ‘commercial’ Category

Went Not Away – The Abandoned Wonders of Voluntown

Posted: May 12, 2016 by kingleser in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Attractions, Abandoned Business, Abandoned Connecticut, abandoned home, abandoned new england, Abandoned Rhode Island, Abandoned Stores, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, Broken, Closed, commercial, Connecticut, darkness, Death, Destruction, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, for sale, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, forgotten home, Haunting, Hiking, History, House, Information, left behind, lost, Mystery, nature, new england, nightmares, overgrown, photography, research, Ruins, Safety First, Searching, Stories, time, Uncategorized, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex, writing
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Went Not Away

The Abandoned Wonders of Voluntown

Written by: Sean L.

Photographs by: Amanda H.

Past a few dead end roads and down a lost highway is Voluntown, Connecticut. We’ve traveled through this old town many times, mostly passing through on our way to Rhode Island. It has always been a fascinating place to me. I have fond memories of camping here when I was a child. I also had my high school graduation party here, at a friend’s beach house on the nearby lake. It is a sleepy little town, with a very old school New England feel to it. But much like most older communities of Connecticut, Voluntown has had it’s share of tragedy and despair.

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The town of Voluntown was first established in year 1721. It stands at the very eastern edge of Connecticut in New London County, sharing a border with the neighboring state of Rhode Island. Interestingly enough, infamous Revolutionary War traitor Benedict Arnold once owned land here in his early days. It is primarily a farming community today, with dairy and tree farms being a key source of income. According to their town website, over two thirds of the town’s landmass is made up of state forest property. The main road to cut straight through the town en route to Rhode Island is Route 138. It is along this road that we discovered a few abandoned of Voluntown.

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The mystery starts a few miles down the road. At the intersection of Route 201 and 138, an old sign can be seen sticking out the vegetation on the side of the road. Upon further investigation, this beat up old advertises the “Voluntown Package Store – Old Fashioned Service.” A short drive later, we found said package store. And sadly enough, it is in just as poor shape as its old sign. Everything has been folded up and left to rot. Even the antique gas pumps still stand outside the abandoned station. Just a stone’s throw across the street lies some sort of abandoned warehouse with a junk yard out back. We were not able to get too close after coming face to face with a large guard dog, so clearly someone still watches over the property.

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During King Phillip’s War, one of the first major armed conflicts in North America, a group of settlers volunteered to stand and fight. Historically, it is said they “went not away.” These are the men that Voluntown is named after.

And for good reason.

The Top Ten Movies Set in Abandoned Places

Posted: April 12, 2016 by kingleser in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Amusement Park, Abandoned Attractions, Abandoned Business, Abandoned Cabin, Abandoned Connecticut, Abandoned Farm, Abandoned Forts, abandoned home, Abandoned Hospital, Abandoned House, Abandoned Massachusetts, abandoned military bases, abandoned mill, abandoned new england, Abandoned Rhode Island, Abandoned Sanatorium, Abandoned Stores, Abandoned Theaters, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, Broken, Closed, commercial, darkness, Death, Destruction, dreams, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, forgotten home, Ghosts, Graveyard, Haunting, Hiking, History, Homeless, Information, left behind, lost, Movies, Mystery, nature, nightmares, overgrown, research, Ruins, Safety First, Stories, Uncategorized, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex, writing
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The Top Ten Movies Set in Abandoned Places

By: Sean L.

We love movies. Like…a lot. Comedies. Action. Drama. Horror. Well, it just so happens that most of the movies on this list happen to be horror. But it’s hard not be when your film takes place somewhere abandoned. There is always something creepy and unnerving going exploring, and these ten films capture it very well. They may not all be Academy Award winners, but if you enjoy urban exploration they’re a must see.

#10 – Flesh for the Inferno (2016)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4779826/

I’m not going to lie. I like this one because I’m in it. The budget is admittedly WAY lower than any of the other films on this list. But the fact that it was filmed exclusively in an actual abandoned location makes it very cool. The film follows your quintessential horror movie story line – a group of young people are tasked with cleaning up their local abandoned Catholic School, which just happens to be haunted by demon nuns. They are accidentally set loose upon our young heroes, and bloody chaos ensues. Flesh for the Inferno may not be a masterpiece, but when you look at the budget it was shot on, it is a fun little film.

