These 10 Abandoned Buildings in Virginia Will Send Chills Down Your Spine
It’s hard to say why so many places get abandoned. From ghost towns to old shopping centers, times get bad and people get going. But sometimes the history they leave behind can be downright haunting, or even haunted. There’s always something sad about abandoned buildings with their boarded-up windows and peeling paint. But these 10 abandoned places in Virginia take creepy to a whole new level. With auspicious beginnings and ominous endings, you’ll want to think twice before you take a stroll through some of these….
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First on our list of abandoned places in Virginia is the Wise County Orphanage. As if an abandoned orphanage wasn't bad enough, throw in some paranormal activity and you've got yourself a proper freak-out. This old orphanage used to serve as a home for abandoned and orphaned children. Now long closed, the site is said to be haunted by the sounds of laughing children, bouncing balls, and floating lights. Ghostly figures can sometimes be seen at the windows. Creeepppy.
(Editor's note: Western State Lunatic Asylum is no longer abandoned and has been transformed into a luxury boutique hotel called the Blackburn Inn & Conference Center. Head to the website to learn more.)
They had me at "Lunatic Asylum." But in case you need convincing of this site's horrifying past, Western State Lunatic Asylum was opened in 1828. At first, it was resort-style asylum, but later some pretty nasty stuff went down including straitjackets, restraints, lobotomies, and forced sterilization. The facility relocated in the 1970s and the grounds were turned into a prison until closing in the early 2000s. An adjoining cemetery holds more than 3,000 bodies, hundreds in unmarked graves.
An old manor home that sits atop a series of caverns known as "The Well of Souls." Yep. It's haunted. After the home was built in the late 1800s, Jedidiah Carver was found guilty of acts of animal cruelty and exiled from Leesburg. It is said that he and his family lived in the caverns under the mansion for years. Haunted tours are now given every weekend in October for those brave enough to venture through the home's hidden staircases and passages. I will not be included in that list. This is one of the scariest places in Virginia. For more on this creepy home, visit our previous post.
4. Professor Cline's Haunted Monster Museum, Natural Bridge
When Mark "Professor" Cline turned an old abandoned mansion into a haunted house, he also created one of the prime tourist attractions in the area, that is, until it was destroyed by fire in 2012. Stranger still, this was the second mysterious fire to occur in as many years. The "monster" mansion might be gone, but the creep factor is still in full effect.
(Editor's note: Barton Mansion is no longer abandoned and has been transformed into luxury apartments. Head to the website to learn more.)
This palatial home, named Corner Minor, was built in the late 1890s. It was abandoned when its owner, James Barton, had to flee Richmond after unscrupulous business practices. Since then, it has been used as a home for unwed mothers, a polio hospital, a sanitarium, and an old age home. As of 2014, there were plans for restoration. Now, I'm not saying its haunted, but with a history like that? I'm just not saying it's NOT haunted.
(Editor's note: The Lorton Reformatory property is set to allow adaptive reuse while maintaining its historically significant buildings. It has also been renamed 'Laurel Hill.' Head to this website to learn more.)
Some places are just begging for a good revenge haunting. Enter Lorton Reformatory. A working prison for the District of Columbia Department of Corrections, the site operated from 1910 until 2001 and was once called the Occoquan Workhouse. Some highlights of its dubious history include the mistreatment of 168 womens' suffragettes arrested and held from June until December 1917. They were beaten and force-fed, all of which was depicted in the film, Iron Jawed Angels, in 2004. Stand up for your rights, ladies! Haunt those halls.
7. Abandoned Pamplin City Main Street, Prince Edward / Appomattox County
It's hard not to love a good ghost town and if you like exploring ghost towns in Virginia, Pamplin is a good one to visit. This once-thriving center of commerce has sat abandoned for years. The old buildings lining the main street were formerly used for storage but now lay vacant and dilapidated. It's more than a little unsettling.
