These Abandoned Places In Denver Are Absolutely Haunting

It's hard to explain why we love and are fascinated by abandoned places and urban decay. There's something so apocalyptic about them and so haunting. As if everyone at once stood up and walked away, leaving open drawers and overturned coffee mugs amidst shattered glass and broken dreams. (Dramatic, I know.)

But seriously, there's something so utterly eerie yet oddly hopeful about industrial wastelands. Something that reminds us of the inevitably fleeting nature of life and the importance of seizing each and every moment in it. These stirring images of the (now demolished) Gates Rubber Factory in Denver and the (former) Amalgamated Sugar Company just east of Longmont will leave you with all the spooky feels.

The Gates Rubber Factory

Established in 1911, the Gates Corporation in Denver was once the world's largest manufacturer of automotive and industrial belts and hoses. It closed its doors in 2011 and demolition began in 2014. (Fun fact: The property was purchased for $3,500 in 1911 and was sold for $5.4 billion in 2014)!!!

White Satin/The Amalgamated Sugar Company

In 1903 the Great Western Sugar Company erected the Front Range's first sugar factory near Longmont. After 74 years, its beet sugar production ended in 1977 as the industry faded from the Colorado landscape. What hasn't faded (well, not completely) is the factory that's now decaying...brick by brick.

Got any amazing abandoned places in Denver to share with us!? Let us know in the comments!