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#abandonedplaces — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #abandonedplaces, aggregated by home.social.

  1. 🕊️ Imagine a world without war, where the machines and structures of destruction fall silent.

    Warplanes grounded and swallowed by vegetation, tanks seized in place. The waves reclaim coastal fortresses left behind. Bunkers forgotten below city streets. Propaganda fades and loses meaning

    Some of my photos of #AbandonedPlaces in Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and England.

    #Abandoned #History #War #History #Photography #Military #War #Decay #Bunker #Tank #Plane #Airplane #Fortress

  2. A fascinating collection of vintage microscopes. Some serious steampunk vibes from all that brasswork! Inside an abandoned medical research institute, somewhere in Portugal.

    #AbandonedPlaces #Portugal #Steampunk #Photography #Brass #Microscope #Medical

  3. Old and high in the Californian Sierra Nevada, Bodie is an incredible ghost town. Once one of the largest cities in the state, time has now stopped here. It is the perfect place to witness the past and the lingering after‑effect of the gold rush.

    #Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #LandscapePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #desertlight

  4. Old and high in the Californian Sierra Nevada, Bodie is an incredible ghost town. Once one of the largest cities in the state, time has now stopped here. It is the perfect place to witness the past and the lingering after‑effect of the gold rush.

    #Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #LandscapePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #desertlight

  5. Old and high in the Californian Sierra Nevada, Bodie is an incredible ghost town. Once one of the largest cities in the state, time has now stopped here. It is the perfect place to witness the past and the lingering after‑effect of the gold rush.

    #Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #LandscapePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #desertlight

  6. Old and high in the Californian Sierra Nevada, Bodie is an incredible ghost town. Once one of the largest cities in the state, time has now stopped here. It is the perfect place to witness the past and the lingering after‑effect of the gold rush.

    #Bodie #GhostTown #California #SierraNevada #BlackAndWhitePhotography #LandscapePhotography #AbandonedPlaces #HistoricSites #OldWest #GoldRushHistory #VisualStorytelling #desertlight

  7. W. J. Bullock, Inc.

    Founded in the 1930s by William John Bullock, W. J. Bullock, Inc. began operations in the Wylam neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama, as a secondary smelter specializing in the processing and refining of nonferrous metals, primarily zinc, copper, and aluminum. The foundry produced brass ingots, slab zinc, deoxidized aluminum, Babbitt-pattern aluminum, and zinc ash. At the time of its establishment, W. J. Bullock, Inc. was the only refinery of its kind in the country. These metals were essential raw materials for a wide range of products, and Bullock’s plant became an integral part of the region’s network of metal producers, helping to establish Birmingham as a major industrial hub.

    Additions to the plant in the 1940s included an office, bathhouse, and chemical laboratory. These expansions were planned and designed by the local architectural firm Shaw and Renneker, which also constructed a bathhouse for the T.C.I. plant in Winona during the same period.

    In 1950, Bullock undertook a $250,000 expansion that added 60,000 square feet of new plant facilities, an increase of nearly 50 percent in floor space and a comparable boost in production capacity. Several years later, William J. Bullock retired and moved to Fort Lauderdale, where he remained chairman of the board of W. J. Bullock, Inc. until his death in 1973.

    In his retirement years, William J. Bullock was an avid fisherman. In 1963, while fishing near the southern tip of Florida in Everglades National Park, he and three other anglers caught several three- to five-pound jacks to use as live bait. Their captain then ran 16 miles out into the Gulf to a favored spot, rigged a heavy rod with 125-pound test line, and dropped a live jack into 60 feet of water.

    Bullock later recalled that the bait had scarcely reached the bottom before a powerful strike hit. For the next 15 minutes, he battled the fish before handing off the rod, and the struggle went on to exhaust all four anglers in turn. When the captain finally brought the fish close enough to gaff, it thrashed violently, forcing him to choose between losing the gaff or being pulled overboard; he released it, and the gaff sank. Another 15 minutes passed before the fish was fully subdued. The captain then maneuvered the head alongside the boat, slit the lower jaw, and threaded a line through it. With the catch secured, the group towed the massive fish 16 miles back to port.

