The Kristoff Brothers pig farm in Sterling, MA was once the largest pig farm in New England. Long abandoned, the property is now state land and open to the public. Starting down the main access road there is not much to see except broken road and occasional pieces of fence and foundation. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize The first real interesting sight is about a half mile in. It is what I call the "Temple of Doom" (after the Indiana Jones movie). What it actually was is not clear and I could not find a definitive answer in my research. It appears to be some type of loading area b ..read more

This community pool is hiding in plain sight. Directly on a main road, and within walking distance from a school and the police station, the site is easy to miss if you are just passing by. The building that is visible from the road is generic and could just as easily be an old utility shed or public works building. The growth surrounding the building leaves no doubt that is is abandoned, but also provides some cover. Only two buildings exist at this site. The first building, seen from the road, was locked up tight with little to see. This building probably held the water and filtration syste ..read more

Normally I do not publish the location of sites I explore, but the Rutland Prison Camp is hardly a secret. It sits within Rutland State Park and is open to the public. Built in 1903, this prison held prisoners who committed minor offenses. The property included a functioning farm which the prisoners worked at. The farm mostly grew potatoes and cultivated livestock including chickens and cows. In 1907, a tuberculosis hospital was built on the grounds to treat the prisoners. The prison and surrounding grounds were abandoned in 1934 due to construction of the Quabbin Reservoir. On my visit to the ..read more

This astrophysical observatory is so well hidden from the road that even many locals are unaware of its existence. From the street, the entrance appears to be nothing more than a driveway for a house. If you drive by slowly you may spot the clearing, the large (active) communications tower, or even the occasional police car waiting to greet trespassers. Established in 1933, the site has sat largely unused since 2005, when a major university stopped doing astrophysical research there. Today, there is one active building on the property, and the whole site was used for a television production in ..read more

Built in the 1920s, this abandoned steam plant sits along the Nashua River in Fitchburg, MA. The property was developed into the West Fitchburg Steamline Trail Park in 2006. Despite being a town park, the plant is a popular target of thieves and vandals. In 2012, oil from the old boilers leaked into the river after thieves stole brass and copper fittings. A small parking area and trailhead is located on Westminster Street. After crossing a small bridge across the river, the plant can be seen in all of its abandoned glory. The path between the building and water towers serves as the Steamline ..read more