Editor’s Note: This formerly abandoned neighborhood Cary, NC has since been demolished. For related content, check out our list of abandoned places in North Carolina. 

What would you do if you stumbled upon an entire abandoned neighborhood in North Carolina? Explore? Call the authorities? Turn around? For one, we’d begin to wonder what happened and why an entire community suddenly up and vanished. So is the case with one abandoned neighborhood Cary, NC. Today, it sits dilapidated and forgotten. But what happened? Let’s check out one of the eeriest “abandoned places near me” in North Carolina:

Day or night, the abandoned neighborhood off Kildaire Road and across from Wake Med Hospital is certifiably terrifying.
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Writer and urban explorer Heather Leahwood gained knowledge of this strange destination from stumbling upon an Imgur account that displayed eerie and strange pictures of an entire neighborhood left to destruction.
Like any dedicated reporter, she took it upon herself to venture into the neighborhood.
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She first went at night with her husband accompanying her. The eeriness was so palpable that he (understandably) wouldn't let her out of the car.
There's something strange about residual energy from life that used to live in an abandoned building.
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Take that and multiply it by some 10 properties and that's what you have here: an entire abandoned neighborhood. There are no clear efforts to save or salvage the houses. Residents lived here during the 1990s but by 2000 it was designated as "Low-Density Residential."

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The Town of Cary Website states - "Executive Summary: This is a Comprehensive Plan Amendment for 13 properties, and the associated street rights-of-way, totaling 22.8 acres, located along Guernsey Trail on the East side of Kildaire Farm Road, immediately South of US 1/64 Highway.
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This site includes the entirety of The Ponderosa subdivision. The properties are currently designated on Cary’s Land Use Plan as Low-Density Residential (LDR), with the exception of one lot designated as Parks or Open Space (PKS/OS). The applicant proposes to amend the Land Use Plan by adding the site to adjacent Waverly Community Activity Center on the Land Use Plan Map, and changing the underlying base land use designation to Office/Institutional (OFC/INS). There is a Rezoning Application (15-REZ-02) associated with this case."
After the popularity of Leahwood's article on Candid Slice, many decided to go and create their own urban explorer experience in the abandoned neighborhood.
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Leahwood said, "Many explorers have gone adventuring through the neighborhood. One visitor arrived just in time to see a fire, about six feet in diameter, sweeping across one of the yards. He called the CFD, and they put the fire out. There is also broken glass all over the ground. Please be careful when exploring, and be RESPECTFUL of these properties." Another eerie aspect is that she also said she saw bootprints on one door, meaning the door could have possibly been kicked down by an intruder.
While I'd be more scared of humans when exploring a place like this, apparently people have also been projecting some paranormal fears and are spotting what appears to be a 'ghost woman.'
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It was originally brought to attention by a comment April Michelle Wilson left citing the strange figure hanging out. Some people say it looks like it's a rail, while others claim it could indeed be a lingering spirit (from the 1990s?).
As for plans for the neighborhood, it sits strangely and scarily abandoned right now.
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In the future, however, Leahwood noted, "The entire neighborhood agreed to put their entire community up for sale as commercial property. The reason for this, some neighbors are saying, is because Cary has experienced such rapid development. Twenty years ago, that area of Kildaire Farms Road wasn't so busy and built up. Unhappy with the fast pace of growth, but not always able to afford to just up and move, sometimes neighborhoods create this kind of solution. So the rapid expansion of Cary is partially to blame. These are nice houses -- according to Zillow, many are worth between $250-300k. The company that bought the neighborhood is planning to raze the houses and build a senior living community."

Spooky! I don’t think I would venture to this abandoned neighborhood of Cary, NC by myself. Did you know about this abandoned neighborhood prior to reading? Are there any other “abandoned places near me” in North Carolina worthy of a feature? Tell us in the comments!

For another destination that’s heavy on the creepy factor, how about this one small town that is home to crazy paranormal activity? Or if you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can hike to the abandoned village of Lost Cove (after stocking up on hiking gear from REI, of course).

Check out this YouTube video by RnK All Day to see footage of the abandoned neighborhood before it was demolished (and to meet Heather Leahwood herself!):

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Abandoned Places In North Carolina

Jackie Ann | April 23, 2021

What are the creepiest places in North Carolina?

When you’re looking for a hair-raising experience, the Tar Heel State offers thrill seekers an abundance of creepy places to check out. The creepiest places in North Carolina are:

During the day, this swamp is a lovely spot full of peaceful, natural beauty. However, staying past sunset the swamp really lives up to its name. Visitors to these 112,000 acres of remote wetlands have reported seeing ghostly figures and hearing unusual sounds and strange lights glowing from inexplicable sources.

Another infamous legend in North Carolina centers around Payne Road in Rural Hall. Local folklore tells of a hauntingly gruesome murder-suicide that took place here, making it a hotbed of paranormal activity.

Are there any ghost towns in North Carolina?

There are plenty of ghost towns in North Carolina, including:

The underwater town of Judson is one of North Carolina’s best-kept spooky secrets. Abandoned remnants of this city are only visible when the surrounding waters of Fontana Lake are extremely low. Once home to roughly 600 residents, this small Smokey Mountain town had been a fully outfitted settlement with shops, schools, and even a sawmill. However, Swain County began selling off private plots of Judson land to the national government for the construction of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Fontana Lake in the 1930s, displacing the town's residents and submerging the tiny town forever.

  • Diamond City

Once the most populous OBX town, Diamond City was destroyed by a hurricane in 1899 and has been completely abandoned since 1902.

Where are the creepiest towns in North Carolina?

The creepiest towns in North Carolina are:

If you're a fan of creepy legends, the famous stories surrounding the settlement of Roanoke Colony will stir your imagination and make your skin crawl. For centuries, historians and archaeologists have been baffled by the total disappearance of the residents who once inhabited the “Lost Colony”. In 1587, John White was tasked to establish an English settlement on the island of Roanoke. He soon returned to England on a supply expedition intending to return to the colony in 1588. Unfortunately, the Anglo-Spanish war halted White’s plans and delayed his travel back to Roanoke until 1590. Upon his return, White discovered the settlement had vanished, leaving no trace to explain the resident’s departure. The only clue White found was the mysterious word "CROATOAN” carved into the palisade.

  • Raleigh

Our state's capital city is home to Cry Baby Lane, a supposedly haunted road located on the site of a former orphanage that tragically burned in a raging fire.

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