Have you ever wondered about the stories that old, abandoned buildings whisper to the wind? What tales could the deserted hotels of America share if their decaying walls could talk? Each once vibrant and teeming with life, these forgotten havens now lie in ruin, scattered across the country, standing as somber echoes of the past.
These abandoned hotels, each with its unique tale, embody a profound history that transcends time. From the grand Baker Hotel in Texas that once catered to the rich and famous, to the eerie ruins of the Coco Palms Resort in Hawaii, where Hollywood once frolicked, these silent structures echo tales of glamour, tragedy, and transformation. They serve as reminders of an era passed, their dilapidated structures holding a haunting beauty that captivates explorers and history buffs alike.
But these are just a few of the stories that these remnants of time have to tell. This blog post will guide us through this fascinating journey into the forgotten corners of the USA. So buckle up! As we delve deeper into this narrative, we will unlock more stories that these haunted vestiges of the past hold within their crumbling walls. Ready to uncover the secrets these abandoned hotels keep? Let’s embark on this enchanting journey through time.
Lee Plaza Hotel, Detroit
The Lee Plaza Hotel was once a symbol of Detroit’s economic prosperity success in the 1920s.
Read more about this abandoned hotel here
Coco Palms Resort — Kauai, Hawaii
The Coco Palms Resort attracted Hollywood stars in its heyday before Hurricane Iniki – “Pagan Love Song,” “Miss Sadie Thompson,” “Blue Hawaii,” “Voodoo Island,” and “South Pacific” were all filmed there. Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, made this Hawaii resort famous.
The resort was then closed in 1992 due to a Category 4 storm with gusts of up to 145 miles per hour. It sat abandoned for more than 20 years, frequently looted and destroyed, until Hyatt Hotels announced intentions in 2015 to demolish and rebuild parts of the resort.
Baker Hotel – Mineral Wells, Texas
The Baker Hotel, located in northeast Texas, has had a turbulent past. It was erected in the Roaring Twenties and, by the 1930s, it was attracting well-heeled clients with its cutting-edge facilities and mod-cons (it sported a state-of-the-art, Olympic-sized swimming pool filled with local mineral water and, eventually, air conditioning). The opulent rooms should have been well positioned for success as Mineral Wells grew in prominence as a spa resort, but the decades that followed were not kind to the hotel.
The Cloud Room on the top floor of Mineral Wells’ Baker Hotel and Spa is possibly the most famous room in the hotel’s history. Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and the Three Stooges have all attended events there.
Harmony House Resort, Philadelphia
The Harmony House Resort was built on property taken from Prussian barons during WWI and later sold to a blouse-makers union in 1919. The union (whose members included survivors of the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist Company tragedy) found it difficult to operate and profit from the 655-acre resort, so they handed it over to the worldwide union few years later. Members of the union may enjoy dancing, operas, lectures, and concerts by popular and classical musicians, as well as canoeing and swimming in the eighty-acre lake. The resort was exceptionally progressive in terms of not only labor issues, but also women’s rights and racial equality. Harmony House was destroyed by fire in 1936, then it was rebuilt only to be damaged again in 1969, resulting in the removal of paintings by acclaimed artist Diego Rivera. The resort was shuttered in 1989 and left to deteriorate for the next 25 years. Many of the buildings had horrible flooring, and the grounds were overgrown.
Palms Motel – Salton Sea, California
According to Vice, the Salton Sea, a lake in the middle of the California desert, was a major tourist destination in the 1950s and 1960s, attracting over 500,000 tourists per year.
By the 1970s, fertilizers and pesticides from nearby agricultural area had leached into the lake, rendering it unfit for fish. People stopped coming because dead fish started washing up on the coasts and smelling so awful. The Salton Sea is still inhabited by a few people, but it is generally deserted.
Grossinger’s Catskill Resort, New York
The Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel, set in the lush green landscapes of New York’s Liberty Village, tells stories of a bygone period. This spectacular resort, which was founded in the 1910s, was once a bustling destination with a plethora of exquisite amenities, including its own airfield.
Read more about this abandoned hotel
The Ambassador Hotel – Jacksonville, Florida
In the heart of Jacksonville, Florida, the once-majestic Ambassador Hotel now stands as a melancholic symbol of lost grandeur. Its faded brick façade and boarded windows, shrouded in the whispers of forgotten laughter and jovial conversations, resonate with a somber tranquility that belies its bustling past. Walking past its desolate structure, one can almost hear the faint echoes of music and merriment that once filled its ornate halls. Today, the Ambassador serves as an evocative memorial to its own vibrant history, an enduring testament to a bygone era of elegance and excitement, slowly being reclaimed by time and nature. The hotel, though abandoned, continues to stir souls with its poignant tale of forgotten glory.
Moving On
As our voyage comes to an end, we’re left with a deep appreciation for these architectural relics of the past. Each abandoned hotel in America has its own narrative to tell, a tapestry stitched with strands of history, nostalgia, and, occasionally, despair. They serve as both mute witnesses to the past and heartbreaking reminders of the transience of time and human activity.
They echo the lively stories of those who once frequented their halls, the grandeur they once housed, and the legacy they leave behind in their solitude. Their fading grace, tinged with sadness, creates a lovely scene of tenacity, survival, and remembrance. These abandoned hotels conjure an unsettling beauty and stir the depths of our hearts with their stories of vanished magnificence.
Our tour through these abandoned hotels in the United States has been evocative. These haunting remains of the past, like a sad book whose chapters keep you thinking long after you’ve turned the final page, compel us to reflect on the transitory nature of time and the ongoing endurance of structures that, despite neglect, continue to inspire and captivate. Their stories are carved in ruins, yet the spirit of their former grandeur lives on in the hushed nooks of their crumbling walls.
