There is something decidedly upsetting about abandoned homes. In their prime, they are kept up, loved, and used as intended. The years take a toll, and eventually, a home falls to ruin. Even the richest celebrities are guilty of letting a mansion fall into a state of disrepair. With that in mind, it’s time to take a gaze forward and backward to 16 homes and their sad decline.
Hacienda Napoles
Pablo Escobar’s palatial estate, Hacienda Napoles, used to be a sight to behold. As you might imagine from a drug lord, there was no shortage of amenities. Escobar had a private zoo, airport, race track, and so much more.
Escobar’s Fall
After Escobar died in 1993, Hacienda Napoles ended up becoming like the many abandoned homes on this list. It fell into a state of disrepair, passing hands repeatedly before settling into the hands of Colombia’s government. Interestingly, this country estate now effectively functions as a zoo.
Chateau Miranda
Many of Europe’s beautiful manors and castles fell into a state of disrepair following the Second World War. For many of these abandoned homes, like Chateau Miranda, you can only marvel at glimpses of its former beauty.
A Sad Demise
Interestingly, this Neo-Gothic chateau had a brief lease on life as part of the show “Hannibal” but would ultimately be torn down in 2017. There are no current plans to restore or attempt to pay homage to the castle, it is just lost to the sands of time.
Bannerman Castle
©National Archives and Records Administration / Public domain - Original / License
The Bannerman Castle is an interesting piece of American history. Like many of the abandoned homes on this list, it has served in many different capacities. Oddly, it served as a storeroom for the owner’s booming munition business.
Fall Into Ruins
Bannerman Castle has mostly rotted away at this point. Sadly, fires and explosions racked the building, leaving the island it occupied vacant. These days, this Spanish-inspired castle serves as a national park for the state of New York.
Villa de Vecchi
This is one of many beautiful abandoned homes and castles that are left to rot in Europe. Sadly, it is perhaps for good reason. The master of the castle returned home to find it abandoned. Shockingly, he found his wife dead and his daughter missing.
Peeling Paint and Rot
A beautiful mixture of Baroque and Classical styles, Villa de Vecchi passed between owners until the 1960s when it finally went vacant. These days, you can still spot it. That said, it is a mere shadow of its former glory.
Mansion of Manuc Bey
Modern castles seem to almost run against our common notions of how abandoned homes work. The Mansion of Manuc Bey was a sight to behold during its heyday. This French-style castle is one of the most stunning sights in all of Moldova.
A New Lease on Life
The Mansion of Manuc Bey fell into disrepair during the Soviet Union’s height. It crumbled away before being made a historical monument for the Moldovan states. Thankfully, you can get a feel for how it looked when it was still used as Manuc Bey’s home.
Ha Ha Tonka Castle
The Ha Ha Tonka Castle has an unusual name but is a stunning example of a French-influenced castle. Located in the Lake of the Ozarks, this is one of many abandoned homes left in Missouri. It was originally built in 1905.
A State Park
The Ha Ha Tonka Castle fell into disrepair after being owned by the Snyder family for around 40 years or so. However, a fire gutted most of the usable structures, as we see time and time again with these abandoned houses. There has been some repair work since, but Ha Ha Tonka functions as a state park now.
Mudhouse Mansion
This is one of those abandoned homes that is steeped in its own folklore. You won’t find much about who built it or originally owned it. It is a perfect example of the Second Empire style. Sadly, not much else is known about its construction.
Mysterious Origins
The Mudhouse Mansion enjoys some popularity as a local haunt for ghost hunters in the Ohio area. 2015 would see the Mudhouse Mansion completely demolished. With it gone, it takes the history and secret of its construction with it.
Strickler Family Farmhouse
As one of the oldest abandoned homes in the United States, this is a wonderful example of Georgian-style architecture. The home stayed with its namesake family for generations, going back well into the 18th century.