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#9 – The Road (2009)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898367/

Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy and partially filmed on a famously abandoned Pennsylvania highway, The Road is a really depressing movie. Like, super depressing. It’s not a bad movie, not by a long shot. It is just one you don’t ever really want to ever see again. Everything is just so damn bleak. The cause of the apocalypse is never given in the film, and neither are the names of our two main characters. They are on a long trek through the wasteland, seeing all sorts of horror along the way. The visuals are simply breathtaking, and the story is so damn real. It can be a bit unsettling.

The Road

#8 – Doomsday (2008)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0483607/

Some call it dreadful. Some call it underrated. I call it awesome. Doomsday is a fun throwback to the Mad Max series with a dash of 28 Days Later (yes, we’ll get to that). Following an outbreak of a flesh-eating disease in Scotland, the British government quarantines off the island and leaves all those left there to die. Some twenty years later, the virus appears again. This time in the streets of London. So a special forces team is sent into the apocalyptic wasteland to search for a cure to the disease. What they find is a ruined city run by two warring factions of feral survivors. Check it out.

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#7 – Chernobyl Diaries (2012)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1991245/

I’m not saying it’s good. I’m saying it’s fun to watch. From the makers of the vastly popular, yet arguably overrated, Paranormal Activity franchise comes Chernobyl Diaries. A group of young tourists sneak into the infamous Ukrainian city of Pripyiat, home to the Chernobyl Disaster. The city has been abandoned for years, and is highly radioactive. The group soon learns that they are, in fact, not alone. What ensues is a jarring mess including shaky camera work, a nonsensical plot, and some questionable acting from a certain former Disney star…we’re looking at you, Jesse. But in the end it is a fun little jump-scare film with some wonderful set design that really captures the feel of Chernobyl.

Chernobyl

#6 – Ghost Ship (2002)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0288477/

Remember the early 2000’s when all kinds of bigger budget horror movies actually got made? Pepperidge Farm remembers. There were a lot of little gems out there that nobody really remembers anymore. Ghost Ship, however, has always been one of our favorites. From the makers of Thirteen Ghosts, Ghost Ship follows an Alaskan salvage crew that stumbles upon an abandoned ocean liner that has been missing since the 1960’s. They soon discover that the ship is haunted, and the ghosts aboard just might not let them leave. Say what you will about the cheesy ghost plot, the art department and set design of this film make it a must watch. Imagine what it could have been with the right director…

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#5 – The Abandoned (2006)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475937/

The title says it all. While it may not be the most creative, it certainly is effective. This loveable little indie horror film flew under the radar when it was given a limited theatrical release. An adopted Russian woman returns to the home she never knew after receiving a mysterious phone call. Upon arriving at the now deserted farm where her family once lived, Marie meets her twin brother Nicolai for the first time, whom also received a mysterious phone call beckoning him back to the farm. All kinds of mysterious and spooky things happen from there. Dark and foreboding, The Abandoned is both bizarre and frightening. The supernatural horror element of it is perfectly done.

The Abandoned

#4 – House on Haunted Hill (1999)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185371/

Horror remakes are inevitable, much like horror sequels. Most are painfully forgettable. But this one was actually pretty good. House on Haunted Hill was a much needed update to Vincent Price’s black and white horror classic of the same name. While this film may not be as strong narrative wise, it certainly has some great scares and downright creepy moments. Through an unsettling chain of events, an eccentric billionaire offers a group of strangers one million dollars each to spend the night inside of an abandoned insane asylum. The film is a bit on the campy side, but it does the original justice while giving a fresh spin on the material.

House Hill

#3 – I Am Legend (2007)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/

The alternate ending was better. Seriously. Watch it. It makes a mediocre movie into a memorable one. With that out of the way, here is a good movie that could’ve been great. I Am Legend follows Dr. Robert Neville, the last man on Earth, and his awesome companion Sam the German Shepard. They are survivors living in the now abandoned city of New York. But they are not alone. While the movie may have fallen a bit flat, it does an excellent job of showing life after people. Whether it be the the decimated streets of NYC, or the family of lions that compete against Robert for food. The set work is great, but the script could’ve used some work.