    W. J. Bullock and his 416 lb. sea bass (Birmingham Post Herald)

    W. J. Bullock, Inc. remained a family-owned operation throughout its history. Following his father’s retirement, W. J.’s son, William E. Bullock, Sr., assumed the presidency of the company. A graduate of Auburn University and a World War II veteran, he led the firm while also serving on the boards of several business organizations in the Birmingham area.

    The company was notable for the longevity of its workforce, with many employees spending their entire careers at the plant, a rarity today. Among them was J. H. Borland, who joined the company in 1943, held a variety of positions over the years, and ultimately retired as president in 1983.

    The W. J. Bullock foundry in 1950.

    For more than 75 years, the W. J. Bullock foundry operated quietly alongside Birmingham’s larger industrial neighbors, producing metal ingots that supplied manufacturers throughout the Southeast. Yet, like many industrial facilities of its era, the plant also contributed to the environmental legacy of Birmingham’s heavily industrialized neighborhoods.

    Working at the foundry was dangerous because it involved constant exposure to extreme heat, heavy machinery, and hazardous materials. Workers regularly handled molten metal that could cause severe burns or even erupt violently if it came into contact with moisture, and they also lifted heavy molds and castings that often led to crushing injuries and physical strain. These risks were tragically illustrated on the evening of November 30, 1964, when Pinkerton security guard Jack Combs was making his rounds and heard an explosion from the zinc department. Rushing to investigate, he discovered that a cupola had exploded, covering Bullock employee Clarence Cunning in molten metal and setting his clothing on fire. Despite the danger, Combs acted immediately, tackling Cunning, tearing off his burning clothes with his bare hands, and giving first aid before calling an ambulance. Cunning was taken to West End Baptist Hospital with severe third-degree burns, but he survived, and his recovery was largely credited to Combs’ quick and selfless response.

    A ceremony was held for Jack Combs in March 1967 in the Gold Room of the Thomas Jefferson Hotel, where he was awarded a $500 savings bond and the Pinkerton “Award of Valor” from company president Robert Pinkerton. At the time, it was considered the highest non-military award in the United States.

    By 1975, federal environmental oversight had tightened under the U.S. Clean Air Act, and the Environmental Protection Agency identified W. J. Bullock, Inc. as one of several Birmingham-area facilities facing emissions challenges related to particulate matter and nonferrous smelting. These emissions were part of a broader pattern of industrial air pollution affecting North Birmingham and Wylam—communities that endured decades of soot, dust, and heavy metal residues in the air and soil. Environmental planners later noted that facilities like Bullock’s were often located near monitoring sites that recorded elevated levels of fine particulate matter and trace metals, underscoring the cumulative impact of even smaller smelting operations on local air quality.

    In later decades, William E. “Bill” Bullock, Jr. assumed the presidency, continuing the family tradition of leadership. A graduate of Auburn University, he joined the firm in the early 1970s and went on to guide it through decades of change and challenge before his passing in 2022. His obituary reflects not only his role within the company but also his deep ties to the Birmingham community, underscoring how closely the Bullock name was woven into local life. Following his death, ownership of W. J. Bullock, Inc. passed to his cousin, Buck Barnhart.

    By the end of 2010, change had come to many of Birmingham’s older industrial facilities. W. J. Bullock’s smelting operations ceased in October 2009, when the company stopped melting metal and briefly shifted to a sales office while decommissioning discussions were underway. With the furnaces cold and machinery silent, the foundry gradually transitioned from an active industrial site to an abandoned relic.

