There are so many abandoned places in Tennessee! This is a list of the top three abandoned places in Tennessee. Browse through all abandoned places in Tennessee
Island view school is an abandoned single-room school built-in 1895. Although it was a single room, the school served many during its operation year until it was closed in 1949. Today the building remains standing though in a ruined state.
Back in the 1800s, finding schools in the rural part of Tennessee was not easy. It would mean traveling insane distances to and from school which discouraged many students. The establishment of Island View School helped many kids as the distance to and from school reduced drastically. Some of the students who used to go past the school on Boyd’s Highway to their school (Body’s Creek) enrolled in Island View when their school was closed temporarily due to a fire outbreak.
Sam Lyle who is a former student of the school inherited the property where the school was built from his grandfather and is currently trying to restore the school. He has replaced the shattered windows and some minor things like replacing the bell as he is trying to maintain the originality of the school as much as he can.
The school is currently a tourist attraction site for locals and non-locals who go to take pictures and hear stories of the school. Most of the visitors who visit the school are former students, their children, and grandchildren who go there to share their experiences and stories. Lyle, who is currently spearheading the restoration activities of the school, opens it twice a year for tours. Various community events are also held there once in a while with the permission of the owner as this brings people to the school where they learn a little about the school.
At a height of 131 meters (37 floors), 100 North Main is the tallest building in Memphis city. Its construction started in the early 1960s and was completed in 1965. The 100 North Main building had offices, restaurants, and apartments that were all occupied back then. Today, the building is deserted standing between Adams Avenue and North Second Street.
Official construction of the building started on 30th June of 1963 and was completed in 1965. On top of the building was a restaurant that attracted many as they liked the spectacular view of the city while enjoying their favorite meals. The restaurant was owned by different people over the years and names until when it closed. Behind the restaurant was a Japanese garden that attracted Japanese nationals from all over the world. Being strategically located within the central business district, the building attracted government officials and other professionals involved in courts and other government businesses.
Specialists say the building is not safe for the public as chunks of concrete have been seen falling from the building walls. Due to the lack of electricity in the building, the elevators and fire safety alarms are not in use posing a threat as fire might break out anytime. On top of that, flammable debris is said to be all over the building rooms adding to the faulty wiring which is now out of date.
The building is now neglected and left to decay. Pavements around the place are cracked with grass growing in between them. In 2013, owners of the premises at the time vacated the residents intending to restore it into an apartment complex and hotel. Unable to do so, they sold it 2 years after purchasing it. As if that is not enough, 100 North Main changed ownership again when it was auctioned in 2018 to its current owners, who are planning to continue with previous restoration and conversion of the building to an apartment complex and hotel.
With all the big plans that different owners had with the building over the years, 100 North Main is still deserted. No construction work has been witnessed to prove that it will be up and running soon. The building has had so many owners with the same plans of bringing it back to life yielding no fruits, it won’t be a surprise if the new owners are unable to revive it. Although fenced, you can drive past the building at any time and have a look at the building up close or even take a picture. Just don’t trespass!
Tennessee State Prison is a former maximum correctional facility in Nashville, Tennessee. It was one of the best at that time but after over 94 years of operations, the facility was closed and deserted due to uncontrolled cases of breakouts and inmates’ death.
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The first penitentiary in Tennessee was constructed in the 1820s and began operation in the new year of 1831. With a capacity of 200 cells, the facility was one of the best not only in the state of Tennessee but the entire south. It was an all-gender prison that was praised for its discipline and productivity. Although many might wonder how an all-gender prison worked in those days, it was just the same as it is now only that inmates were not allowed to interact with each other. During the day they worked in various workstations that they were posted and at night would go to their cells. Later in the mid 1800s, the military took over the prison with the intention of using it as a military prison. With only a capacity of 200 cells and a cell per individual, an increase in the number of inmates both from the military and ordinary offenders brought about overcrowding.
Due to this, prisoners lived in deplorable conditions with some of them going without food. The conditions worsened and this prompted for construction of new and bigger prison which was opened in 1898. The second prison had a capacity of 600 more cells than the first one which was abolished soon afterward. Though the facility was much bigger and better than the first one, the situation did not get better as they initially expected for the number of inmates increased forcing the administration to admit twice the number of prisoners it could accommodate. Prisoners killing each other and frequent riots made things worse compelling the government to close it down.
Strange activities have been witnessed in the building with some even hearing footprints and voices. Putting in mind the inhumane activities that took place in this place such as the execution of inmates and fellow inmates killing each other, this place can as well be haunted. Before its closure although not in many instances, some inmates complained of the same. If you have ever wondered how being haunted feels, then this is the place to visit though at your own risk.
Tennessee State Prison now stands rotting with no intentions of ever being used as a prison again. Due to its deteriorating state, it is not open to the public. Though it is closed for the public, film industries are allowed to shoot videos using the building as some already did.