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#2 – 28 Weeks Later (2007)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0463854/

The much darker and grittier sequel to the widely successful 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks falls just a bit short of living up to its predecessor. Many fans complained that it was too Hollywoodized for their taste, others were just unhappy we didn’t get our original characters back. 28 Weeks Later takes place, well, 28 weeks after the Rage Virus decimated all of England. With the virus seemingly eliminated, people begin to move back into the deserted city of London. What they don’t know is that the virus has simply been dormant, and soon all Hell breaks loose. What follows is a gritty and gripping thrill ride through an abandoned city. Will we ever get another sequel? We certainly hope so.

28 weeks

#1 – 28 Days Later (2001)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289043/

Of course it was this. What else would it have been? Arguably considered one of the best and most revolutionary horror films of our generation, 28 Days Later tells us the story of what happens 28 days after the end of the world. After being set loose from a lab, the Rage Virus has caused total destruction. And our hero Jim wakes up from a coma 28 Days Later to find his entire country abandoned. Taking place in England (they really just can’t catch a break on this list) we follow a loveable group of survivors trying to survive an apocalyptic plague. Featuring deserted city streets, decaying houses, a darkened London skyline, and an abandoned farm, the film is an absolute triumph. If you haven’t seen it yet, what are you waiting for?

28 Days

*All stills belong to their respective copyright owners.

 

 

Remember the Magic – The Abandoned Enchanted Forest Theme Park

Posted: March 16, 2016 by kingleser in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Amusement Park, Abandoned Attractions, Abandoned Business, abandoned new england, Abandoned Rhode Island, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, Broken, Children, Closed, commercial, darkness, Death, Destruction, dreams, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, fantasy, for sale, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, Haunting, Hiking, History, Information, left behind, lost, Magic, Mystery, nature, new england, overgrown, photography, research, Rhode Island, Ruins, Safety First, Searching, Stories, The Enchanted Forest, time, Uncategorized, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex, writing
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Remember the Magic

The Abandoned Enchanted Forest Theme Park

Written by: Wilk
Photographs by: Lassie

Do you feel that? The wind through the trees? The current through the mountain streams? The rays of sunshine peeping through the dark clouds? It’s something that we don’t appreciate enough anymore. They are, dare I say, magic. Our ancestors lived and died with these elemental beings. But magic is something that disappears a little more each day. We’ve forgotten about it. It can be argued that we don’t need it anymore, that it has outlived its purpose. People walk around lost in the screens of their cell phones as opposed to appreciating the natural beauty of our own world. Even as it slowly shrinks from the corners of our universe. But what happens when there’s no more magic? What happens when all that makes the world wondrous and green is gone? What would the world be like without magic? We found out: in the Enchanted Forest.

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It is one of the darker and more ominous places we have ever visited. The Enchanted Forest was a fantasy styled amusement park that opened in 1971. Based out of Hopkinton, Rhode Island, The Enchanted Forest was always more oriented towards children and families with its fairy tale style theme. The main attractions of the park included a live petting zoo, go-cart tracks, a mini-golf course, and a few rides geared more towards its younger audience. For years the park was a mainstay attraction of the local area, with people coming far and wide to visit this fairy tale place. But as time wore on, the magic began to fade. In her final years, attendance and interest in the park began to wane. Finally, in the year 2005, The Enchanted Forest closed forever under financial strain. Though technically still for sale, the park has been left abandoned ever since.

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We made the long journey to The Enchanted Forest on a sunny day during the tail end of winter 2016. She’s not too difficult to find, the only problem is that what’s left of the park sits along a heavily trafficked road. There old parking lot has also been blocked off by large bricks of cement. And to top it all off, the neighbors of this old park do not take kindly to strangers and have no hesitation when it comes to reporting trespassers to the local police. We had heard many stories in our travels of explorers being caught and arrested for trying to sneak into this place. Getting inside is not the difficult part. Slipping inside the park without being noticed and where to park your car are the difficult parts. But, through some strange form of luck, we managed to get inside this former wonderland.