    In the decades since its closure, the W. J. Bullock property has remained on the market without a buyer. Scrappers have since removed portions of its machinery and equipment. Today, the site stands as a quiet monument to Birmingham’s industrial past. Its towering structures, broken windows, and overgrown grounds reflect a city transformed, where once-vital factories now sit dormant between memory and change. Unlike preserved historic sites such as Sloss Furnaces, which was restored as a museum of industry, the Bullock foundry remains largely absent from the historical record, its presence preserved primarily through photographs and the recollections of those who worked there.

    Thank you for reading. Please share the blog with your friends. I appreciate your support. You can find me on FacebookInstagram, and TikTok. For more amazing, abandoned places, check out my photography books.

    #abandoned #abandonedAlabama #abandonedBirmingham #abandonedIndustrial #abandonedPlaces #abandonedPlacesInBirmingham #abandonedSoutheast #Alabama #alabamaHistory #architecture #art #birminghamAlabamaHistory #books #Decay #exploreAlabama #food #forgotten #forgottenAlabama #foundry #industrial #metals #photography #refinery #travel #UrbanExploring #urbex #wJBullock #wJBullockInc
  8. Dry Cleaners

    Established in the 1970s, this family-owned dry cleaners faithfully served its community for decades before quietly closing its doors. When it shut down nearly 20 years ago, it was left almost entirely untouched. Inside, racks of clothing still hang in place, while presses, conveyors, and cleaning equipment remain exactly where they were last used—creating the uncanny sense that work simply stopped mid-day and never resumed. Today, the building stands as a remarkably preserved time capsule, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into the daily life of a neighborhood business, frozen at the moment it was abandoned.

    Thank you for reading. Please share the blog with your friends. I appreciate your support. You can find me on FacebookInstagram, and TikTok. For more amazing, abandoned places, check out my photography books.

    #abandoned #abandonedDryCleaners #abandonedPlaces #abandonedPlacesSoutheast #abandonedSouth #abandonedSoutheast #abandonedTimeCapsule #Alabama #architecture #Decay #dryCleaners #dryCleanersAbandoned #florida #forgotten #Georgia #photography #SouthCarolina #Tennessee #timeCapsule #travel #urbanExploration #UrbanExploring #urbex
  9. Found this little gem on a recent maintenance ride in Nelson County. It sits right off of Wilson Rd (VA 653), but I couldn't find any information on it online.

    Anyone know what this church is/was and when it was last receiving parishioners?

    #visitnelsoncounty #bikelife #bikeva #historyinthewoods #backroadadventure #fattirenomad #fattirevagabond #ruralexploration #aventonbikes #ruralexploration #ruralamerica #ruralphotography #abandonedplaces #abandonedworld #EBike #ebikeadventures

  10. An abandoned roadside inn that closed down around 10 years ago. Somewhere in Germany.

    The front bar had an interesting paint job on the walls; what colour would you call that? Chartreuse? 💚

    #Photography #Germany #AbandonedPlaces #Inn #Roadside #LostPlace

  11. An abandoned roadside inn that closed down around 10 years ago. Somewhere in Germany.

    The front bar had an interesting paint job on the walls; what colour would you call that? Chartreuse? 💚

  12. An abandoned roadside inn that closed down around 10 years ago. Somewhere in Germany.

    The front bar had an interesting paint job on the walls; what colour would you call that? Chartreuse? 💚

    #Photography #Germany #AbandonedPlaces #Inn #Roadside #LostPlace

  13. An abandoned roadside inn that closed down around 10 years ago. Somewhere in Germany.

    The front bar had an interesting paint job on the walls; what colour would you call that? Chartreuse? 💚

    #Photography #Germany #AbandonedPlaces #Inn #Roadside #LostPlace

  14. An abandoned roadside inn that closed down around 10 years ago. Somewhere in Germany.

    The front bar had an interesting paint job on the walls; what colour would you call that? Chartreuse? 💚

