Located just thirty minutes from Louisville in Southern Indiana lies one of the most lovely and fascinating state parks in the country. Charlestown State Park is filled with trails surrounded by astoundingly beautiful trees and flora, but hidden within this park is a forgotten history being reclaimed by nature. Photographer Logan LeGrand was able to capture these hauntingly beautiful images of the abandoned River Ridge neighborhood located within the park. You can check out more of his awesome work here on his Instagram. Note: These areas are now restricted by law and trespassers will be prosecuted, so it’s best to explore this neighborhood through the viewing of these images only.
His journey started near this building, assumed to be a pumping station.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
These overgrown paths are absolutely beautiful, but become more eerie the farther you go.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
There are incredible artifacts remaining along these long-abandoned stretches of road.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand A few of the paved roads are still in decent condition, despite some of the cracks being filled with various growing plants.
Empty houses sit behind the green overgrowth.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
Flickr / Logan LeGrand You can imagine how lovely the neighborhood once was from these pictures. Beautiful, green properties and clear blue skies surround the area, starkly contrasting the dirty, broken down buildings from long ago.
The interiors of the houses are eerily fascinating.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand This kitchen is surprisingly intact, although the paint is peeling significantly. In other rooms, the walls were completely crumbling.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
A lonely skull sitting in an empty electrical box seems to stare right at you.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
At the center of the neighborhood, there is an old community center.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand Although the building is still standing, trees and other plant growth is bursting within the broken windows and walls.
There is also a small cemetery dating back to the 1800s.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand The cemetery is overgrown with beautiful wildflowers, like much of the other sites in the neighborhood.
Old clotheslines still stand amidst the tall grass.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
Some of the sights seem to be straight out of a horror film.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand LeGrand noted that he found this toy lying in the driveway. We wonder how long it must have been here, suspended in time…
Perhaps this turkey vulture was considering the photographer for his next meal?
Flickr / Logan LeGrand Just imagining walking through this abandoned, silent neighborhood, with only the company of this vulture gives me the chills!
So, what’s the history behind River Ridge?
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
LeGrand’s photographs are fascinating and made me wonder why such a lovely neighborhood was left to be abandoned. The area was once the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant and was shut down in the 90s, around the same time that this neighborhood was abandoned. The creation of this ammunition plant totally transformed this small farming village in the 1940s with World War II, prompting thousands to overflow Charlestown to work at the plant. The plant successfully existed throughout many decades and various wars, including World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. After these wars ended, the production plant went downhill, and it was eventually closed down and abandoned. Much of the plant was demolished in 2012.
Flickr / Logan LeGrand
A few of the paved roads are still in decent condition, despite some of the cracks being filled with various growing plants.
You can imagine how lovely the neighborhood once was from these pictures. Beautiful, green properties and clear blue skies surround the area, starkly contrasting the dirty, broken down buildings from long ago.
This kitchen is surprisingly intact, although the paint is peeling significantly. In other rooms, the walls were completely crumbling.
Although the building is still standing, trees and other plant growth is bursting within the broken windows and walls.
The cemetery is overgrown with beautiful wildflowers, like much of the other sites in the neighborhood.
LeGrand noted that he found this toy lying in the driveway. We wonder how long it must have been here, suspended in time…
Just imagining walking through this abandoned, silent neighborhood, with only the company of this vulture gives me the chills!
The neighborhoods may have been economically dependent on the ammunition depot, and with the shutdown of its production, people were forced to move elsewhere.
Note: many of these areas are off limits to park visitors, as the crumbling buildings can be unstable and dangerous. Please obey all posted warnings concerning access to these areas; trespassing is illegal and we want you to stay safe! Enjoy the fascinating story of this cool old place and experience it through these beautiful photos!
Check out this article about the old Rose Island Amusement Park, another abandoned site in the very same Charlestown State Park!
If you enjoyed these incredible photos, you can find more of LeGrand’s work on Instagram and Flickr.
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