Explore the haunting beauty of America's forgotten past in "American Ruins," a captivating exploration of the remnants left by great civilizations. From industrial sites like steel mills to civic institutions and military relics, this collection uncovers the stories behind these historical sites. Join us on a journey through time as we celebrate both the lost and the revitalized, revealing a legacy that continues to shape the nation.
American Ruins: Forgotten Factories That Built America
WELCOME TO AMERICAN RUINS • History isn’t found only in books. It’s right before our eyes.
BETHLEHEM STEEL MILL • When it was time to build skyscrapers and win World Wars, America called on this factory.
CARRIE BLAST FURNACES • Money and guts drove people to work here. Anger and pride drove them to save it.
FISHER BODY PLANT 21 • In terms of early 20th-century body builders, no one was buffer than these guys.
GUIGNARD BRICK WORKS • Few companies helped shape the South quite like this family-owned empire.
SLOSS FURNACES • In building his own fortune, one man drove the reconstruction of an entire region.
KENNECOTT MINES • It wasn’t just gold that brought men to Alaska. Copper fever was the rage at this mega-mine operation.
NEW MANCHESTER MANUFACTURING COMPANY • Astride a peaceful stream, evidence of the Industrial Revolution and Civil War are on display.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN • Beloved by ruins tourists, these recently demolished monuments of past glories live on in memory. And pictures.
ASHTABULA POWER STATION • King Coal cathedral still looms above the shores of Lake Erie.
GLENWOOD POWER PLANT • It once helped move millions of commuters a day. Then it came to inspire dread.
PORT RICHMOND GENERATING STATION • Building Philly took a lot of muscle. This plant provided it.
BRUCE MANSFIELD POWER PLANT • The reign of the champion of “clean coal” didn’t last long.
GEORGETOWN STEAM PLANT • Seattle was on fire in the early 1900s. This plant kept things hot.
SEATTLE GAS WORKS • A controversial plant powered Seattle. Then it became one of the country’s strangest playgrounds.
RANCHO SECO NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION • A showdown between nuclear power and people power led to a historic shutdown.
WIND TURBINE GRAVEYARD • Indestructible materials are great for creating energy. Until you need to throw them away.
OHIO STATE REFORMATORY • You thought Shawshank was rough? The reality was worse.
CITY METHODIST CHURCH • An elevated palace of worship quickly descended into a financial hell.
HUDSON RIVER STATE HOSPITAL • An institution designed for mental health starts looking a little crazy itself.
MONONGAHELA HOTEL • Capitalism’s dark side checked in. And never checked out.
ORPHEUM THEATER • A place once known for grand premieres is still making an illustrious exit.
CENTRALIA • A whole town started burning in 1962. It’s still on fire today.
GORDON’S FIREPLACE • When a city loses control of its streets, ruins get ruined quickly.
LETCHWORTH VILLAGE • The naked truth behind a sparkling reputation brought down a planned utopia.
BANNERMAN CASTLE • An arms dealer built the world’s coolest armory. Then it exploded.
IGLOO CITY • Creating one of Alaska’s most bizarre attractions was cold comfort to its owner.
SIX FLAGS NEW ORLEANS • A theme park that CLOSED FOR STORM never managed to reopen.
ASTRODOME • Indoor colossus ushered in era of domed stadiums then, like all sports greats, aged out.
HOLY LAND USA • A very holy spirit imbues the remains of a devotional yet defunct theme park.
MONTGOMERY MALL • Once-busy retail...
