Where are there abandoned places in PA?

What are some good abandoned places around Pittsburgh, PA?

• I currently live around DC but will be moving to Pittsburgh this summer to attend The Art Institute. Photography is my passion and I love photographing abandoned places. Where I live, there are a lot of abandoned hospitals and schools and stuff like that, but every time I do a search to find anywhere around where I'm moving, I either find nothing or just stuff that has been demolished. Whether or not it's illegal to enter or not makes no difference to me. Street and city names would be greatly appreciated =]

• Answer:

  Heppenstall Mill: Lawrenceville. Follow 28 North from downtown Pittsburgh and then take the 40th Street Bridge. http://flickr.com/photos/85181947@N00/151999725/ Other abandoned mills and factories: http://www.coalcampusa.com/rustbelt/pa/pa.htm Some of those aren't there anymore. I'm not familiar with all the areas, so you'll have to do a little research! Check out the old Dixmont State Hospital: http://www.opacity.us/site60_dixmont_state_hospital.htm http://www.dixmontstatehospital.com/buildings.html Unfortunately, I believe the last of it was demolished in 2006! I just included the links for the cool photos. Sorry to disappoint. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07079/770918-53.stm St. Nicholas Church on Route 28, close to the Millvale exit. It was closed years ago, and abandoned to expand the road. The OTHER St. Nicholas Church, just a few miles away in Millvale, is not an abandoned building but worth checking out for Maxo Vanka's murals. Here's information and pictures: http://www.stnicholascroatian.com/Murals_1.html The address is on the website. Check out this interesting conversation on Flickr about abandoned places in PA: http://www.flickr.com/groups/80131040@N00/discuss/12936/ You may be able to find some abandoned houses by exploring neighborhoods surrounding the city. I've seen photos of some in Braddock and McKeesport, but really they're all over the place. You just have to look. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3258/2672066000_98aa4c36cd.jpg Venture about 2 hours north of Pittsburgh on 79 and you'll come to Conneaut Lake. Quaint little lakeside town there, and the Pymatuning spillway is also worth a visit. You'll find your share of abandoned farmhouses, hotels, and Conneaut Lake Park up there as well. Many of the amusement rides are still there, and you can drive back to a lakeside restaurant there so you should be able to get some photos. You can use Google maps and get good directions by putting "Conneaut Lake Park" as your endpoint. I love driving around up there. Go in the summer and stop by a farmer's market. And check out this shot: http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/photocontest/photos/Abandoned_Tara_Kinsell.JPG I don't know where that is. There are a lot of very 'industrial' areas particularly along Pittsburgh's 3 rivers. Drive along Ohio River Boulevard, or along 28 North to check out the towns along the Allegheny River. Then drive along 837 along the Monongahela. Check out Google Maps and put "Duquesne, PA" and look at the photos. Do the same with "Sharpsburg, PA". Also lots of cool churches in and around PIttsburgh, which make for some interesting photography. Do a Google Image search for "St. Anthony's Chapel, Pittsburgh". It's only about a ten-minute drive from the St. Nicholas Church I mentioned above. I hope that was helpful. And when you're ready for a break from all that urban photography, check out Southwestern PA's many parks! Moraine State Park is beautiful year-round. Welcome and best wishes!