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 the building eventually fell back into disrepair. The Sullivan County Land Bank has acquired the former Yeager Estate. It is engaging with developers and historic preservation experts on ways to create a renovation and redevelopment plan for the property.
Abandoned Posts
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.
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.
The South Fork region is undergoing noticeable changes. Traveling its backroads reveals a striking contrast of neglected structures alongside rejuvenated properties, a clash of old and new wealth, and differing interests between local and out-of-state stakeholders. This contrast is particularly striking in the Rough Run glen, where corporate-owned farms neighbor family-owned lands, and a meticulously restored historic farmstead stands in stark contrast to a neighboring abandoned house.
The area’s initial settlement dates back to the mid-18th century, with white settlers staking claims as early as the 1730s. The early settlers were a diverse group, comprising Germans from Pennsylvania, Scotch-Irish also from Pennsylvania, and English from Virginia’s tidewater region. During the French and Indian War, the area suffered frequent attacks by Native Americans, who severely disrupted the nascent settlements and private stockade forts.
The initial buildings in the area were temporary and primarily made of logs. By the 1770s, more permanent and traditional structures, still log-based but often covered with siding, started to emerge. The mid-19th century brought prosperity to the region, thanks to a robust economy and the agricultural richness of the South Fork valley. This period saw the rise of houses predominantly featuring Greek Revival architecture. A later surge in prosperity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to the construction of many buildings showcasing Queen Anne and Folk Victorian architectural styles.
In the South Fork valley, there are numerous surviving examples of architecture from these prosperous eras. One such example is the former New Bethlehem Church, a Gothic Revival-style building erected around 1890. It is characterized by a square-plan bell tower dominating the front facade, tall arched Gothic windows, a weatherboard exterior, and a standing seam tin roof. While the exterior of the church has been well-preserved, the church itself has been out of use for a long time.
Further along the road stands the unoccupied Lambert House, built around 1909. This house is notable for its weatherboard siding, standing seam tin roof, sandstone foundation, and original 2/2 windows.
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At the road’s end lies a striking, weathered residence showcasing Folk Victorian architecture. It’s distinguished by its elaborate scroll-sawn cornices, ornate decorations, and diamond-patterned wood shingle wall cladding. With permission from a local landowner, I had the opportunity to explore its interior.
Inside, the house largely retains its original character. The foyer is lined with extensive beadboard, while other walls are layered with paint or wallpaper. Much of the original hardwood flooring is still in place, though some areas have been painted or covered with laminate. The kitchen has seen some modifications, notably the removal of the wood cooking stove. Additionally, a basic bathroom has been added in place of a back porch, supplanting the original outhouse.
Close by stands a dwelling from around 1900, showcasing Queen Anne styling. This slightly more modern house is notable for its gabled projections with ornamental bargeboards, distinctive diamond-shaped windows, and fish scale wall cladding. It is still in use today and has been well-maintained. Nearby, there is a spring house and several outbuildings associated with the farm.
Following a brief lunch at a local café in town, I headed south along the South Fork and came across the Martin Luther Church, which appeared to be no longer in use. Built around 1890, this church is a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture, distinguished by its tall pyramidal-roofed steeple adorned with decorative scroll-sawn brackets and trims. The church was initially part of the United Brethren, an evangelical Christian denomination predominantly German. In November 1946, it merged with the Evangelical Church, an exclusively English-speaking denomination, to become the Evangelical United Brethren Church.
Traveling further south, one encounters the former St. Michaels Lutheran Church. On October 1, 1794, Michael and Sophia Wilfong sold four acres of land for the church and its cemetery for just one shilling. Around 1800, a log structure was built on this land to serve the German-speaking immigrants in the area. The first documented church service there took place on January 1, 1807.
In 1921, the original building was destroyed by fire, but it was quickly reconstructed. The church held weekly services until 1974, after which the congregation merged with other nearby Lutheran churches.
