There are so many abandoned places in Missouri! This is a list of the top three abandoned places in Missouri. Browse through all abandoned places in Missouri
Missouri state penitentiary is an abandoned former maximum correctional facility in Jefferson City, Missouri. The facility which was the longest standing prison in Missouri state-operated for one and half a century before it closed in 2004. Today the Missouri State Penitentiary Museum is what remains of the once-famous prison.
Missouri state penitentiary opened its doors for inmates in 1836 only a few years after the groundbreaking ceremony. In its early days, MSP had less than twenty inmates who were all petty offenders. The prison which only had one guard and a warden at its early operational days would later be home for more than 1880 inmates. By the 1990s, MSP was a fully flagged correctional facility. Like any other crowded prison, it had a long history of riots, escape, and murders. MSP, unlike its early days, became one of the most notorious prisons in the state of Missouri.
It had frequent riots that were accompanied by murders and injuries. The most known riot that nearly brought the facility down on its knees was the September 22, 1954 riot that left four prisoners dead and several injured guards. Unlike other riots, this was started by two inmates attacking the guards who were attending to them. With the key taken from the guards, they would later free fellow prisoners to help cause distractions as they escape. The plans were stopped resulting in the death of four prisoners and several injured guards together with policemen from different countries sent as backup. Apart from the riots, though not much, murder was common in the prison. In its final two years of operations, murder was again recorded in the prison when escape plans went wrong, this too resulted in one inmate being killed by his two roommates.
Having been operable for more than 150 years, the prison showed signs of fatigue and no longer guaranteed the maximum containment as it offered before. Some sections of the prison were showing cracks that were easy to dig through. On top of that, the burned structures during the frequent riots defaced the once beautiful architecture of the prison. Due to these factors, the department of correction decommissioned the prison after thorough research and consultations. The prison was officially closed in 2004 and the inmates were transferred to Jefferson City Correctional Center.
Missouri state prison still stands to date but as a state museum for the residents of Jefferson City and Missouri State as a whole. Since the state wanted to maintain most of the historic structures within the prison, no major renovations were done. The metal cells that have now turned brown due to rust still show a little bit of strength. In general, the building is in a dilapidated state with few replicas beside it. The prison is open for tours offered by the current management. The presence of asbestos and lead paints poses a major hazard to visitors who visit the prison.
Located in Branson, Missouri in the USA, Celebration city is an abandoned amusement park established in the 1970s. The family fun park operated for a decade-plus before it was neglected and left to rot. Metal rails and a few ruined main structures are what remain of the once busy park.
Previously known as Branson USA, the amusement park was established in the late 1990s and began operations in 1999. A year later, the amusement park faced financial troubles leading to its closure in 2001. The Park would later have another chance to life when it was purchased and redesigned by the billionaire family of Herschend. With new branding as Celebration City, the amusement park was made the official sister park for Silver Dollar City amusement park which was also owned by the family. Under the management of the famous family, Celebration city’s popularity increased, adding the park's number of visitors and revenue. Over the years, it did well until it was hit by a financial jolt prompting it to be shut down permanently.
Celebration city amusement park permanently closed in 2008 for a second time. The cause of its closure was financial instability that the family experienced between the years 2006 to 2008. After assessment and consultations, they decided to close the business. Since October of 2008, the Celebration city amusement park has been slowly but rapidly dilapidating under the sun. The metal ruins that remain of the old roller coaster have weakened with time and can easily fall and cause injuries if not death. The old slides and pools in the park are filled with dirty contaminated water that is likely to be disease infected.
After it was abandoned, most of the valuable recreational pieces of equipment were all dismantled and taken to be used in other amusement parks owned by the family. Metal ruins and ponds filled with greenish water are all one sees when he or she enters the property. Due to lack of maintenance, the paths and pavements are dominated by grasses. From afar, the old dilapidated roller coaster made of metal looks like a giant wooden sculpture made by connecting several sticks and logs. The amusement park is still owned by the Herschend family entertainment corporation. The corporation which has two other more such parks under its management has not made it clear if they have plans of restoring the place. They do not permit visitors on the premises for safety and security reasons. If you are eager to tour the place, a drive past the place will give an idea if not the satisfaction of how the place looks right now.
Arlington ghost town is a former rail town located in Phelps County, Missouri. The town was a popular resort for railroad users and military troops from the 5th Missouri State Militia. The town was deserted and is currently a ghost town.
Arlington, just like any other town at the time in Missouri, grew when Burlington Northern Railroad passed through the small community. Originally known as "Little Piney”, the town saw major development when Stony Dell Resort and Fort Leonard wood were established. Tourists’ cabins, hotels, and several businesses sprawled the town and the state route 66 followed shortly afterward. The state road which connected Chicago to Los Angeles played a major role in the development of the town as most travelers stopped over for a break and sleep before continuing with their journey. By the late 1890s, Arlington town had its own post office and a population exceeding 1200 residents.
In the early 1950s, plans to expand the state road that connected the two iconic cities came up. Seven years later the first expansion began, forcing the demolition of some major business premises of the town. A second expansion ate on the town's land further resulting in the permanent closure of some stores and hotels in the town. A new road 1-44 construction would later drive the last nail in the coffin for Arlington town. The new road cut off Arlington rendering the roads that earlier connected the town to other communities useless. The town was no longer a town bordering a state highway but a town with no entryway or road. Tourists and visitors who used the town as a stopover suddenly stopped resulting in the death of various hotels and motels. The population of the town slowly diminished and by the late 1990s, Arlington town was completely deserted.
Currently, Arlington is still abandoned and rejected. It lost its township privileges and was bought by a local investor who has plans to establish a housing estate at the site. Most of the old buildings are still standing but in bad condition. Log cabins that were used to host travelers passing through the town have all collapsed and the remaining ones are showing signs of being carried away by the wind at any given time. The site has been partitioned for development and some parcels of the extensive piece of land have been sold to residents. The total number of residents at the moment is less than 20 people. Arlington town though privately-owned is open to the general public to visit. The old dilapidated log structures have deteriorated at unsalvageable levels. Most are unstable and are likely to collapse at any given moment. It is wise to be cautious when visiting the town as an accidental collapse of the ruined buildings can be hazardous.