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Regrettably, there isn’t too much to see here. The old rides that once were the star attractions of The Enchanted Forest were sold off to neighboring theme parks long ago. But the large sign still sits out front, bearing a few scars from the elements and the local vandals. Buried in the brush behind the parking lot are the remains of the old petting zoo and mini golf course. Even deeper into the woods is all that is left of the old go-cart track. A couple of old buildings are still standing, though they are clearly very heavily used by the local teenagers. Mountains of trash and liter coat the ground, and the walls have all been defaced by cruel and unusual graffiti. There may have been more left behind here, but it has long since been lost to the think brush and unflinching grasp of the woods.

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If you ever plan on visiting The Enchanted Forest, do not take this journey lightly. It is a dangerous and risky mission, unless of course you know someone in the area. It is a remarkable sight, indeed. Besides the fact it is a local legend, there is just something about this place. Dare I say, enchanting? Or perhaps the better word is magical. You see, whether we acknowledge it or not, there is still magic in this world. And it can be felt strongly here in The Enchanted Forest. You can almost still hear the laughter of the children and families who once frolicked down these old paths. You can almost still see the colorful rides and attractions swirling through the trees. You can almost still feel all of the love and joy that this place must have felt all of those years ago. Though all of that is gone, the magic is still here. You just have to look for it.

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A Rey of Sunlight – Remembering Sunrise Resort

Posted: March 3, 2016 by kingleser in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Attractions, Abandoned Business, Abandoned Cabin, Abandoned Connecticut, abandoned home, abandoned new england, Abandoned Resort, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, Beaches, Broken, Cabin, Closed, commercial, Connecticut, darkness, Death, Destruction, East Haddam Connecticut, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, for sale, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, forgotten home, Ghosts, Graveyard, Haunting, Hiking, History, House, Information, left behind, lost, Mystery, nature, new england, nightmares, overgrown, photography, Public Parks, research, Ruins, Safety First, Searching, Stories, Sunrise Resort, Uncategorized, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex, writing
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To this day, people still ask us about Sunrise Resort. So here is a special tribute video to the very first place we ever got to explore. New Subscribers are always appreciated!

 

Bring Me Back to Life – The Abandoned Great Barrington Fairgrounds

Posted: January 27, 2016 by kingleser in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Attractions, Abandoned Business, Abandoned Fairgrounds, Abandoned Massachusetts, abandoned new england, Abandoned Racetrack, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, Berkshires, Broken, Closed, commercial, darkness, Destruction, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, for sale, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, Ghosts, Graveyard, Great Barrington, Haunting, Hiking, History, Homeless, Horse Racing, Information, left behind, lost, Massachusetts, Movies, Mystery, nature, new england, nightmares, overgrown, photography, Public Parks, research, Ruins, Safety First, Searching, Stories, time, Uncategorized, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex, writing
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Bring Me Back to Life
The Abandoned Great Barrington Fairgrounds

Written by: Wilk
Photographs by: Lassie

I first fell in love with the town of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in the fall of 2013. I was up there filming an action movie for a few weeks, and the town became like a second home to me. Nestled deep in the picturesque wilderness of the Berkshire Mountains, Great Barrington was the true personification of an old school New England town. Locally owned small businesses line the streets. There’s a farmer’s market once a week during the fall. An old mansion keeps watch over the center of town. It is a true community. But there is one place here in town that doesn’t quite fit in. In the shadow of the mountains, an old relic of the past slowly crumbles into the fertile New England ground. And though she may not look it anymore, she was once one of the crown jewels of the local community. This is the Great Barrington Fairgrounds, and she has been left to rot on and off for many years.

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The Great Barrington Fairgrounds opened during the late eighteen-hundreds. It began as a place for the local farmers to trade and showcase their goods with the rest of the community. Horse-racing was added in several years later, and quite literally took off. Over the next hundred years, the Great Barrington Fairgrounds became well known around the region as one of the biggest and best tracks around. They were even hosts to the longest running harvest fair in all of New England. She began to hit major prominence in the 1940’s when the interest in horse racing spiked to an all-time high. But as we all know, no good thing can last forever. Over the next few years, that very same frivolous interest that made the Great Barrington Fairgrounds so popular began to steadily decline. The grounds were finally shut down in 1983. There was an attempt to revive the facility in 1997, but it was short-lived. The grounds closed for good shortly after.

