Abandoned America
Matthew Christopher
3 Listeners
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Top 10 Abandoned America Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Abandoned America episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Abandoned America for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Abandoned America episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Abandoned Amusement Parks: Six Flags New Orleans
Abandoned America
02/08/23 • 56 min
Amusement parks are a happy part of many people's family memories - so it's hard to imagine a theme park of over 200 acres sitting abandoned for nearly 20 years. That is just what happened with the massive Six Flags New Orleans, however: left to rot after Hurricane Katrina submerged it for weeks, it has been vacant for over three times as long as it was open. Why wasn't the park reopened or redeveloped? Today I'm joined by Jake Williams, writer and director of the recent documentary about Six Flags New Orleans Closed For Storm, and we'll discuss the story of what happened, what the impact of the park's closure and abandonment has been, and what it's like exploring the remains, which are now inhabited primarily by alligators and snakes.
Check out Closed For Storm and Bright Sun Films
View the Six Flags gallery on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/six-flags-new-orleans
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/abandoned-amusement-parks-six-flags
3 Listeners
City of the Century: Gary, Indiana
Abandoned America
02/21/23 • 23 min
Gary, Indiana was once a thriving metropolis, but now it's a city of ruins. In this episode we'll discuss Gary's founding as a steel town, its economic collapse, and what still remains - including the abandoned City Methodist Church, the Gary Public Schools Memorial Auditorium, and the Palace Theatre. How did a city go from being called the "City of the Century" to having roughly a third of its buildings vacant, and what is it like going there today?
View the photo gallery/show text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/gary-indiana
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/gary-indiana-city-of-the
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
2 Listeners
The Lost Neighborhood of Lincoln Way
Abandoned America
05/15/23 • 9 min
Rumors of why the small neighborhood of Lincoln Way wound up abandoned abound: did some monstrous beast scare away the residents? Or was it for some more realistic and relatable reason? In this episode we'll explore the mystery of how roughly 40 homes on a quiet Western Pennsylvania street were left vacant for years, still littered with the former residents' belongings, and uncover the true story of what became of the community.
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/lincoln-way-abandoned-america-podcast
SS United States photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/lincoln-way
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
2 Listeners
Randall Park Mall: Everything Must Go
Abandoned America
03/07/23 • 20 min
The Randall Park Mall in North Randall, Ohio was, for a brief moment, the largest mall in the world. Less than 40 years later it was in ruins. In this episode we'll cover the mall's extravagant opening, tumultuous lifespan, why it finally closed, and what it was like visiting it in the aftermath. For a shopping center, it has some pretty shocking crimes in its past, and its story is more haunting than you might think. Come join Matthew Christopher of Abandoned America for a quick primer on the life and death of a megamall, once a mighty symbol of both the dreams and nightmares of American consumerism that now is no more.
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/randall-park-mall-everything-must
Randall Park Mall photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/randall-park-mall
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
2 Listeners
Forest Haven: A Fatal Legacy of Neglect
Abandoned America
05/31/23 • 25 min
Forest Haven was a developmental center in Laurel, Maryland for children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities and chronic illnesses that was the site of what was described as "the deadliest known example of institutional abuse in recent American history." Today Forest Haven lies abandoned and mostly forgotten, but in this episode we'll explore how profound and often fatal neglect shattered lives of residents for decades, and why it was allowed to continue for years after some of the facility's most horrific injustices were brought to light.
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/forest-haven-a-fatal-history
Forest Haven photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/forest-haven-developmental-center
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
2 Listeners
Taunton State Hospital: Nothing Ever Dies
Abandoned America
03/20/23 • 22 min
The morning we snuck into Taunton State Hospital before dawn was like something out of a dream. It's one of those profound experiences that haunts you for the rest of your life, something you try to explain to others but can never quite find the words to express. Join Matthew Christopher of Abandoned America for a 22-minute exploration of what Taunton State Hospital's story was, why anyone would go to such great lengths to see it before it was destroyed, why it still matters today, and how even in the darkest places there still is beauty if you look for it.
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/taunton-state-hospital-nothing-ever
Taunton State Hospital photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/taunton-state-hospital
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
2 Listeners
04/03/23 • 23 min
What would you do if the only bridge to your community burned and the town refused to rebuild it? The residents of Long Beach, CT found out the hard way and it destroyed their entire neighborhood, leaving nearly 50 beachfront homes abandoned. In this episode of the Abandoned America podcast, we'll explore the tragic story of what went wrong, how the fate of Long Beach was tied to the defunct Pleasure Beach Amusement Park located next to them on the peninsula, and what happens when the towns around you turn their back on you in a time of crisis.
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-story-of-pleasure-beach
Long Beach/Pleasure Beach photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/pleasure-and-long-beach
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
1 Listener
America's Ghost Ship: The SS United States
Abandoned America
05/01/23 • 22 min
The SS United States is about as unique and incredible as it gets: an entire ocean liner that's larger than the Titanic, out of use since 1969 and moored in Philadelphia since 1996. Both the fastest liner ever built and the largest constructed on US soil, it's one of only two surviving relics from the entire age of passenger liners, and yet its future has been imperiled for decades and it seems like its time might finally be running out. We'll explore why the SS United States is so significant and meaningful, the desperate efforts to save it, and what it's like touring a ghost ship that ceased operations long ago and on which only echoes remain.
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-ss-united-states-abandoned
SS United States photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/ss-united-states
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
1 Listener
The Fall of the Fallside Hotel
Abandoned America
04/17/23 • 20 min
Located a short distance from one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States, it's hard to imagine why the Fallside Hotel in Niagara Falls, NY would have been abruptly closed and left abandoned. To tell the story we need to look at the boom and subsequent implosion of the area's tourist economy, caused by industrial pollution and misguided urban renewal projects. We'll also talk about what the town's plans for the future are and how the fate of the Fallside Hotel may in fact be a symbol of rebirth for the area around it.
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-fall-of-the-fallside
Fallside Hotel photo gallery/podcast text on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/fallside-hotel
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
1 Listener
The Destruction of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
Abandoned America
01/25/23 • 59 min
In this episode we cover the demolition of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in West Philadelphia, a beautiful and historic church that could have easily been saved and repurposed but like so many others was torn down under questionable circumstances. We'll talk with Christopher Daniels, a teacher who found himself thrust into the role of a community activist trying to save a building whose fate seemed already sealed to find out what he did and what can be learned from the community's efforts to prevent the shocking destruction of a building many in the area knew and loved.
View the photo gallery of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/our-lady-of-the-rosary
Chris Daniels' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillyreligiousarts
Donate to Chris' GoFundMe for classroom supplies: https://gofund.me/ee96de6a
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica
Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-destruction-of-our-lady
1 Listener
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FAQ
How many episodes does Abandoned America have?
Abandoned America currently has 32 episodes available.
What topics does Abandoned America cover?
The podcast is about History and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Abandoned America?
The episode title 'Abandoned Amusement Parks: Six Flags New Orleans' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Abandoned America?
The average episode length on Abandoned America is 44 minutes.
How often are episodes of Abandoned America released?
Episodes of Abandoned America are typically released every 13 days, 21 hours.
When was the first episode of Abandoned America?
The first episode of Abandoned America was released on Apr 18, 2022.
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