Abandoned houses

Creepy doesn't begin to describe them.

When a house has been abandoned, Joyce Carol Oates writes, you can be sure there’s a sad story.

There’s something so eerie and breathtaking about the places that haven’t seen a human for longer than they can remember. Sadly, in our increasingly urbanized world, there are not many corners left like this.

Exploring an abandoned 1900's Victorian Mansion. This abandoned Victorian Mansion sits looking very modest and almost like any other home from the outside.

Abandoned Seaview Hospital | Staten Island: Off the Beaten Path

David McDonald Photography

Here's what Barstow looks like today. Prepare yourself - this is what a ghost town truly looks like.

Our fascination with architecture runs deep. We pay attention to the structures around us because of the way it shapes our experiences and tells stories about the culture. To really understand our environment, we can explore cities by strolling down the main streets and learning about history by admiring famous landmarks. For some of us, however, the view from the bottom and from a safe distance is simply not enough.

When we call a place home, instead of a house, we’re ascribing a sort of positive emotion to it. But on the flip side, a windowless, empty house can evoke melancholy, sad, and even spooky emotions as our brains wonder why the people left in the first place. Mortgage costs are boring, it must be ghosts.