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We visited Great Barrington once again in the fall of 2015. The deserted fairgrounds were there to greet us as soon as we arrived in town. The old racetrack has become completely overgrown. The stands have been defaced with graffiti and vandalism. A rusty chain-link fence still surrounds the complex, though it doesn’t appear to do much good. Though the fairgrounds are in rough shape, there is currently a strong movement amongst the local community to restore the Great Barrington Fairgrounds to their former glory. While exploring the grounds, we encountered a few of their volunteers setting up for a wine tasting being held the next day. Since the property was purchased by the Elsbach family in 2012, they have been making an effort to redevelop the land for the good of the community. They are called GBFB, and their mission is to “preserve and restore the environmental health of the fairground site.” Though these grounds may be abandoned, there just might be hope to bring them back to life.

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If you are interested in donating, volunteering, or learning more about GBFB, please visit their website here – http://gbfg.org/

From Your Nightmares – The Abandoned Hampton Hills

Posted: November 17, 2015 by kingleser in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Connecticut, abandoned new england, Abandoned Stores, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, Closed, commercial, Connecticut, darkness, Destruction, dreams, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, Ghosts, Haunting, House, left behind, lost, Mystery, nature, new england, nightmares, overgrown, photography, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex
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From Your Nightmares
The Abandoned Hampton Hills

Written by: Sean L.
Photographs by: Amanda H.

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What are you afraid of? It’s an honest question, really. Frankly it’s a question that we don’t ask each other or ourselves often enough. What is it that keeps you up at night? What is it that causes the fear to seep through your veins? What gives you nightmares? It’s a question any one of us could think about for hours, and the answer will always be unsettling. It’s something we are all familiar with: waking up in a cold sweat, sometimes out of breath, slowly trying to piece back together what was real and what was not. Some of us have even woken up screaming. It always takes a moment to come to your senses, to remember that it was all just a bad dream. I don’t care how tough you think you are, we’ve all awoken from a dark dream at some point in our lives. But sometimes those nightmares come to life. From what we’ve seen over the years, there are places in this world that are the work of darkness. Some places can be so dark and haunting, it’s as if they came straight from the blackest of dreams.

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That is what we found in an abandoned building in the hills of Hampton, Connecticut. We have been unable to find out anything about this place, but it was one of our creepiest finds to date. It appears to have at one time been a shop of some kind, possibly a house. All investigative research has proven to be inconclusive. Strangely enough, this mystery building sits a mere stone’s throw away from an abandoned house. The doors had been left wide open, but a forest of briars and poison ivy kept us from getting too close to this one. Plus the local neighborhood watchdog wasn’t too thrilled by our presence. He may have been just a chihuahua, but his incessant barking was attracting a lot of attention. The mystery building lies more out of sight. From the outside, there really isn’t anything that makes this place special or unique. Some old farm machinery sits out front, alongside it is an old row boat. A few stone walls still stand. An old sign rots in the tall swaying grass. Several of the plate glass windows have been smashed on the first floor. It looks like your typical abandoned building. But it is inside this mysterious place that things get interesting.

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Piles and piles of stuff (I mean all kinds of stuff) lie strewn about inside this place. There is a large box filled with nails and screws. Another one full of old books and magazines. An ancient pair of sunglasses collects dust beside a rusting tool set. Old kitchenware and cooking utensils were mixed among the junk. Broken glass was everywhere. But most haunting of all are the dolls. Nearly a half dozen old dolls lay grouped together in a back room. There may have been a time when these were a treasured toy of some innocent child. Now they are merely dirty, broken, and forgotten carcasses. They were like something out of a nightmare. I half expected one of their ghoulish heads to slowly turn towards us as we took photos. I mean these things made Chucky look like a Barbie Doll. The whole place was creepy, to say the least. The ceilings were rotting black holes. Forgotten junk and pieces of shattered dreams coated the floors. And the smell was unimaginable. Like something from a nightmare.

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The Future of Seaside….

