The Kowloon Walled City was located just outside Hong Kong, China during British rule. A former watchpost to protect the area against pirates, it was occupied by Japan during World War II and subsequently taken over by squatters after Japan’s surrender. Neither Britain nor China wanted responsibility for it, so it became … Read more
Craco is located in the Region of Basilicata and the Province of Matera. About 25 miles inland from the Gulf of Taranto at the instep of the “boot” of Italy. This medieval town is typical of those in the area, built up with long undulating hills all around that allow for the … Read more
The old airport of Athens Elliiniko International Airport was the first, and for all its 60 years of operation, primary airport of the Greek capital. Its construction begun in 1938 but was cut short due to World War II. During the Nazi occupation of Greece, Kalamaki airfield, as it was known then, … Read more
The Spanish ghost town of Ciudad Valdeluz Ciudad Valdeluz is a suburb 60 kilometers (37 miles) northeast of Madrid, Spain. It was meant to be city of 30,000, but only 1,000 people took up residence there after construction halted in 2008 with 75% of the city unfinished due to the economic downturn. … Read more
Bankhead, Alberta A small coal mining town that existed near Banff in the early twentieth century, Bankhead came to be after the Anthracite mine closed down. Bankhead mine began supplying coal for the locomotives of the Canadian Pacific Railway, but closed after complaints of poor coal quality and constant labour strikes. Bankhead, … Read more
The town was founded in 1873 when prospectors built log cabins near their claims. Because three rivers meet nearby it was called Three Forks of the Animas, later simplified to Animas Forks by the U.S. Postal Service. At almost 11’200 feet, the town suffered from the elevation’s severe winters. Most of the … Read more
Gold was discovered here by Jack Mann in 1878.This townsite is located at about 11,800 ft and an aerial tramway was used to move the ore to the mill below. The most interesting feature was the fact that this was the first mine to use AC current. Some famous people, like George … Read more
Humberstone is not anything you would imagine. The reason it was abandoned was something less sinister than a deadly extra terrestrial virus. For awhile it was a prosperous town of 3500 that thrived on nitrate mining for fertilizer. These people had a town complete with a hospital, a public swimming pool, and … Read more