I was drawn to photograph a charming Folk Victorian-style residence nearby, set against the backdrop of autumn’s fading colors. Its traditional architecture was highlighted by features such as a split rail fence, wood clapboard siding, 2/2 windows, paneled doors, a standing seam tin roof, and expansive porches.
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As I approached Bullpasture Mountain, I crossed into Virginia and encountered a farmstead with a weathered house. This house, featuring original 6/6 and 4/4 windows and a standing seam tin roof, seemed to hold stories from the past.
In the nearby village of McDowell, which is a quiet spot along US Route 250 today, I found a significant historical site: the location of the Battle of McDowell during the American Civil War. Here stands the Felix Hull House, a prominent brick residence built around 1855 in the Greek Revival style for Felix Hull. It’s situated on a large corner lot, overshadowed by Cedar Knob.
During the Civil War, Eliza Mathews Hull, Felix’s widow, was living in the house. On May 7-8, 1862, it was used as a headquarters by Union Brig. Gen. Robert H. Milroy and Brig. Gen. Robert C. Schenck. Following the Battle of McDowell on Sitlington’s Hill, the victorious Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson used the house as his headquarters on May 9. He pursued the Union army westward, then returned to the house on May 14 for a night before moving on to Staunton.
The last owner of the Felix Hull House passed away a few years ago, and since then, the property has been neglected.
In McDowell is the Crab Run pony truss bridge which was built in 1896 by the West Virginia Bridge Works of Wheeling, West Virginia. This bridge was constructed to span Crab Run along the Staunton to Parkersburg Turnpike. It served as a through route until 1927 and was open to motorized traffic until 1994.
The design of the Crab Run Bridge, which utilized straight and bent railroad and trolley rails, was originally patented by Daniel Lane in 1890 and later refined in a 1894 patent by the Lane Bridge Company of Painted Post, New York. This unique single-span, four-panel Lane truss bridge features top chords and end posts made from railroad or trolley rails supplied by the Cambria Iron Company of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Its bottom chords are constructed from straight rails, while the posts and diagonals are made from looped tie rods. Simple U-bolts are used as connectors in this distinctive design.
I ventured north towards Monterey Mountain, exploring the community of Blue Grass along the South Branch Potomac River. Known earlier as Crabbottom and Hulls Stone, this area lies under the shadow of the Devil’s Backbone, a striking near-vertical outcrop of Tuscarora sandstone. Blue Grass still boasts an active community bank and a general store. As I left the town, the late evening light beautifully illuminated the Blue Grass United Methodist Church, a picturesque fieldstone building constructed in 1924.
In New Hampden, a conversation with a local enriched my understanding of this pass-through town. Established around 1858, this agricultural community was known for a flint quarry used by Native Americans for making arrowheads, and it was a significant, neutral ground for various tribes. The town features landmarks like the historic Rexrode grist mill, operational from 1816 to 1944, an old general store open until the 1980s, a warehouse, and several residences. There’s hope that the former general store and warehouse will be restored for active use.
Continuing towards my campsite, I passed a sturdy log cabin, now covered with weatherboard siding and a standing seam tin roof, still in good condition. This sight led me to question the durability of modern “long life” asphalt shingle roofs and cheap metal roofs prevalent in new housing, which often result in excessive waste.
Further along, I saw an old general store clad in rustic tin siding, featuring a “conversation porch” – a perfect spot for a casual chat and a soda. The interior was almost completely empty.
Crossing the Allegheny Mountains back into West Virginia, I reached Frost, a high-elevation community often graced with frost. Each visit compels me to photograph a circa 1890 frame residence along the state road, notable for its tar-paper exterior with a faux brick pattern, a standing seam roof, and remnants of 1/1 and 2/2 windows.
My day concluded with a visit to a house in Valley Draft, named for its position at the entrance to a valley along Valley Run stream. Built around 1880, this building, reflecting National Folk architectural influences, features a standing seam tin roof, original 2/2 wood windows, and an off-center front door. The presence of a broken picket fence and the fading light added to the melancholic aura of the residence.
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. Com
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.
