https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/ Abandoned buildings, documented before they're gone. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-places-in-illinois/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-places-in-illinois/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Dixie Square Mall, Michael Reese, MetroSouth, Navistar, Allstate, the Tribune plant and Joliet Arsenal, with what news and government records say became of each. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-places-in-indiana/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-places-in-indiana/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Five well documented abandoned places in Indiana, from Gary's City Methodist Church to the Studebaker plant, with what the news and public records say. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/are-abandoned-hospitals-dangerous/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/are-abandoned-hospitals-dangerous/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Needles, mercury, asbestos, bad structure, water and radiation sources, and what OSHA, NIOSH, EPA and NRC say about the hazards left in abandoned hospitals. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-backpack-for-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-backpack-for-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 The best urbex backpack keeps your hands free and your load light. What the safety sources say about weight and fit, and the LHI 45L tactical pack on my list. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-boots-for-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-boots-for-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What to look for in boots for abandoned buildings, covering puncture protection, toe caps, tread, fit and wet feet, based on OSHA, NIOSH and CDC guidance. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-camera-for-urbex-photography/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-camera-for-urbex-photography/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What makes a camera good inside dark abandoned buildings, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max and DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro on my list compared by their makers' own specs. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-gloves-for-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-gloves-for-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What to look for in gloves for abandoned buildings, from cut ratings and needle puncture to mold and fit, based on OSHA, NIOSH and CDC guidance. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-headlamp-for-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-headlamp-for-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What to look for in a headlamp for dark abandoned buildings, from FL 1 numbers to run time, batteries and your own eyes, with no product claims. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-mic-for-action-camera/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-mic-for-action-camera/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 The DJI Mic 3 I use on my DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro compared with the DJI Mic Mini on battery, range, bit depth and how each connects, from DJI's own specs. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-power-bank-for-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-power-bank-for-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 How to size a power bank for a camera, a mic and a phone on a long explore, with watt hour math, flight rules, and the 35,000mAh bank on my gear list. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-sd-card-for-action-camera/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-sd-card-for-action-camera/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What C10, U3, V30 and A2 mean, the speed a DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro actually needs, how many hours fit on 256GB, and the SanDisk Extreme PRO on my list. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/centralia-pennsylvania/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/centralia-pennsylvania/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Centralia, Pennsylvania has had a coal fire under it since 1962. How it started, the $42 million buyout, the residents who stayed, and what the state says. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/chicago-school-closings-2013/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/chicago-school-closings-2013/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 In May 2013 Chicago voted to close 50 public schools. What the district said, what researchers found, and why many buildings were still empty a decade later. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/city-methodist-church-gary/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/city-methodist-church-gary/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 City Methodist Church in Gary, Indiana opened in 1926, closed in 1975, lost its roof and is now set for demolition. The history and the reporting. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/confined-spaces-and-bad-air/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/confined-spaces-and-bad-air/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Basements, tunnels and sealed rooms can hold air that is low on oxygen or full of gas. What OSHA, NIOSH and CDC say about confined spaces and why your nose isn't a gas meter. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/dixie-square-mall/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/dixie-square-mall/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, Illinois closed in 1979, starred in The Blues Brothers, sat empty for 30 years and was torn down in 2012. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/drone-rules-for-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/drone-rules-for-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 FAA, Illinois and Chicago rules that apply before you fly a drone near an abandoned building, plus what the FAA says about indoor flights and money. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/elevator-shafts-and-open-drops/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/elevator-shafts-and-open-drops/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What OSHA, NIOSH and the U.S. Fire Administration say about elevator shafts, stairs and floor holes, and why abandoned buildings lack the required protection. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/famous-abandoned-places-chicago/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/famous-abandoned-places-chicago/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Five famous Chicago buildings that sat empty, from the Old Main Post Office to the Uptown Theatre, with what the news and city records say happened to each. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-film-in-the-dark/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-film-in-the-dark/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Light, exposure and battery planning for filming in dark abandoned buildings, with what OSHA, NIOSH, Stanford and DJI publish and what shows up in my videos. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-get-permission-to-explore/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-get-permission-to-explore/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Find the owner through public records, ask in writing and expect a no. What Illinois law says about notice, and why owners worry about liability. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-photograph-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-photograph-abandoned-buildings/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A shot list, exposure trade offs and field habits for photographing abandoned buildings, built on National Park Service survey rules and Stanford notes. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-research-an-abandoned-building/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-research-an-abandoned-building/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Start with the parcel number, then work back through maps, deeds, permits and old newspapers. The free records that tell an abandoned building's story. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-start-an-urbex-youtube-channel/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-start-an-urbex-youtube-channel/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What to film with, what YouTube requires before you earn money, what it removes, and how to handle music, thumbnails and gear link disclosure. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-start-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-start-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 How to start urban exploring safely. The law in Illinois, legal places to begin, how to research buildings, hazards, footwear, tetanus and the code. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/is-urban-exploring-illegal/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/is-urban-exploring-illegal/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Usually yes, when you go in without permission. What Illinois law says about trespass, damage and burglary, and what actually happens to explorers. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/lead-paint-in-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/lead-paint-in-abandoned-buildings/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Peeling paint is everywhere in abandoned buildings. What CDC, EPA and OSHA say about lead paint, dust and chips, and why flaking walls matter. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/live-wires-in-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/live-wires-in-abandoned-buildings/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Why wires in an abandoned building can still be live, what electricity does, and what OSHA, NIOSH and fire officials say about water, damage and fire. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/michael-reese-hospital/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/michael-reese-hospital/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Michael Reese Hospital closed in 2009, the city bought the campus for an Olympic Village, and most of it was demolished. What happened and what is being built. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/needles-and-sharps-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/needles-and-sharps-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What a needle on the floor of an abandoned building can carry, why you never touch one, and what CDC and NIOSH say to do right away if you get stuck. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/north-brother-island/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/north-brother-island/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 North Brother Island in the East River held Riverside Hospital, Typhoid Mary and the General Slocum wreck. Why it is closed and full of nesting birds. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/packard-plant-detroit/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/packard-plant-detroit/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 The Packard Plant in Detroit was designed by Albert Kahn, stopped making cars in the 1950s, and has been coming down since 2022 under a court order. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/pcbs-in-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/pcbs-in-abandoned-buildings/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What PCBs are, which old equipment in abandoned buildings can hold them, how exposure happens, and why a vandalized transformer is a different problem than a quiet one. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/people-living-in-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/people-living-in-abandoned-buildings/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Signs that someone lives in an abandoned building, why fire officials treat unknown occupants as a hazard, and why the right move is to leave them alone. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/pigeon-droppings-histoplasmosis/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/pigeon-droppings-histoplasmosis/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Histoplasmosis comes from a fungus in soil and droppings. What CDC and NIOSH say about birds in old buildings, the symptoms, and why dust is the problem. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/pruitt-igoe/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/pruitt-igoe/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Pruitt-Igoe was a 33 building public housing project in St. Louis, opened in 1954 and imploded from 1972 on. What the sources say went wrong. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/should-you-urbex-alone/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/should-you-urbex-alone/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Why exploring an abandoned building alone raises the risk, what safety agencies say about lone work, and what a partner does and doesn't fix. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/signs-a-floor-will-collapse/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/signs-a-floor-will-collapse/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Water damage, rot, holes and bad stairs are the warning signs for a floor collapse, but the sources say wood can look sound and collapses often come without warning. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/six-flags-new-orleans/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/six-flags-new-orleans/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Six Flags New Orleans opened as Jazzland in 2000, flooded in Katrina and never reopened. How it ended up with the city and why demolition only began in 2024. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/tetanus-rusty-metal-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/tetanus-rusty-metal-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Rust doesn't cause tetanus, soil bacteria do. What CDC says about puncture wounds, booster timing and what to do after cutting yourself on old metal. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-etiquette/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-etiquette/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 The urbex code in plain terms. Leave it as found, take nothing, mark nothing, treat cemeteries as graves and keep locations private, with Illinois law. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-first-aid-kit/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-first-aid-kit/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Start with the ANSI Z308.1 workplace kit list, then add what abandoned buildings call for, from bleeding control to tweezers, with sources for each item. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-in-summer/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-in-summer/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Heat illness, mosquitoes, ticks, stinging insects and poison ivy are the summer hazards around abandoned buildings, with the CDC, NIOSH and OSHA guidance on each. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-in-winter/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-in-winter/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Cold, ice and wet clothes are the winter hazards inside abandoned buildings. What OSHA, NIOSH and CDC say about hypothermia, frostbite, ice and snow loaded roofs. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-safety-checklist/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-safety-checklist/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A plain urbex safety checklist covering tetanus, boots, gloves, eyes, lungs, light, check ins, weather and signs to leave, tied to CDC, OSHA and NIOSH. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-are-scrappers/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-are-scrappers/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Scrappers strip abandoned buildings for copper and other metal to sell. What they take, why vacant buildings get hit, and what Illinois requires of scrap buyers. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-are-the-backrooms/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-are-the-backrooms/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 The Backrooms is an internet horror story about endless empty office rooms. Where it started in 2019, how the movie came about, and why real offices look the same. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-happens-to-abandoned-houses/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-happens-to-abandoned-houses/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Most sit for years over ownership, then the city forces repairs, a tax or foreclosure process moves the title, or a buyer tears them down. Illinois examples. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-condemned-building/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-condemned-building/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Condemned means a city official has ruled a building unsafe or unfit and ordered it closed. It doesn't mean it's coming down. What the notice says and who decides. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-dead-mall/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-dead-mall/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A dead mall has lost most of its stores and shoppers but is still standing. Why anchor stores matter, what Dixie Square Mall shows, and what I found in one. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-ghost-town/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-ghost-town/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A ghost town is a settlement that was abandoned or lost most of its people. How towns die, how Bodie and Cardiff, Illinois ended up empty, and what I film instead. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-kirkbride/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-kirkbride/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A Kirkbride is a 19th century hospital for the mentally ill built to Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride's plan, with staggered wings for air and light. How they worked and what became of them. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-land-bank/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-land-bank/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A land bank is a public agency that takes vacant, tax delinquent property and passes it to buyers who will reuse it. How Cook County's works. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-liminal-space/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-liminal-space/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A liminal space is a place of transition, like a hallway or an empty parking lot, that feels strange without people. Where the term comes from and real examples. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-red-tag-on-a-house/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-red-tag-on-a-house/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A red tag is a posted notice that a building is unsafe to occupy. What the red, yellow and green placards mean, who posts them, and what a red tag does and doesn't tell you. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-tax-sale-property/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-tax-sale-property/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 In Cook County a tax sale sells the unpaid taxes and not the house. What the buyer gets, how owners redeem, and why some empty houses sit first. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-vacant-building-registration/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-vacant-building-registration/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A vacant building registration puts a name, insurance and a security duty on the owner of an empty building. How Chicago's works and what it means for the building. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-zombie-property/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-zombie-property/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A zombie property is a vacant house stuck in a stalled foreclosure. How they happen, who is responsible, and how many Cook County had. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-an-urbex-spot/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-an-urbex-spot/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 In urbex a spot is a specific place an explorer visits, usually abandoned. How a building becomes one, why spots disappear, and why I keep most of them private. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-dark-tourism/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-dark-tourism/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Dark tourism is visiting places tied to death, disaster or tragedy. Where the term comes from, which sites count, and how it differs from exploring abandoned buildings. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-demolition-by-neglect/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-demolition-by-neglect/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Demolition by neglect is when owners let a building rot until it can't be saved. How cities define it, what Illinois can do, and what it looks like inside. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-draining/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-draining/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Draining is exploring storm drains and sewers. Why it is a different and deadlier game than abandoned buildings, and what OSHA, NOAA and city officials say. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-geotagging-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-geotagging-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Geotagging attaches a location to a photo or post. How coordinates hide inside files, what the Army and park managers say, and why I never post where a spot is. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-industrial-archaeology/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-industrial-archaeology/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Industrial archaeology studies the physical remains of factories, mills, mines and machines. Where it started, what it records, and the Illinois plants it applies to. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-probate-abandoned-house/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-probate-abandoned-house/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Probate is the court process that settles a dead owner's estate. Why a house can sit empty while it runs, and what those houses look like inside. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-rooftopping/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-rooftopping/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Rooftopping is climbing to the top of tall buildings and cranes for photos and video. What it is, how it differs from urbex, and what the fall numbers say. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-ruin-photography/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-ruin-photography/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Ruin photography is photographing abandoned and decaying places. Where it comes from, why Detroit made it controversial, and the rules I follow as a photographer. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-urban-decay/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-urban-decay/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Urban decay is when part of a city falls into disrepair as people, jobs and tax money leave. Causes, what it costs, and what it looks like in Gary and Illinois. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-urbex-gatekeeping/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-urbex-gatekeeping/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Gatekeeping in urbex means keeping locations to yourself. Why explorers do it, what researchers and police say, and the fair case against it. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-to-do-if-police-show-up-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-to-do-if-police-show-up-urbex/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Stay put, stay calm, ask if you're free to go, and say out loud that you're staying silent and not consenting to a search. What Illinois law and the courts say. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-churches-close/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-churches-close/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Fewer members, fewer priests and buildings that cost too much to keep. What Gallup, Pew and Chicago's Archdiocese say, and why empty churches sit. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-explorers-dont-share-locations/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-explorers-dont-share-locations/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Explorers keep spots private because a posted location brings crowds, thieves and arrests. Cases from Kentucky and Illinois, and what I do instead. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-factories-close/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-factories-close/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Midwest factories closed when demand fell, machines replaced workers and owners consolidated plants. The jobs numbers, real Illinois closings and why the buildings sit empty. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-hospitals-close/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-hospitals-close/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Hospitals close when volume and Medicaid payments don't cover costs. Why MetroSouth in Blue Island and West Suburban closed, and why the buildings sit after. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-hotels-get-abandoned/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-hotels-get-abandoned/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Hotels get abandoned after floods, failed inspections, fires, debt and bypassed highways. Real Illinois cases, the court records and what a hotel leaves behind. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-houses-are-left-with-everything-inside/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-houses-are-left-with-everything-inside/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 An empty house still has an owner, and so does the furniture. Why estates, foreclosures and heirs leave houses full, with Illinois rules and my videos. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-malls-die/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-malls-die/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Anchor stores leave, smaller tenants follow, and split ownership keeps the building standing. Why malls die, with Sears, Lincoln Mall and one Illinois plaza. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-mansions-get-abandoned/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-mansions-get-abandoned/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Mansions get abandoned over probate, foreclosure, unpaid taxes, a slow market and court fights. What Illinois sources say, with examples from my videos. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-schools-close/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-schools-close/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Fewer children than seats, deficits and slow sales. Why schools close and sit empty, with Chicago's 50 closings in 2013 and a Detroit school. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-theme-parks-get-abandoned/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-theme-parks-get-abandoned/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Theme parks get abandoned after debt, storms, bad weather and land deals. Real cases from Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas and New Orleans, and what an empty park leaves. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/wildlife-in-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/wildlife-in-abandoned-buildings/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Bats, raccoons and mice move into abandoned buildings. What CDC and Illinois health officials say about rabies, raccoon roundworm and hantavirus. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-kentucky-speedway/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-kentucky-speedway/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Kentucky Speedway in Sparta hosted NASCAR Cup races from 2011 to 2020. Six years later the gates are locked and a #6 race car is still parked in the garage. Here's what's inside, and why it closed. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mansion-france-owner/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mansion-france-owner/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A manor house in the French countryside with two cars swallowed by shrubs, a wine cellar the size of a basement, rooms carpeted in dead bees, and an owner who turned up at the end. What we found, and why so many French mansions sit like this. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/asbestos-in-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/asbestos-in-abandoned-buildings/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Which old building materials contain asbestos, when US use was restricted, why disturbed material matters, and what a P100 respirator is rated to do. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-drone-for-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-drone-for-urbex/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A drone under 250 g is the sensible first drone for scouting abandoned places. Seven compared on weight, sensor, flight time, obstacle sensing and range, plus FAA rules. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-flashlight-for-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-flashlight-for-urbex/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Ten flashlights ranked for dark buildings on beam, turbo step-down, fallback power and water rating, with the Coast XP11R I carry at number one. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-respirator-for-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/best-respirator-for-abandoned-buildings/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 For dusty, moldy and asbestos-era buildings you want a fitted half mask with P100 filters, not a balaclava. Eight options compared, plus the 6200's downsides. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/black-mold-in-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/black-mold-in-abandoned-buildings/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 What black mold means, why wet abandoned buildings grow it, what the musty smell is, what the CDC says it does to health, and when a mask is not enough. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/dangers-inside-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/dangers-inside-abandoned-buildings/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Rotten floors, asbestos, mold, carbon monoxide, still water and drops, and what the health and safety agencies say about each hazard inside abandoned buildings. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/dji-osmo-action-5-pro-vs-gopro-for-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/dji-osmo-action-5-pro-vs-gopro-for-urbex/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro against the GoPro Hero 13 Black and Insta360 Ace Pro 2 for dark buildings, compared on sensor, cold battery, storage and mic. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-find-abandoned-places/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/how-to-find-abandoned-places/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Closure news, tax records, vacant building registries and permits show where abandoned places turn up on paper, and how to tell a real lead from a dead one. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-gear-list/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/urbex-gear-list/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 The gear list from my video descriptions, what each piece is for, which respirator rating matters, and what goes wrong without it. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-does-burned-mean/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-does-burned-mean/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A burned location has been exposed, whether posted, leaked, geotagged or found by too many people. After that it gets sealed, watched or toyed. How it happens. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-does-sealed-mean/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-does-sealed-mean/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A sealed building has had its openings closed off with boards, steel, block or welds. Who seals them, how, and why sealed means leave it alone. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-does-toyed-mean/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-does-toyed-mean/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A toyed spot has been trashed by toys, the explorer word for people who destroy buildings. Basically the same as burned. How a time capsule turns into a wreck. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-fed-spot/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-fed-spot/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 'Fed' spot is explorer slang for a high-risk location, not a federal one: cameras, alarms, police, owners who prosecute, or a building that can fail. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-time-capsule/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-a-time-capsule/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 A time capsule is a building abandoned with its contents intact. Why they happen, why they're rare, and how to tell a real one from a staged one. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-dead-air/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-dead-air/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Dead air is explorer slang for air bad enough to leave over: low oxygen, or heavy asbestos, insulation dust or mold. What causes it and what a mask can't fix. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-still-water/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-still-water/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Still water is stagnant water in an abandoned place. What's in it, why it stinks, and why you should keep your hands out of it. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-urbex/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/what-is-urbex/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Urbex is short for urban exploration: visiting abandoned or hidden places to document them. Where the word came from, the code, the law, and what bando means. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-abandoned-buildings-still-have-power/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-abandoned-buildings-still-have-power/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Insurance, sprinklers, sump pumps, frozen pipes and cameras: why vacant buildings keep the power on, what's only a battery, and why you never touch a panel. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-chicago-has-so-many-abandoned-buildings/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/why-chicago-has-so-many-abandoned-buildings/ Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Chicago has about 875,000 fewer people than in 1950, and its mills, schools and parishes closed too. A sourced look at why so many buildings sit empty. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-catholic-school-since-2020/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-catholic-school-since-2020/ Mon, 29 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0000 A Catholic school that closed around 2020, with music rooms, a library, a science lab and a trophy room left as they were. Location withheld. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-chicago-tribune-newspaper-factory/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-chicago-tribune-newspaper-factory/ Fri, 11 Jul 2025 06:00:00 +0000 The Chicago Tribune's Freedom Center printing plant, months after its last press run and already being demolished. Papers were still on the control desks. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mafia-car-hideout-chicago/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mafia-car-hideout-chicago/ Wed, 28 May 2025 06:00:00 +0000 Almost 40 Buicks, Cadillacs, Lincolns and Oldsmobiles in two buildings, including an official 1975 Indianapolis 500 pace car. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-blue-island-hospital/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-blue-island-hospital/ Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0000 MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island closed in 2019. Inside, surgical lights and an elevator still worked, and a morgue cooler still rolled out. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-crazy-cat-lady-house/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-crazy-cat-lady-house/ Sun, 13 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0000 A secluded house in the woods with a red AMC Ambassador in the garage, cat trees in the bedrooms, a stocked fridge and a basement full of mold. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-airbnb-mansion-highland-park/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-airbnb-mansion-highland-park/ Fri, 09 Aug 2024 06:00:00 +0000 A $5.2M lakefront mansion in Highland Park with a deep indoor pool, a hidden room behind it and a basement aquarium, headed for demolition. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mall-arlington-heights/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mall-arlington-heights/ Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000 A mostly empty Arlington Heights strip mall, filmed before demolition. A gym with a weight on the floor, three pianos and a cart of kids toys. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-allstate-headquarters/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-allstate-headquarters/ Tue, 04 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000 Allstate's old Northbrook campus, sold for $232 million and partly torn down when we walked it. A skyway, a tech cafe and a lockbox of executive car keys. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-1-million-mansion/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-1-million-mansion/ Tue, 26 Mar 2024 06:00:00 +0000 A foreclosed mansion built in 2001, left after the owner died in 2020, with steel grates on every window, mold, graffiti and fire damage in the master bath. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-lottery-winners-mansion/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-lottery-winners-mansion/ Mon, 25 Mar 2024 06:00:00 +0000 A mansion said to belong to lottery winners, with a pool, a three car garage, a basement gym and wine cellar, and a movie theater covered in mold. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-russian-billionaire-mansion/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-russian-billionaire-mansion/ Fri, 12 Jan 2024 06:00:00 +0000 An 1897 lakefront mansion with a stair lift, a poker trophy shelf and a basement full of McDonald's gear, sold for $16 million and now headed for demolition. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-toy-collectors-mansion-barrington/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-toy-collectors-mansion-barrington/ Sun, 03 Dec 2023 06:00:00 +0000 A $1.5 million stone mansion in Barrington Hills, mostly cleared out, with a garage packed with vintage toys, Matchbox cars, 007 memorabilia and a lost iPhone. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-cemetery-hidden-woods/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-cemetery-hidden-woods/ Tue, 02 May 2023 06:00:00 +0000 A small overgrown cemetery in the Illinois woods, with stones from 1891 and 1902, bases with the markers gone, and a flooded shore below. Location withheld. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-laundromat-gary-indiana/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-laundromat-gary-indiana/ Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000 A Gary, Indiana laundromat with dryers marked out of order, a kids' play area and clothes left behind, and why Gary has so many empty buildings. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-garden-hotel-illinois/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-garden-hotel-illinois/ Wed, 11 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000 The Garden Hotel in South Beloit closed after a basement flood and was demolished in December 2024. Open safes, a flooded pool, rooms still made up. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-hunters-mansion-chicago-suburbs/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-hunters-mansion-chicago-suburbs/ Mon, 02 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000 A $750,000 mansion in the Chicago suburbs with a stuffed bobcat, a basement of trophies and mold, a fridge that still works and a project car in the garage. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-gothic-church-detroit-michigan/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-gothic-church-detroit-michigan/ Sat, 24 Dec 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A Gothic church in Detroit, opened in 1911 and closed in 2005, with a painted dome, stained glass, a working piano and new lumber going into the roof. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-greek-orthodox-church-detroit/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-greek-orthodox-church-detroit/ Fri, 02 Dec 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A Greek Orthodox church in Detroit with its dome caved in, warped pews, blue stained glass on the doors and a Sunday school board still on the wall. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-detroit-church-hand-painted-ceiling/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-detroit-church-hand-painted-ceiling/ Tue, 29 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A Greek Hungarian church in Detroit built in 1911, with a hand painted ceiling, a baptism pool and a bar in the basement, and a pastor's living quarters. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-boxing-gym-detroit-michigan/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-boxing-gym-detroit-michigan/ Sat, 26 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An abandoned Detroit boxing gym with two pools, a sauna and a steam room, plus a car crash and a growing crowd of cops outside that we watched from the roof. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-football-stadium-gary-indiana/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-football-stadium-gary-indiana/ Wed, 23 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000 Gilroy Stadium in Gary was built in 1956 and never finished. Hidden in the overgrowth is a tennis building with books, rackets and floppy disks left inside. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-neighborhood-nicknamed-buddyville/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-neighborhood-nicknamed-buddyville/ Tue, 25 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A flood prone neighborhood in South Beloit with a closed road, six houses or more, a kitchen calendar from 2015 and a basement bed. The houses are gone now. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-bank-east-st-louis-illinois/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-bank-east-st-louis-illinois/ Mon, 17 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A bank in East St. Louis, Illinois that opened in 1920, now with heavy graffiti, shattered lights, a basement tunnel system and no vault doors left. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-nursing-home-illinois/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-nursing-home-illinois/ Sun, 16 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A nursing home in Illinois that closed in 2016, with a room full of wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, a bath, a kitchen and a fridge note still on the door. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-pillsbury-factory-part-2/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-pillsbury-factory-part-2/ Sun, 31 Jul 2022 06:00:00 +0000 Part 2 of the Pillsbury Mills explore in Springfield, Illinois. Cargill paperwork from 2001, an empty safe with cut hinges, rotted flour and security on site. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-elementary-school-someone-inside/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-elementary-school-someone-inside/ Tue, 19 Jul 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An abandoned elementary school with the floor gone on two levels, a moldy library and a basement gym, plus a noise we never traced. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-lambo-garage-gary-indiana/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-lambo-garage-gary-indiana/ Fri, 22 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A small Gary, Indiana garage with a Lamborghini kit car, stretch limos and a pile of tires, since destroyed by fire. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-radio-station-illinois/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-radio-station-illinois/ Wed, 20 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An abandoned Illinois radio station with huge satellite dishes, a carpeted control room, paperwork from 1966 and 1967, and walls punched through by vandals. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-50s-themed-diner-illinois/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-50s-themed-diner-illinois/ Tue, 19 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A 50s themed diner in Illinois that closed in 2012, with old car posters on the walls, receipts from table 29 and a jukebox. Barely vandalized. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-horizon-farm-mansion-barrington-hills/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-horizon-farm-mansion-barrington-hills/ Fri, 08 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000 Horizon Farm in Barrington Hills was a horse estate with a locked safe, champagne on the bar and stall cards with the horses' names. The mansion is gone now. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-historic-church-northern-illinois/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-historic-church-northern-illinois/ Thu, 07 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An abandoned historic church in Northern Illinois with a pipe organ, stained glass, a church school and offices, and water damage throughout. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-chicago-factory/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-chicago-factory/ Thu, 24 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A Chicago factory shared by a couple of businesses, with melted batteries, piles of mail, painted pillars and a skyline view from the roof. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mansion-native-american-resort/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mansion-native-american-resort/ Sat, 19 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A mansion in central Illinois being turned into a desert themed resort, with a fake tree in the bathroom and unfinished cactus sculptures. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mansion-naperville-demolished/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-mansion-naperville-demolished/ Fri, 18 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An unfinished dream home near Naperville, boarded up with an ADT alarm going off. DuPage County demolished it in April 2022. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-girl-scout-camp-illinois/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-girl-scout-camp-illinois/ Thu, 17 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A trashed Girl Scout camp in Illinois with adult registration paperwork, a pool with tadpoles, rows of beds, a huge fireplace and a Girl Scout van in the leaves. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-illinois-farmhouse-2018/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-illinois-farmhouse-2018/ Wed, 16 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An Illinois farmhouse left in 2018 with blueprints, binders, a CPA review book and soda cans that still have soda in them. The calendar stops in November 2018. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-church-chicagos-south-side/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-church-chicagos-south-side/ Sat, 12 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A Chicago South Side church built in 1895 and closed in 2017, with a failing roof, mold, an opened safe and a long climb up the bell tower. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-bus-indiana/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-bus-indiana/ Fri, 11 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A vintage International R160 bus found by the side of an Indiana road, doors locked and moss on the windows, in a spot I still can't place. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-summer-camp/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-summer-camp/ Tue, 08 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A summer camp that closed a few years ago, with towels, a canoe, art supplies and a popcorn machine still in place, and a demolition due within about a week. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-bank-gary-indiana/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-bank-gary-indiana/ Sat, 05 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 Inside Gary's abandoned American State Bank, a small vault, bags of city paperwork, a basement of old youth services supplies and fire damage upstairs. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-rockford-speedway-race-car-77/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-rockford-speedway-race-car-77/ Fri, 04 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A boarded up auto body shop with a #77 race car from a 1991 Rockford Speedway race, a vine covered tow truck and a Big Bird toy on the hood. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-vintage-clothing-collectors-house/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-vintage-clothing-collectors-house/ Thu, 03 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A house left in the late 90s after the owners died, with vintage clothes wrapped in plastic and tags still on. It has since been demolished. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-sinkhole-church-gary-indiana/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-sinkhole-church-gary-indiana/ Sat, 26 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A Gary church so close to collapse that one beam was holding up the floor, with chandeliers, pews and a room of dresses left inside. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-chicago-metra-train/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-chicago-metra-train/ Thu, 17 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An abandoned Metra train in the Chicago area with 16 cars and a MARC engine, seats torn out and a car covered in spilled motor oil. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-hospital-illinois-after-fire/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-hospital-illinois-after-fire/ Sat, 12 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An Illinois hospital with fire damaged floors, beds and medical supplies left in place, a piano that still plays and a flooded basement frozen over. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-hewitt-associates-headquarters/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-hewitt-associates-headquarters/ Tue, 08 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000 The Hewitt Associates headquarters in a Chicago suburb, since demolished, with a cafeteria, server rooms, mold at the front entrance and graffiti throughout. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-train-house-famous-architect/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-train-house-famous-architect/ Tue, 08 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An architect's house in the woods, empty since around 2005, with a toy train track running through the walls and up into the attic. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-horse-farmers-house/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-horse-farmers-house/ Thu, 27 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A farmhouse left as it was in 2013, with clothes still on hangers, photo albums, canning jars, a snowmobile, John Deere tractors and a box of jewelry. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-prison-illinois/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-prison-illinois/ Mon, 24 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A state prison in Illinois closed more than 20 years ago, with a shakedown room, a lunch hall, cells with bunks, record rooms and a gutted warden's house. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-funeral-home-power-still-on/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-funeral-home-power-still-on/ Tue, 18 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 An Illinois funeral home with the power still on, curtains up, an attic elevator for bodies and an embalming table in the basement. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-gun-club-owners-house/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-gun-club-owners-house/ Tue, 18 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A house deep in the woods stacked with unused ammo, reloading gear and jewelry, but no guns. Someone had already been through it. Location withheld. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-presbyterian-church-gary-indiana/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-presbyterian-church-gary-indiana/ Mon, 17 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A Presbyterian church in Gary, Indiana with a flooded, moldy basement, a collapsed balcony and several small chapels hidden inside the main building. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-animal-hospital-radioactive-x-ray/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-animal-hospital-radioactive-x-ray/ Thu, 13 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A vet clinic in Indiana with a collapsed roof, shelves of medication, Noah's Ark decor and an x ray machine past its inspection date. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-former-greek-catholic-church-chicago/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-former-greek-catholic-church-chicago/ Sun, 02 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 A former Greek Catholic church in Chicago with a caving roof, dusty pews, band gear, an open safe and a kitchen with the china still in it. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-medical-center-illinois-supplies/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-medical-center-illinois-supplies/ Sat, 25 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000 A massive abandoned medical center in Illinois with trees growing inside, a wrecked pharmacy, buckets of needles and a back room still stocked with supplies. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-civil-war-house-hidden-bunker/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-civil-war-house-hidden-bunker/ Fri, 24 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000 A house in northern Illinois the video calls Civil War era, with books left inside, horse barns, an in ground pool and a bunker we couldn't confirm. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-casino-boat/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-casino-boat/ Sun, 12 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000 A multi deck casino boat in Iowa with the slot machines stripped out, a wall of winners and a crew area with a smashed server room. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-chicago-bank-huge-vault/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-chicago-bank-huge-vault/ Fri, 10 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000 A massive abandoned Chicago bank with money still on the vault floor, a tiny old elevator, a security room and a meeting room signed by visitors. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-farmhouse-classic-cars/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-farmhouse-classic-cars/ Fri, 10 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000 An abandoned farmhouse with a yard of moss covered classic cars, including a Blazer, a Cutlass and a blue truck. Some had been hauled off since my last visit. https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-wheeler-ave-bridge-south-beloit/ https://blog.decayingmidwest.com/abandoned-wheeler-ave-bridge-south-beloit/ Sat, 09 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000 The Wheeler Avenue Bridge in South Beloit, Illinois closed to cars in 1995. A 2013 plan to turn it into a trail link never happened.