There are so many abandoned places in Connecticut! This is a list of the top three abandoned places in Connecticut. Browse through all abandoned places in Connecticut
English station is an abandoned power plant located in New Haven. The plant was commissioned in 1924 and began its operations in 1929. Six decades later, the station that powered Elm City and the neighboring township was closed down and deserted.
The existence of the power plant began in the early 1900s when the management of a local Connecticut power harnessing company got interested in the vast market of New Haven. Originally relying on candles and other forms of power, the company decided to open up the English Station power plant. The plant’s official operation days began with harnessing power to supply local industrial plants in Elm City.
This grew over time and by the 1950s, United Illuminating was the most preferred power generating plant. The whole region of Elm City relied solely on the plant for power. Local industries, as well as business premises, benefited from the United Illuminating Company for lighting.
Owners of the company did not take into consideration some key basic factors like waste management at the time they were reclaiming the river to construct the plant. This came to haunt them in the long run as wastes from the plant led to contamination beyond control. Asbestos being the common contaminant, metal chucks, acid gasses, and other harmful pollutants dominated the factory. With no means of controlling Connecticut environmental management organizations on their necks, United Illuminating sold the property and the plant in 2000 after 9 years of closure.
The property and the building have high levels of contaminants that are harmful to health. Mercury and Asbestos are the dominant pollutants that have been recorded. Others like metallics oxides, acid gasses, and organic air toxicity are minor but dangerous pollutants that are present in the power plant by the Mill River.
Back in the 2000, United Illuminating leased the English Power plant to another local power company, Quinnipiac Energy. With intentions of using the building for power production, this never came to fruition as Connecticut environmental management could not authorize the ruined plant to operate. More years of abandonment have further dilapidated the buildings. Known as the dirtiest power plant, English Station was up for demolition but current owners have delayed the process claiming to have plans of restoration. Today, the plant is still privately owned. The government can’t do much but control its wastes at the moment. Visits or tours at the old power plant are not allowed due to safety reasons brought by serious contaminants at the site. However, you can have a good view of the plant by the Mill River when on the adjacent buildings. The buildings are business premises and asking for permission is mandatory.
Located in Haddam, Connecticut, USA is an old ghost town that had one of the most thriving mills in Connecticut. Johnsonville village has been deserted for more than 9 decades now. Serving as a tourist attraction, the building still hosts some business premises and a small Christian community village.
Johnsonville village came to existence when a mill by the name “Neptune Mill” was constructed in the region. The region which was blessed with Moodus and Salmon river that offered water for power harnessing. This greatly supported mills growth leading to establishment of a new Triton Mill. Over the years, Neptune Mill expanded leading to more investors having an interest in its potential. A millionaire Raymond Schmitt purchased the mill from John's family. Raymond would later go on to develop the town. The population grew and by 1966, Johnsonville was a fully flagged town. Tourist attraction sites located in the town did not only attract tourists but also film makers.
Later on, in 1972, the famous Neptune Mill was struck by lightning that burned it down completely. This would slow business down in the area since the mill was the only pillar of economy. Two decades later, Raymond got into trouble with local authorities leading to closure of the attraction sites which was the only standing business premise. The property was sold off in 1998 after the death of Raymond Schmitt. Most of the magnificent 1900s houses that stand in the 69-acre property have weakened over time making them unstable. This makes them unpredictably dangerous since they can collapse at any given day. If you plan to visit the townsite, you are advised to always be on the lookout.
After Raymond’s death, the property was sold to a local developer who aimed at renovating the townsite. The developer had plans of turning the old rusty village into a hotel complex. The plans never materialized and by 2013, the village was still rotting in despair. The historic village had its 3 seconds of fame when it was featured on the famous Abandoned film show. Today, though owned by the independent Christian church, Johnsonville village is in total ruin with graffiti covering up almost every one of the remaining structures. Visits are allowed under the supervision of the current owners. Several homesteads have been kept intact with artifacts that were used by those who resided in the town still there. In the mills, milling machines though have now rusted beyond repair still stand in the middle of the extensive mills. Some surfaces like the rusted surface of the milling machines can cause tetanus when handled carelessly.
As the name suggests, Pleasure Beach offered pleasure and fun to the locals of Bridgeport with its sandy beaches and salty waters. The beach which began as an amusement park in the 1880s was later abandoned and deserted.
The would-be Pleasure beach resort began as a small amusement park in 1892. The amusement park slowly but steadily grew over time into a complex resort called Steepchase Island. This was the birth and beginning of the most preferred and loved amusement park in the whole of Connecticut state. What made the beach favorites of many locals was its strategic location, it was isolated away from the mainland giving it its unique breeze and opulence.
To access the island, one had to board a ferry or use a relatively old wooden swing bridge which was the only link between the island and the mainland at the time. Pleasure beach enjoyed an influx of tourists for the better part of the century having high-end hotels, lodges, motels, restaurants, some residential apartments, and other supporting business premises. It went down in history as having the best theater and largest television set in the state.
Pleasure beach’s death came later on in 1996 when the only wooden bridge that connected the island burned down isolating the already isolated Island evermore. The popularity of the beach would later dwindle since the only way into the island was by a ferry that closed down years before. To get to the island, one was forced to walk over a long distance and board several boats. This discouraged tourists which in turn slowed business on the island down. In 1999, Pleasure Beach closed down having operated on debts of over 25000 us dollars (US Dollars of the heyday)
After the abandonment, the beach lay dormant for decades, its buildings and structures begin as favorites spots for graffiti artists and vandals. From 2000 to around 2013, pleasure beach was fully deserted. In 2014, a major restoration of the once busy beach was launched by the city of Bridgeport. New water taxis were introduced and the ferry reintroduced by the city. Through locals and the community support was able to restore and relink the island to the mainland.
After years of desertion and rejection, Pleasure beach reopened and is currently trying to get back to its former glory. On top of the restored ferry services, two more water taxis are on route between the island and the mainland. Though not as it was back in the 1990s, business is slowly picking up. Some new restaurants and hotels have been established, others are up for renovation. Pleasure beach is open to the general public to visit at any given time. Some old buildings have deteriorated beyond restoration and as a tourist to the beach, it would be advisable to stay away from them at any cost for they may collapse anytime.