    #Photography #Germany #AbandonedPlaces #Inn #Roadside #LostPlace

  15. 🏰 A huge abandoned "fortress" in the desert,

    Rising from the sands of the Wadi Rum desert, this fortress is not an ancient ruin but an abandoned TV set. Built for the short-lived gameshow Les Forges du Désert (2001), designed to mimic a historic stronghold. If you know what Crystal Maze is, it was very much like that!

    obsidianurbexphotography.com/o

  16. 🏰 A huge abandoned "fortress" in the desert, #Jordan

    Rising from the sands of the Wadi Rum desert, this fortress is not an ancient ruin but an abandoned TV set. Built for the short-lived gameshow Les Forges du Désert (2001), designed to mimic a historic stronghold. If you know what Crystal Maze is, it was very much like that!

    obsidianurbexphotography.com/o

    #Fortress #Abandoned #Photography #Desert #WadiRum #AbandonedPlaces #Explore

  17. 🏰 A huge abandoned "fortress" in the desert, #Jordan

    Rising from the sands of the Wadi Rum desert, this fortress is not an ancient ruin but an abandoned TV set. Built for the short-lived gameshow Les Forges du Désert (2001), designed to mimic a historic stronghold. If you know what Crystal Maze is, it was very much like that!

    obsidianurbexphotography.com/o

    #Fortress #Abandoned #Photography #Desert #WadiRum #AbandonedPlaces #Explore

  18. 🏰 A huge abandoned "fortress" in the desert, #Jordan

    Rising from the sands of the Wadi Rum desert, this fortress is not an ancient ruin but an abandoned TV set. Built for the short-lived gameshow Les Forges du Désert (2001), designed to mimic a historic stronghold. If you know what Crystal Maze is, it was very much like that!

    obsidianurbexphotography.com/o

    #Fortress #Abandoned #Photography #Desert #WadiRum #AbandonedPlaces #Explore

  19. I found countless amounts of #rusted #iron pieces scattered all through the forest & there was lots on the beach below too. I thought it was bark at first but when I picked some up - found out it's iron & not from trees.

    We were bummed to see this frozen #BlackTar pool, it was the largest one - amongst many smaller #TarPools & #tar puddles. You could smell the yucky #toxic scent before seeing them.

    #VanIsle #AbandonedPlaces #ruins #Quatsino #PacificNorthwest #RoadTrips #PNW #ExploreMore #Backroads #OutdoorAdventures #BCMiningHistory #SilentSunday #InterestingPlaces #historical #rust #AbandonedMines #abandoned #IndustrialPollution #Environmental

  20. I don't know what these two huge pieces of #industrial #machinery are or what they were used for. There's really no info provided at the site to help identify the old abandoned things that you see there. If you know what these are, please educate me - TIA!

    We decolonized a BC government sign before leaving the site. We saw many toxic black tar pools, all across this abandoned coal mine site.

    #VanIsle #AbandonedPlaces #ruins #Quatsino #PacificNorthwest #RoadTrips #PNW #ExploreMore #Backroads #OutdoorAdventures #BCMiningHistory #SilentSunday #InterestingPlaces #historical #AbandonedMines #abandoned #Suquash #CoalMine #mining #PortMcNeill

  21. #Suquash was the site of the first #CoalMine on #VancouverIsland. It still has lots of cool ruins & abandoned #mining #industrial machinery in the middle of the forest & on the beach below. It's very isolated & you'll likely see no one else around, if you go. It's just slightly north of #PortMcNeill town centre.

    I often take friends here, when visiting North Island because the site has many different elements. The forest has a section where multiple trees were split down the middle by lightening strikes. New trees, plants & fungi are growing out of the burned out trees. The beach is full of prehistoric fossils of ancient marine animals. It is well worth a day visit. Follow flags to avoid getting lost there - it's easy to lose yourself in dense forest, if the site is unfamiliar to you. Carry a big stick & poke the ground before walking ahead - to avoid falling into hidden sinkholes.

    The site still needs environmental clean up. There's still lots of black, greasy, toxic water that bubbles up from underground. The government only put up danger signs but they've otherwise abandoned this site.