I don't know what's eerier, walking through ruins of a time long past or walking through the ruins of a time that was pretending to be a time long past. But with manors and towers and interesting relics of...well, relics, there's no doubt, out of all the abandoned places in Virginia, this site still entertains. But keep your suit of armor handy, rumor has it the local hunting club now uses the grounds.
(Editor's note: Selma Mansion has been saved from ruin and restored! Head to this website to learn more and to see how it looks now.)
They say time is a cruel mistress - and sadly, she put a hurtin' on Selma. The mansion, built in the early 1900s features sweeping staircases and grand halls but now lies in ruin. The home which once held weddings is now considered one of the most endangered historic sites in Virginia.
Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's the fact that I used to shop here as a kid and now I feel really old, but an abandoned mall gives me the heebie-jeebies. This once busy shopping center started its decline in the late 90s with the opening of newer malls. A couple of murders here in 1996 didn't help sales either. The mall finally went belly-up in 2008. Guess I'll have to find a new place to get my Jordache jeans.
Keep in mind, not all of these sites are open for exploration, but for the ones that are, and for those of you who are much, much braver than me, check them out. Maybe you’ll get lucky and see a ghost…but if not, I am more than certain, given what you know now, your imagination will do plenty on its own to make the experience a worthy haunt.
Let us know if you know of any other creepy abandoned places in Virginia… we’re always looking for a good scare!
Address: Old Wise County Orphanage, Suffolk Rd, Wise, VA 24293, USA
Address: 301 Greenville Ave, Staunton, VA 24401, USA
Address: 601 Catoctin Cir NE, Leesburg, VA 20176, USA
Address: Natural Bridge, VA 24578, USA
Address: 2112 Monteiro Ave, Richmond, VA 23222, USA
Address: Reformatory Way, Lorton, VA 22079, USA
Address: Pamplin, VA 23958, USA
Address: 1175 Kings Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA 22405, USA
Address: Leesburg, VA 20176, USA
Address: Cloverleaf Dr, Richmond, VA 23225, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Abandoned Places In Virginia
May 07, 2021
Melissa M
Are there any ghost towns in Virginia?
Aside from Pamplin, there are numerous other ghost towns you may want to check out. Matildaville was once a small community and the headquarters for the construction of the canal. It once had homes, a mill, and a tavern, among other buildings. After the canal closed in 1828, the town went downhill and was eventually abandoned. Today you can hike a trail to see some of the ruins left behind. Learn more about this abandoned town and several others in our Virginia Ghost Towns road trip post.
What are some of the scariest places in Virginia?
Let’s face it – scary places can be kinda fun to visit. What else gives you a thrill like a good ol’ fright? And with Virginia’s long history, there are plenty of haunted and scary places that can keep even the bravest soul up all night. From historic homes like the George Wythe House or the Peyton Randolph House to creepy Crawford Road in Yorktown, you can have a scary adventure in every corner of the state.
Are there any haunted towns in Virginia?
Stevensburg is a creepy town that is known for its paranormal activity. With its long history and abandoned buildings galore, it’s no wonder this town is haunted. You can read a more detailed report in this post.
Address: Old Wise County Orphanage, Suffolk Rd, Wise, VA 24293, USA
Address: 301 Greenville Ave, Staunton, VA 24401, USA
Address: 601 Catoctin Cir NE, Leesburg, VA 20176, USA
Address: Natural Bridge, VA 24578, USA
Address: 2112 Monteiro Ave, Richmond, VA 23222, USA
Address: Reformatory Way, Lorton, VA 22079, USA
Address: Pamplin, VA 23958, USA
Address: 1175 Kings Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA 22405, USA
Address: Leesburg, VA 20176, USA
Address: Cloverleaf Dr, Richmond, VA 23225, USA
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Virginia staff writer for Only in Your State, freelance writer and journalist. Even though Anna has lived other places, somehow Virginia is where she always seems to land.
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