Posted: October 11, 2015 by Hidden Wonders Photography in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Business, Abandoned Connecticut, Abandoned Hospital, abandoned new england, Abandoned Sanatorium, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, Beaches, Bird Watching, Birds, Broken, Children, Children's Hospital, Closed, commercial, Connecticut, darkness, Death, Destruction, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, Ghosts, Graveyard, Haunting, Hiking, History, Information, left behind, nature, new england, nightmares, Ocean, Ocean View, overgrown, photography, Public Parks, research, Ruins, Safety First, Searching, seaside, Seaside Sanatorium, Stories, Uncategorized, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex, Waterford, writing
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Costs Mount As State Decides The Future Of Seaside Park In Waterford

(Published October 11, 2015 in the Hartford Courant)

Rest of Story Here…

–We take no credit for the story or the picture posted above. All credit goes to The Hartford Courant–

Fly Away Home — The Abandoned Montgomery Mill

Posted: June 30, 2015 by Hidden Wonders Photography in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Attractions, Abandoned Business, Abandoned Connecticut, abandoned mill, abandoned new england, abandoned paper mill, Abandoned Stores, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, American Bald Eagle, Bird Watching, Birds, Broken, Christmas, Closed, commercial, Connecticut, darkness, Destruction, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, fire, for sale, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, Ghosts, Haunting, Hiking, History, Homeless, Information, left behind, lost, Mystery, nature, new england, nightmares, overgrown, paper mill, photography, research, Ruins, Searching, Stories, Talcottville Mill, Uncategorized, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex, Windsor Locks, writing
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Fly Away Home

The Abandoned Montgomery Mill

Written by: Wilk

Photographs by: Lassie

The state of Connecticut was once a place of industry. Factories and mills thrived for years in our little state. They provided income and jobs for small towns everywhere. But times change. We are now known as the “Insurance Capital of the World.” One by one, these former staples of the community slowly closed their doors as society continued to evolve. Today, these old factories now lie broken and forgotten all across the state. At one time, there were over seventy five abandoned mills in the state of Connecticut. Some, like the Montgomery Mill, stand looming over their small towns. They cast a shadow of the past across a growing community that tries to move on. We have explored several of these former factories over the years, but none have been as ominous, or as troubled, as the Montgomery Mill. From its haunting image, to its checkered history, the former factory stands in a class all its own.

 

First built in the early 1800’s, the Montgomery Mill was once the jewel in the crown of the thriving town of Windsor Locks. It gave the people of the town jobs, and became the heart of downtown. Businesses and shops opened up all around the mill. In the mid 1900’s though, things began to change. During the 1960’s, the small town of Windsor Locks began to steadily decline. The Montgomery Company struggled on for several more years, before finally closing its doors in 1989. Since that day, the factory has been a constant topic of debate amongst the townspeople and a playground for destruction. The property has changed hands several times between land developers and entrepreneurs over the years, but nothing has come of it. There have also been three notable fires in the mill complex; all were found to be caused by arson. The property has since become a seedy refuge for the local homeless, vandals, and scrap metal scavengers.

Standing right alongside the banks of the mighty Connecticut River, the Montgomery Mill is truly a sight to see. Driving down Main Street, you really can’t miss it. The factory is huge, standing ominously over the small town beneath it. It casts a shadow over the entire area. Eerily reminiscent to some of the buildings of Prypiat, Ukraine, the place is hauntingly captivating. There are multiple buildings in the complex, each one lies in a state of utter decay. The main factory stands six floors. Windows have been smashed. Fences have been put up. Doors have been boarded up. Even a few letters from the buildings sign that once read “The Montgomery Co. Est. 1871 Decorative and Electric Tinsels” have been lost. Wild vines and vegetation grow along the base of the factory, and even inside the basement. An old rusty fence protected by some jagged barbed wire and a faded stop sign block the entrance to the main complex.

