Abandoned Pennsylvania

While Pennsylvania has been getting more than it's fair share of the news lately, here is another side of the Keystone State rarely seen.

I know from growing up there - it is a large acreage with centuries of history. It has survived many battlegrounds from Gettysburg and the early days of the Revolutionary War. It has seen the rise and inevitable fall of both the steel and coal industries. There are tales of natural disasters and civil crimes. I had postmarked this feature back at the end of summer. But ironically, now is a notable time to share it at large.

It is a collection of portraits that showcase 21 lost relics of PA history. Some are natural landmarks. Others are defunct factories that flourished and then faded. Others are abandoned cities that no longer exist. I remember seeing these as a child marking a borough - where a fledgling town was built on inspired industry that came, and then left a short decade later. There was often the requisite visit to old Titusville where the original oil industry began and relatives on my dad's side had roots. It is not unusual to sees stretches of abandoned homes tilting on their last legs and ceiling beams. One of the rented apartments we lived in was in this sad state on a last visit back. I have a love/ hate relationship with my heritage there that is also a mix of cherished memories and crumbling history.

Apparently on this official listing; each place still stands and is legally explorable. Coal mines, prisons and even lake resorts. They make for an unusual list of roadside rest stops across a broad landscape of many miles:

A deserted stretch of the PA turnpike that is 13 miles long with 2 tunnels

one of 2 massive blast furnaces at Homestead Steel in Pittsburgh

the infamous Kinzua Dam bridge that was toppled in a fierce tornado

Yellow Dog village in Western PA where a limestone Co. came and went in the 20s

Here is the complete list:

Uncovering PA: Abandoned Places