Coming over South Fork Mountain, I stumbled upon a long-abandoned wood weatherboard-sided residence in the middle of a cow pasture. With thanks to a friendly neighbor and owner, I was able to drive onto the farm for a closer view of this still-sturdy structure.
Situated on about 75 acres of rolling hills in the shadow of South Fork Mountain, the Simmons Farm was a historically self-sufficient farmstead consisting of several log and frame buildings constructed by hand and derived from local materials. The two-story, three-bay frame house, with a 1½-story rear wing, was constructed atop a concrete foundation circa 1908. The first floor front door opened onto a front porch long removed. Other features include original 2/2 and 3/3 windows and a standing seam tin roof. Inside, it was finished with mostly bare wood inside, and its only embellishment hand stenciling on the ceiling in the living room was completed by its primary occupant who was a local painter. Other structures on the traditional mountain farm complex include a woodworking shop, a combination corn crib and barn, the ruins of a spring house, and an outbuilding with chicken crates. A family cemetery rests on the hilltop.
Over the hill is the William C. Miller Home that was built on the site of Fort Seybert in the 1890s. While the house may not be entirely notable outside of its Folk Victorian architecture, the fort itself was because of a surprise attack by Shawnee and Delaware warriors on the foggy morning of April 28, 1758. Thirty white settlers, left practically defenseless as several men had left for business across the Shenandoah Mountains, were massacred.
Fort Seybert was one of 23 frontier forts that had been built in Virginia along the western frontier.
Around 1800, the land was farmed by the Miller family, who constructed the two-story house. An addition was made to the front around the turn of the century, and vergeboard with delicate fan ornamentation with pendants was later added to the gable ends circa 1915. Coupled with its tall 2/2 windows, wide porch, and standing seam tin roof, the residence commanded presence above the adjoining roadway.
Further north, the first surveys of the “upper tract” of the South Branch valley were performed around 1750. A sudden wave of European immigration into the area several years later led to diverse groups settling into its broad valleys and along its forested ridgelines. Samuel Kline, who hailed from Germany, came to the area prior to 1861 and served as postmaster for an unincorporated community along Mill Run at Greenawalt Gap. Ultimately, the community took the name of its postmaster circa 1875, first being called Klines Cross Roads and then more simply Kline.
One of the more interesting structures at Kline is the old hotel and general store, which I had stumbled upon while exploring the region about ten years prior. The clapboard-sided two-story structure features a broad front-facing porch, numerous 2/2 windows, dormers, and a traditional standing seam tin roof.
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Equally as interesting is the unique architecture that I’ve noted only in this region. This particular example was constructed in 1904 and is an example of Queen Anne and vernacular architecture. The house features original wood clapboard siding, decorative trim, replacement windows and doors, and a broad parapet. I assumed that the parapet was not original, but there are three nearby structures (example) that feature the distinctive style, all dating from the same period.
The house was in much better shape ten years ago. The owner died recently, and the house and yard have become overrun with feral cats.
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Located at the foot of Greenawalt Gap in Mill Run are the ruins of an old mill. I presume the flood of 1985 did considerable damage to the building, which eventually collapsed.
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It is adjacent to a quaint circa 1890 house with original wood trim, 2/2 windows, a standing seam porch, and a rotting front porch seemingly being supported with cut trees.
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Also located in Kline is the former County Route 1 bridge over Mill Run. The five-panel pinned Pratt pony truss was abandoned in 1988 when it was replaced with an ugly modern concrete structure. The bridge was relocated to an adjoining farm and never repurposed.
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A second installment to this post will be forthcoming.
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 nod to our past. If you can’t make the event, you can pick up a copy of Abandoned Kentucky through your local Kentucky bookseller and on Amazon.
Purchase the new Abandoned Kentucky book at your local Kentucky bookseller or at Amazon today! The stunning images found in Abandoned Kentucky offer us a window into our past, showing life in the Bluegrass State as it was back then, and sti
Purchase the new Abandoned Kentucky book at your local Kentucky bookseller or at Amazon today!