A Future of Restoration
The Strickler Family Farmhouse is owned by York County in Pennsylvania. It is also a registered historical site. Some restorative work could give this old house a new lease on life.
Grove Court Apartments
The post-war era in the United States posed some unique challenges. Further, buildings that now serve as abandoned homes like the Grove Court Apartments, helped to provide affordable housing to the more than ten million soldiers returning to the workforce.
Left Abandoned
Grove Court Apartments bears the International style, giving a timeless appeal to fans of the architecture. These days, it isn’t even classified as a historic site. Grove Court sits abandoned but is currently on sale for someone looking for the mother of all fixer-uppers.
Wesley Marsh House
Some abandoned homes just decay past the point of pair. The Wesley Marsh House is a wonderful period study in the Vernacular Hall and Parlor style, but you can hardly tell these days.
Historical Preservation
Arkansas’s state government is working hard to do some restoration work to keep the Wesley Marsh House in at least standing condition. Given the primarily wood construction of the home, it has proven to be a difficult task, to say the least.
Samuel W. Temple House
Michigan is home to many abandoned homes, thanks in part to the exodus of the automotive industry’s manufacturing to cheaper shores. The Samuel W. Temple House is a bit different, thanks in part to the Late Victorian style of the house.
A Woodworker’s Refuge
Samuel W. Temple was a woodworker who made Tecumseh, Michigan his home. These days the house has seen better days. However, a recent purchase and restoration has given it a new lease on life. Hopefully, the new owners are good stewards of such a beautiful home.
DeGaulle Manor
Many of the abandoned homes on this list have active work toward preservation. For some, like the DeGaulle Manor in New Orleans, there is little hope or salvation to await it. The building served as a subsidized housing project for the Algiers neighborhood in the Big Easy.
A History of Violence
DeGaulle Manor is perhaps best known for its history of bloodshed. The building was largely abandoned by the 1990s, with the advent of Hurricane Katrina ushering in its final demise. It has been partially razed but exists primarily as a graffiti exhibit for some truly impressive murals.
Cozad-Bates House
There is something warm and inviting about the Federal architecture style, and the Cozad-Bates House is one of the best examples. This is one of many abandoned houses with historical significance in the state of Kentucky.
Historic Prestige
Located near Bedford, KY, the Cozad-Bates House doesn’t have much known about its previous owners. It sits largely in a state of disrepair, with no announced plans for renovation. That said, it is a marvel of the Federal style, with a Flemish bond facade and incredible interior detailing.
Simmons Point Station
Some towns live and die by the railway, and this is one abandoned house with some serious historical significance. The Simmons Point Station is the last vestige of a whistlestop town. Originally built in the 1880s, it served as a way station and home for Phillip and Elmira Simmons.
Total Collapse
Despite being certified as a historic site in the 1990s, no one has come forward to claim the Simmons Point Station. These days, the once sturdy facade is decaying and is on the verge of collapse. Some abandoned houses just don’t get happy endings it would seem.
Gibraltar
We’ve yet to have any abandoned houses that best exemplify the Colonial Revival house of architecture, so we might as well rectify that. Gibraltar is located in Wilmington, DE, and is a stunning home. Built originally in 1844, the house did see some additions in 1916.
Partial Salvation
Interestingly, only a single portion of the massive estate is actively preserved these days. While the main manor has fallen into a state of advanced decay there is some work being done. The garden is flourishing thanks to preservation efforts. However, you can’t help but feel a pang of sadness that a bit more could be done to keep the house in a better state.
Murphy Ranch
Rounding out our list is the Murphy Ranch, an abandoned home with an ironic past. While the home is rumored to have been home to the fascist Silver Legion of America, the front gate was designed by an African-American architect.
A Legacy of Hate
Murphy Ranch was raided by law enforcement on the eve of the Pearl Harbor attack. Since 1941, the house has sat abandoned. These days, the main building has practically fallen down and the standing walls are covered in graffiti.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©kitypus/Shutterstock.com.