    More info on the #history of this site:
    whattherock.ca/post/suquash-be

    My photos are from 2022 visit.

    #VanIsle #AbandonedPlaces #ruins #Quatsino #PacificNorthwest #RoadTrips #PNW #ExploreMore #Backroads #OutdoorAdventures #BCMiningHistory #SilentSunday #InterestingPlaces #historical #AbandonedMines #abandoned

  22. 🚸🏫🇮🇹 This long-abandoned school sits in a small Italian village, empty since the 1960s.

    Most rooms are empty or ransacked, but the top-floor classroom makes the detour in the blistering Italian summer heat worthwhile! The spectacular painted ceiling details, cute wooden desks, tiny chairs and retro wall map all make for a fascinating time capsule to explore and photograph.

    #TimeCapsule #Italy #UrbanExploration #Photography #History #School #AbandonedSchool #AbandonedPlaces #Urbex

  23. 📷 Unfinished Water Park, Portugal

    Hidden away in the forests of Portugal, far from the sun-kissed shores and bustling tourist towns, lies an Unfinished Water Park.

    Read more: obsidianurbexphotography.com/l

    #Photography #Urbex #UrbanExploration #Abandoned #Portugal #WaterPark #AbandonedPlaces

  24. The staff at the old #gasworks site quickly discovered to their costs the lie in their electrician's claims "What I label in CAPS is true!"

    His name had inspired confidence - 'Bellman' must mean a family history of electrical engineering of course?

    #SignsOfTheTimes #photography #abandonedPlaces #London #psychogeography

  25. Das Bayerische Nationalmuseum beeindruckt nicht nur mit seinen historischen Schätzen, sondern auch als architektonisches #Meisterwerk. 🏰 Gabriel von Seidl schuf mit den Fassaden im Stil der deutschen #Renaissance, des #Barock und des #Rokoko einen Bau, der die Vielfalt der #Kunstwerke im Inneren widerspiegelt.
    By #EinfachMünchen
    #Architecture #Design #Style #Nature #Art #Artist #Photo #Photographer #Urbanism #City #Village #Staircases #History #Histoire #Abandoned #AbandonedPlaces #München

  26. The only #ruins left at #abandoned No.8 coal mine in #Cumberland. There used to be a huge building here but it was demolished in the 90s. Before it was torn down, it was a popular party place for local #ComoxValley teenagers. All the old mine shafts have been blocked off for public safety. There is still a large abandoned building that was part of this former large coal mine site but it's really deep into the forest & you need to bushwhack your way there. We had very limited time on this past road trip so I stuck to showing my friends the 2 easiest accesses to cool #AbandonedPlaces.

    Eight mines used to operate at Comox, named No. 1 Mine through to No. 8 Mine. The workings consisted of boreholes, air shafts, mine entries, & underground network of tunnels. A rail network was also developed to link the ore piles with the town & Union Bay. Old rail bed remain in place today as public trails. A series of survey monuments also remains on the surface today. These have been tracked down, beginning with a concrete monument located slightly below ground in the vicinity of Cumberland Park & recorded to match the maps of the underground workings with the surface-level features today.

    The mines at #Comox were technically advanced for their time, with partial mechanization & electrification well before 1900. The first documented use of electricity underground was in the No. 4 Mine in 1891, when four electrically-driven coal-cutters were installed.

    Canadian Collieries (owned by #Dunsmuir family) Ltd. operated coal mines on Vancouver Island, including the Wellington Mines near Nanaimo & Comox Mines at Cumberland. Comox Mines had earlier been operated by Union #Colliery Company, the first of the mines being opened in 1888. The last of the Comox Mines, the No.8 Mine, was closed in 1953.

    #BCMiningHistory #AbandonedMines #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #PNW #BChistory #VancouverIslandHistory #photography #graffiti #InTheForest #No8Mine #CoalMiningHistory