Michigan, over the years, has transformed dramatically. From a once-important fur trading post for the United States and Canada, to a mining hub, the golden years of automotive manufacturing, and the epicenter for the middle class, the Mitten has seen it all. The result is countless reminders of our past that are visible in the many abandoned structures that once stood tall. Now, many are slowly being taken over by nature, or remain as mere shells of what they once were.
Here are some such places across Michigan. Have a look.
- Michigan Theater, Detroit
Rex Brown/Flickr Constructed in 1926, this once glorious 4,000-seat Michigan Theater has seen better days. In recent years, it’s served as a parking garage (and a set on the film 8 Mile).
- Prehistoric Gardens, Irish Hills
Laura Goins/Flickr From 1963 to 1999, this central Michigan spot served as a curious tourist trap, where visitors could get an idea of what the dinosaurs may have looked like. Today, the place is abandoned, but many weathered dino statues remain.
- Fayette
All Things Michigan/Flickr The now abandoned town of Fayette was once a busy industrial center point, where iron smelting ruled. Now known as Fayette Historic State Park, visitors can see a true-life representation of life in Upper Peninsula Michigan in the 19th century.
- Freda
Colin Neese/Flickr A once thriving copper mining town, little remains of the unincorporated village of Freda, which sits just outside of Houghton in the UP.
- Packard Plant, Detroit
carnagenyc/Flickr This massive, long abandoned auto plant has for years served to pique the fascination of urban explorers from all over the globe.
- Copper Mines, Keweenaw Peninsula
John W. Iwanski/Flickr Here, we have the Quincy Smelter, which processed copper from local mining companies on the Keweenaw Peninsula between 1898-1957. The mines are long gone, but the remains of the plant still sit.
- Michigan Central Station
Mike Boening Photography/Flickr When the railroads ruled as a major source of transportation, this massive depot was one of the most impressive in the country. It’s long sat vacant, though in recent years, there have been signs, albeit small, of renewal.
- Traverse City State Hospital
Joseph Erlewein/Flickr This TC institution at one time housed the ill. Now its tunnels and long vacant grounds are visited by thrill seekers, wanting to dig into the place’s past.
- Belle Isle Zoo, Detroit
TheGadgetGuy1/YouTube The original Detroit Zoo sat on Belle Isle. Now it’s in the suburb of Royal Oak, but remnants of the original location remain, though they’re slowly being taken over by nature.
Reminds you of all that’s changed, huh? So we know seeing some of these places can bring up mixed emotions. But tell us, do you have any fond memories of these spots?
Rex Brown/Flickr
Constructed in 1926, this once glorious 4,000-seat Michigan Theater has seen better days. In recent years, it’s served as a parking garage (and a set on the film 8 Mile).
Laura Goins/Flickr
From 1963 to 1999, this central Michigan spot served as a curious tourist trap, where visitors could get an idea of what the dinosaurs may have looked like. Today, the place is abandoned, but many weathered dino statues remain.
All Things Michigan/Flickr
The now abandoned town of Fayette was once a busy industrial center point, where iron smelting ruled. Now known as Fayette Historic State Park, visitors can see a true-life representation of life in Upper Peninsula Michigan in the 19th century.
Colin Neese/Flickr
A once thriving copper mining town, little remains of the unincorporated village of Freda, which sits just outside of Houghton in the UP.
carnagenyc/Flickr
This massive, long abandoned auto plant has for years served to pique the fascination of urban explorers from all over the globe.
John W. Iwanski/Flickr
Here, we have the Quincy Smelter, which processed copper from local mining companies on the Keweenaw Peninsula between 1898-1957. The mines are long gone, but the remains of the plant still sit.
Mike Boening Photography/Flickr
When the railroads ruled as a major source of transportation, this massive depot was one of the most impressive in the country. It’s long sat vacant, though in recent years, there have been signs, albeit small, of renewal.
Joseph Erlewein/Flickr
This TC institution at one time housed the ill. Now its tunnels and long vacant grounds are visited by thrill seekers, wanting to dig into the place’s past.
TheGadgetGuy1/YouTube
The original Detroit Zoo sat on Belle Isle. Now it’s in the suburb of Royal Oak, but remnants of the original location remain, though they’re slowly being taken over by nature.
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