 

 

What makes the Montgomery Mill so unique are its new residents. Though the workers of the factory are long gone, the local bird population has taken up residence in the now empty halls. Squads of pigeons and doves line the rooftops and window sills of the mill, spying on all those that enter their domain. But they are not the ones that rule this roost. A family of Bald Eagles has taken up residence inside of the factory. Conservationists believe that they are currently raising several young hatchlings somewhere inside the main building. For this reason, it is forbidden to enter the factory. If nesting Bald Eagles are disturbed, they will abandon their young and instinctively never return to their nest. We did not enter the factory, and we urge all our fellow explorers to do the same. The Bald Eagle is an endangered species, and their space must be respected. Unfortunately, we were unable to catch a glimpse of them.

Sitting in a state of beautiful decay, the Montgomery Mill stands as one of the more unique places we have ever visited. Even though we weren’t able to get inside of the abandoned factory, it is still worth a visit just to see this place. While the roaring river beside it continues to flow, the grounds still sit in defeat. Though many see it as an eye soar and sad reminder of downtown’s downfall, there is still a glimmer of hope for the property. The animal that captivates the American spirit and pride has chosen this former mill as its nesting grounds. When they move on, there are still plans for the town to finally foreclose on the property and begin the rebuilding process. Until that day, the Montgomery Mill stands waiting, casting its ominous shadow across the community. But much like the American Bald Eagle, the town continues to persevere, flying onward in hopes of a better tomorrow.

     

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Turn the Corner — The Ruins of Manchester Drive-In

Posted: May 27, 2015 by Hidden Wonders Photography in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Attractions, Abandoned Business, Abandoned Cinema, Abandoned Connecticut, Abandoned Drive-In, abandoned new england, Abandoned Theaters, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, Automobiles, Bolton, Broken, Cinema, Closed, commercial, Connecticut, darkness, Destruction, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, for sale, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, Haunting, Hiking, History, Homeless, Information, left behind, lost, Manchester, Manchester CT, Movies, Mystery, nature, new england, nightmares, overgrown, photography, Public Parks, research, Ruins, Safety First, Searching, Showcase Cinema, State Parks, Stories, Theater, time, Uncategorized, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex, writing, WWII
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Turn the Corner

The Ruins of Manchester Drive-In

Written by: Sean L.

Photography by: Amanda H.

Movies. Popcorn. Soda Pop. Greased back hair. Your best gal in the backseat of your Chevy. Just another Saturday night. There was a time. Most of us here are a little too young to remember these days. But back in the late nineteen fifties and early sixties, the drive-in movie theater became a bit of a phenomenon here in the US. There were at one time over four thousand drive-in movie theaters all across the country, mostly located in the rural sections. They were the place to be come Saturday night, not just for movies but for a chance to show off your ride. But for the old Manchester Drive-In, all of that is gone. Opened in the early 1950’s, the Manchester Drive-In was one of many drive-in theaters to pop up in Connecticut during this time period. As opposed to the drive-in theaters of today, Manchester had only one screen. It could hold over five hundred cars per showing. But over the years, the excitement and the wonder of drive-in movie theaters began to wane. Most of the theaters across the state began to steadily close their doors, including the Manchester Drive-In.

Unfortunately, the theater went out of business in the early 1980’s where it sat empty and abandoned for almost twenty years. It was finally purchased locally in 2006 to become a park along the Hop River in Bolton, Connecticut. Today, the former drive-in theater that once held over five hundred eager movie goers is now nothing more than a ruin. The pavement of the entrance way is cracked and crumbling. The old sign has become completely engulfed by wines and weeds. The lot itself has become completely impassable due to massive amounts of brush and vegetation. A few old speakers still stand along the outskirts. There is a pile of burned wreckage in the back that was once the theater’s concession stand. But most haunting of all, the one screen itself still stands. Though it is now a skeleton, it is hard to believe that this decrepit structure once played some of the most classic and timeless blockbusters of our time. It casts a shadow over its former glory. But if you look closely just enough, you can still see what this place was once like way back in the summer of 1962.

“Someone wants me. Someone roaming the streets, wants ME… Will you turn the corner?”

