There’s something so magical about an abandoned building or house. You see the decay, the destruction, but you can still feel the energy left behind. Open drawers in a rusting kitchen make you wonder, who opened these? An old window with a large crack at the top makes you think, I wonder who looked out of this window, and I wonder whose stray ball hit it? Old buildings are so magical because they’re beautiful in their decay. They’re rich with history, and mystery.
I’ve been wanting to write an article on abandoned buildings in North Carolina for quite sometime, but struggled with finding images to use. Luckily, I found the page Abandoned, Old, & Interesting Places- North Carolina and quickly made contact with the page to ask about featuring some of their images.
It’s no surprise they have almost 45,000 followers on facebook, as it is easy to see just how enchanting and mysterious old buildings really are. Most of these buildings are decaying beautifully. Here are twenty photos that prove just that.
- An old grocery or general store was once bustling with life in the early 1900’s but now sits quietly in Graham County.
Phyllis Garrett Burke
- Rusting tools and equipment once ensured the livelihood of a family, now this abandoned barn rests peacefully in Wilson County.
Andrew King
- An old white house is illuminated by the Carolina sun on a hill in the quiet countryside.
Matthew Irvin
- A simple old service station sits in the middle of nowhere in Wilson County. Whisking clouds add to the dreamlike setting of this picture.
Andrew King
- The Old Bobbitt Store House built in the late 1800’s, located in Vance County, is still standing despite a long standing history.
Mark Bunn
- A one stop shop now leans to the side as weather and time have made their mark on the Old Trantham Store in Haywood County
Norma Draughn
- An interesting little white house seems to almost shy away from the camera, sitting silently at the base of a hill in Alleghany County
Photography by Bonita
- A beautiful, ghostly decay overtakes this old house in Alleghany County.
Photography by Bonita
- Summer is in full force at the Bass Homestead
Scott Garlock
- The open drawers and cabinets add a strange feeling of urgency to this now silent room
Matthew Irvin
- Built in 1797, this is what is left of the “Joseph Booth Stone House” in Chatham County.
Andrew King
- The burnt red color adds life and animation to this little abandoned work shed.
Photo Credit
- I can’t help but wonder who all got married at this little chapel in Laurel Springs.
Photography by Bonita
- A bright blue sky reflecting on the glass windows breathes life into this still image. It’s as if we’re right there in Alleghany County taking in the beautiful abandonment with photographer Bonita.
Photography by Bonita
- A victorian memory, also, what is that in the upstairs window?
Bernardo Marraccini
- That’s not creepy at all…
Matthew Irvin
- A bit behind the times, or as photographer Andrew King says, “Modern kitchen in need of some elbow grease.”
Andrew King
- Cracking under pressure but still maintaining charm
Matthew Irvin
- Hiding away from it all in Hayward County
John Kimball
- Can’t catch the “cat” or Sheriff Belvin who was an extremely popular sheriff in Durham County in the 1920’s. He was known for busting distilleries, possibly due to his own involvement. This popular landmark, and former store, is named after him.
Andrew King
If old buildings and houses could talk, I’d love to hear their stores. The tales of the people who inhabited this space, the energy and atmosphere they brought to it, their legacy. Nothing just “comes to be” and nothing is just left in abandon for no reason. But luckily, Abandoned, Old & Interesting Places kind of gives us just that. A voice for these buildings and the opportunity to build our own stories in the process.
Phyllis Garrett Burke
Andrew King
Matthew Irvin
Mark Bunn
Norma Draughn
Photography by Bonita
Scott Garlock
Andrew King
Photo Credit
Photography by Bonita
Bernardo Marraccini
Matthew Irvin
John Kimball
I’ll be doing a write up on more neat abandoned places in the future, but for now go give them a “like” to get your daily dose of beautiful abandonment and be sure and let me know where your favorite abandoned buildings are in North Carolina!
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