At 2,500 feet in elevation along the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania, this former tuberculosis sanatorium turned state hospital turned prison has a long history.
Author: Sherman Cahal
Sherman Cahal and Adam Paris, authors of the newly released book Abandoned Kentucky, recently visited the former Old Taylor Distillery complex near Frankfort, Kentucky, to compile a series of before-and-after photos. Colonel Edmund H. Taylor acquired property along Glenn’s Creek and Versailles Pike and established Old Taylor Distillery in 1887. It was intended to be different from the distilleries of that era which had little confidence from consumers due to product quality. From its iteration, Old Taylor was designed to be a showcase for bourbon. Drawing heavily from his travels through Scotland, England, Ireland, and elsewhere, Taylor designed his distillery…
The Thorny Mountain Fire Tower within the Seneca State Forest in West Virginia is one of the few lookout towers that you can reserve and stay at!
A late autumn trip to West Virginia’s Greenbrier Valley isn’t complete without a visit to a few abandoned or forgotten landmarks.
The Yeager Estate is one of those gems that you wish to see restored. Built by Yeager Benjamin in 1936, his mansion featured unique Spanish Revival styling paired with blonde brick with Art Deco patterns and a Mediterranean tile roof. Inside were 32 rooms spread between two floors featuring ornate plaster, fountains, and a basement swimming pool. The mansion was acquired by the Ahavath Israel Congregation in 1969 and then resold for use as the Respite Villa, a semi-independent home for mentally deficient adults. It was abandoned by 1978. Portions may have been used as an apartment later on, but…
Autumn swiftly descended upon the South Fork South Branch Potomac River valley in West Virginia’s Potomac Highlands. The season transformed the landscape into a stunning scene, with sprawling family farms, charming country churches, and idyllic homes set against a vibrant backdrop.
There was no better way than spending autumn driving the backroads and camping in the Potomac Highlands region of West Virginia, photographing forlorn houses, historic sites, covered bridges, and vast landscapes against a backdrop of golden hues.
The abandoned lime kilns at Eagle Rock, Virginia are all that remain of an operation that was operated by a series of entities between 1878 and 1954.
Come visit the authors of the new Abandoned Kentucky book at the American Graffiti Bash event in downtown Paducah this Saturday between 5-10 PM! We will sell and sign the new Abandoned Kentucky book by the historic Columbia Theater! The American Graffiti Bash event is being held in the 400 and 500 blocks of Broadway in downtown and will include a fun night of vintage cars, food, drinks, treats, music, and more! The event is being hosted by Columbia Theater, a committed group working toward the resurrection of the historic movie palace as a future hub of downtown and a…
Work progresses on the massive Grand Patrician Resort & Country Club development in Milton, West Virginia. The complex was once the Morris Memorial Hospital for Crippled Children that was built in phases from 1936 to 1941 by the Works Progress Administration for children stricken with polio.
Earlier this year, I revisited the Lonaconing Silk Mill, a significant historical site as one of the last intact silk mills in the United States. This mill, operated by the Klotz Throwing Company and General Textile Mills Company, was in active use from 1901 until its closure in 1957.
If you are traveling along the West Virginia Turnpike, you may have noticed the portals to Memorial Tunnel.
We are bursting with pride to be able to hold our finished book, Abandoned Kentucky, in our hands. We were so excited and couldn’t wait to see it. It is simply stunning and it’s something else to go from concept to hardcover reality.