PODCAST · history
Abandoned America
by Matthew Christopher
Find out why it's all falling apart on the new Abandoned America podcast! Join host Matthew Christopher, author and photographer of the Abandoned America book series and website, and explore what incredible stories ruins have to tell, what mysteries they hold, and why they were left behind.
Episodes
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The Incredible Rebirth of the Lansdowne Theater
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...
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The Strange But True Story of Abandoned America
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...
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The Dominion of Sleep
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:...
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Scrap
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....
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Saying Goodbye to Gould Street
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…
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Forest Haven: A Fatal Legacy of Neglect
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...
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The Lost Neighborhood of Lincoln Way
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...
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America's Ghost Ship: The SS United States
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…
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The Fall of the Fallside Hotel
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...
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The Story of Pleasure Beach and Long Beach: A Violation of the Contract
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…
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Taunton State Hospital: Nothing Ever Dies
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...
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Randall Park Mall: Everything Must Go
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....
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City of the Century: Gary, Indiana
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...
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Abandoned Amusement Parks: Six Flags New Orleans
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,...
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The Destruction of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
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…
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The Lost Garden of Beatrix Farrand
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...
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The Skin Experiments at Holmesburg Prison
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...
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The History of Urban Exploration: The Story of Urban Exploration Resource, or UER.ca
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…
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The History of Urban Exploration: Ninjalicious and Infiltration.org
"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...
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The Life & Death of the American Mall
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...
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What Happened to Brownsville?
Brownsville, Pennsylvania used to be a prosperous town - what happened to turn it into a ghost town of dozens of rotting buildings that include the former train station, hotel, hospital, banks, churches, apartments and homes, and stores? The answer is a haunting mystery centering around how one…
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The Myths and Realities of Chernobyl and Pripyat
Chernobyl and its neighboring city Pripyat are two of the most haunting abandoned places on earth - but what is it really like in the exclusion zone today? In this season finale we'll hear from Mykhailo "Misha" Teslenko, a Ukrainian guide who has spend years exploring the remains of the worst...
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Bonus Episode: Is Keeping Abandoned Locations Secret Important?
One of the more controversial subjects in the exploration of abandoned buildings is whether or not to keep locations secret. Join host Matthew Christopher of Abandoned America, guest host Matt Lambros, creator of the After the Final Curtain podcast, book series, and website, and Drew Scavello…
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The Catskill Game Farm: We Bought An (Abandoned) Zoo
The Catskill Game Farm grew from one man's collection of animals into the largest privately owned zoo in the United States and an incredibly popular tourist attraction that hundreds of thousands of people visited over the course of several decades. In this episode of the Abandoned America…
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The Abandoned Resorts of the Catskills
The Catskills region of New York has had two different periods of incredible popularity among vacationers and two different periods of decline that saw many of its most popular resorts left in ruins. In this episode I'm joined by guest co-host Matt Lambros, creator of the After the Final Curtain...
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The Tragedy at Third Presbyterian Church
The vacant Third Presbyterian Church in Chester, Pennsylvania was an endangered architectural treasure in a city that has already lost many. A team of dedicated preservationists were making strides toward rehabilitating it into a much-needed community art center, but a sudden and horrific turn of...
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Losing Our Religion: Abandoned Churches
Aside from homes, abandoned churches may be the most prevalent type of abandoned building in the United States - but why is that? In this episode I'm joined by Matt Lambros, author/photographer of the After the Final Curtain book series, and we'll discuss why churches are closing in such…
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Exploring Danvers State Hospital
In this episode I'm joined by my guest Matt Lambros, creator of the After the Final Curtain podcast and book series, and we'll discuss Danvers State Hospital, one of the most infamous of the abandoned American asylums. Starting with the fascinating history and lore surrounding the site and...
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The Closure of the State Hospitals: Abandoned Asylums Part 2
In part 2 of our exploration of America's abandoned asylums, we'll discuss what led to the closure of so many state hospitals across the United States. Why was such an expensive, ambitious system dismantled and why is the word "asylum" now associated with such stigma and sadness? Together with my...
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Why Were Asylums and State Hospitals Built?: Abandoned Asylums Part 1
Of all the American ruins, asylums are perhaps the most iconic - but how did so many come to be left to rot across the country? In this two part episode we'll cover the history of the American state hospital system with my guest, Matt Lambros, creator of the After the Final Curtain podcast and…
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Abandoned Theaters: The Victory Theatre
Now that we've discussed the history of theaters in America and why so many were lost or abandoned, let's take a closer look at a specific one: the Victory Theatre in Holyoke, MA, which has been abandoned since 1979. I'm joined by my guest Matt Lambros, one of the country's foremost experts on...
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The Rise and Fall of American Theaters
How did so many grand theaters and movie palaces come to be abandoned? In this episode we'll dive into the history of theaters in America with Matt Lambros, theater historian and creator of the After the Final Curtain book series and podcast. Together we'll chart the race to build increasingly...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Find out why it's all falling apart on the new Abandoned America podcast! Join host Matthew Christopher, author and photographer of the Abandoned America book series and website, and explore what incredible stories ruins have to tell, what mysteries they hold, and why they were left behind.
HOSTED BY
Matthew Christopher
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Abandoned America have?
Abandoned America currently has 32 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Abandoned America about?
Find out why it's all falling apart on the new Abandoned America podcast! Join host Matthew Christopher, author and photographer of the Abandoned America book series and website, and explore what incredible stories ruins have to tell, what mysteries they hold, and why they were left behind.
How often does Abandoned America release new episodes?
Abandoned America has 32 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Abandoned America?
You can listen to Abandoned America on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Abandoned America?
Abandoned America is created and hosted by Matthew Christopher.
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