The stunning images found in Abandoned Kentucky offer us a window into our past, showing life in the Bluegrass State as it was back then, and stirring in us a sense of wonder and curiosity about those who have gone before us and the lives they lived.
Go inside the historic Columbia Theatre in downtown Paducah and the shuttered Union Station depot in Henderson. From the Old Crow bourbon distillery along Glenn’s Creek to the Parker Tobacco Company in Maysville and a once-grand farmhouse in McLean County, these photographs showcase the rich history and untold stories of abandoned places from one corner of Kentucky to the other.
Where others may see only decay and rot in these long-forgotten locations, Sherman Cahal, Adam Paris, and Michael Maes see exquisite beauty.
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.
Revisiting the Lonaconing Silk Mill, a rare surviving industrial landmark in Maryland now facing a new chapter of preservation after decades of decline.
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. https://youtu.be
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.
The stunning images found in Abandoned Kentucky offer us a window into our past, showing life in the Bluegrass State as it was back then, and stirring in us a sense of wonder and curiosity about those who have gone before us and the lives they lived.
Go inside the historic Columbia Theatre in downtown Paducah and the shuttered Union Station depot in Henderson. From the Old Crow bourbon distillery along Glenn’s Creek to the Parker Tobacco Company in Maysville, and a once-grand farmhouse in McLean County, these photographs showcase the rich history and untold stories of abandoned places from one corner of Kentucky to the other.
Where others may see only decay and rot in these long-forgotten locations, Sherman Cahal, Adam Paris, and Michael Maes see exquisite beauty.
Abandoned Kentucky is already available for pre-order at Amazon and will soon be available for purchase at national retailers and independent booksellers across Kentucky and elsewhere.
- You can already pre-order from Amazon
- A list of retailers where you can obtain a copy of Abandoned Kentucky will be released later when we know more from our distributor.
Located along the Kentucky River Palisades is a unique but abandoned fluorspar mine turned speakeasy.
Today, Briceville, Tennessee, appears tranquil, but it played a pivotal role in the Coal Mine Wars of 1891-92.
Positioned prominently along Interstate 75 in Campbell County, Tennessee, two rusting Ferris wheels and a replica Titan rocket continue to draw the attention of drivers passing by.
Forest Fair Mall/Cincinnati Mills/Cincinnati Mall’s days are numbered under a new plan to tear down the mall for redevelopment.
The New Salem Baptist Church stands as the sole remaining structure in the now-deserted town of Tams, West Virginia.
The New Salem Baptist Church stands as the sole remaining structure in the now-deserted town of Tams, West Virginia.
Founded in 1909 by Major William Purviance Tams, Jr., Tams was a company town established for the Gulf Smokeless Coal Company. The town was segregated, with distinct areas for Caucasian, Black, and immigrant residents. It featured two Baptist churches for the white and black communities and a Catholic church for immigrants.
Major Tams was known for his comparatively humane treatment of residents. His community was distinguished by several amenities rare for coal towns at the time: a miners’ bathhouse (the first in West Virginia), the Golden Gate Theatre (the first opera house in a U.S. coal town), and a modern recreation building with a dance pavilion, gymnasium, reading room, and swimming pool.
In 1911, Tams’ company pioneered a reduction in the workday to nine hours in the region, which was further reduced to eight hours by World War I. The company also paid its miners wages higher than the standard union rate.
Life in Tams, as in many company towns, was intertwined with the company itself. By the 1960s, Major Tams’ approach, prioritizing fair wages and stable living conditions (though wages were often paid in company scrip), was seen as outdated. The Gulf Smokeless Coal Company merged into Winding Gulf Collaries in 1955 and later became part of Westmoreland Coal, a larger conglomerate. As commuting from nearby towns became more common, Tams began to lose its population, leading to near abandonment by the mid-1970s.
Major Tams passed away in 1977 in the very community he had established, his life mirroring the rise and gradual decline of the Winding Gulf coalfield.
An abandoned railroad bridge over the Levisa Fork in Pike County, Kentucky seemed a little out of place.