–American Graffiti

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Field of Broken Dreams — The Abandoned New England Sportsplex

Posted: May 6, 2015 by Hidden Wonders Photography in #postaday, Abandoned, Abandoned Attractions, Abandoned Baseball Field, Abandoned Business, Abandoned Connecticut, abandoned new england, Abandoned USA, Abandoned Wonders, Broken, Closed, commercial, Connecticut, darkness, Destruction, empty, Exploration, exploring the abandoned, for sale, Forgotten, forgotten beauty, Haunting, Hiking, History, Homeless, Information, left behind, lost, Manchester, Manchester CT, Movies, Mystery, nature, new england, overgrown, photography, Public Parks, research, Ruins, Safety First, Searching, State Parks, Stories, Three Strikes Out, time, Uncategorized, Urban Decay, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploring, Urbex, Vernon, writing
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Field of Broken Dreams

The Abandoned New England Sportsplex

Written by: Sean L.

Photographs by: Amanda H.

Take me out to the ballgame. Take me out to the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks. I don’t care if I ever get back. So let’s root root root for the home team, if they don’t win it’s a shame. For it’s One. Two. Three Strikes. You’re out, at the old ballgame. The lyrics sound very different when you simply read them, not sing them. I could almost faintly hear that classic tune floating through the air as we walked across the now silent New England Sportsplex. It was a sunny afternoon in early May, the perfect time for a baseball game. But there’s nothing here anymore. What was once a beloved classic song of fun and enjoyment became a haunting tune for this old abandoned ballpark. The laughter of children and the cheers of the crowds long since passed still echoed across the overgrown wasteland. I couldn’t help but wonder to myself, how had it come to this?

It began back in 1994. There was a strong interest in the local community of Vernon, Connecticut, to build a new recreational center. Local softball leagues, both for adults and children, were looking for a place to play in their area. So, with a purchase of two million dollars, construction began on the New England Sportsplex. It was at the time to be the largest softball park in all of New England. It was comprised of four fenced in and lit diamonds, a snack bar, and an on sight bathroom facility. The complex would be able to house an estimated five thousand fans at a time. Since the land was in a non-residential area, the town of Vernon had high hopes for it. The future was bright. But as we all know, nothing ever goes quite according to plan. Due to a steady decline in interest and complications with the nearby wetlands, the park was eventually closed and left abandoned.

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We visited the abandoned New England Sportsplex on a Sunday in early May 2015. We had seen it from the neighboring I-84 multiple times in the past, but had never been able to actually stop and investigate. The old complex is right off the highway, and very visible if you are headed eastbound towards the Mass Pike. Though the fields have become overgrown and lost to the vegetation, the old score boards still peek out from the brush. The forgotten bathroom facility and snack bar are now boarded up and covered with graffiti. A large FOR SALE sign is pointed towards the passing highway, though it is much less noticeable than the abandoned complex standing behind it. There is a patrolled commuter lot and a local park on the same street as the old complex. Chain link fences surround the entire perimeter of the complex, though we did not find a single NO TRESPASSING or KEEP OUT sign posted along the property.

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Walking through the abandoned New England Sportsplex was like something out of a bad dream. Two chained gates stand guard at the entrance of the park. What looks like it used to be the old parking lot is still sitting out front. The main road through the complex is also still intact, though it is slowly crumbling due to its lack of care. Each scoreboard from all four diamonds is still standing, and they each appear to be in relatively good shape. The diamonds themselves, however, are completely overgrown with brush and weeds. We had hoped to find a few bases, maybe even a pitching mound, lost in the undergrowth. But we had no such luck. Curiously enough, all of the cement dugouts from each field are also still intact. We found various items inside them, including a turned over picnic table. The bathroom facility and snack bar are both heavily boarded up. There was no way inside without breaking in.

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Tom Hanks famously said in A League of Their Own, “There’s no crying in baseball.” But I believe there must’ve been at least a few teary eyes in the house when this place closed. In the immortal Kevin Costner classic Field of Dreams they say, “If you build it, he will come.” But nothing came off this failed establishment. Over the years, corporations and town committees have fought over the land. Since it is in plain view of the highway and right next to the on/off ramp, the land has always been a desirable location to build a large super store. It was almost a done deal with Home Depot a few years ago, but nothing has ever come of it. The land still sits empty and abandoned. There are no more good times. There are no more home runs. There are no more peanuts and crackerjacks. Because in life, just like baseball, its one. Two. Three strikes. You’re out.

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