Decay Theory

Once a haven for middle-class vacationers, the zoo closed in 2006. With visitors and animals gone, nature started reclaiming the property.

Two investors bought most of the buildings in downtown Brownsville, then let them fall into ruin. Now, the Rust Belt town's residents are fighting to bring it back to life.

Bethlehem Steel was the birthplace of skyscrapers, bridges, and battleships. What happened after the plant's furnaces went cold?

It’s been nearly 40 years since a reactor exploded at this Soviet nuclear power plant, but disaster has a long half-life.

After decades in a Philadelphia shipyard, the last great American ocean liner may be destined for the seafloor.

Empty chairs, empty tables, and the dismantling of the American Dream.

Nearly 20 years after Hurricane Katrina, the abandoned Six Flags that became a symbol of the city still bears deep scars.

There may be no encore in store for these abandoned vaudeville halls and movie palaces.

Exploring deindustrialization.

Changing neighborhoods, loss of faith, even heating bills make places of worship among the most common types of forgotten places.

Finding where history, passion, and urban development come together can mean a lot to a community.

The indoor suburban shopping center is a special kind of abandoned place.