The natural beauty, history, and culture of Illinois are abundant. However, it also contains a fair share of deserted locations that provide a window into the past, present, and perhaps even future. These locations are intriguing, unsettling, and occasionally scary.
They range from abandoned jails and asylums to ghost towns and military facilities. If you have the courage, you can explore these five deserted locations in Illinois.
Manteno State Hospital
In 1930, the Manteno State Hospital was initially constructed as a mental health facility. The population would grow throughout time, and more structures would be built on the land.
Patient quality of life was poor in the hospital’s early years due to its struggles during the Great Depression.
There are even rumors that the US military secretly tested medical personnel during World War II, injecting malaria strains into a number of patients in an attempt to find a treatment.
Nearly 200 patients had escaped by the time the trials ended in 1941, and 462 patients would have perished.
At its height in 1954, 8,195 patients were spread across more than 200 acres. Similar to several hospitals during that era, Manteno operated on its own.
Patients held a variety of vocations in their own police force, utility companies, fire agencies, and farms.
The farm would close in the early 1960s, and as government financing migrated from huge institutions to smaller nursing care facilities, the number of patients would fall. In 1985, the hospital will eventually close.
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Damen Silos
In 1906, the Damen silos were constructed to store grain. When they were built, they were the highest buildings in the entire city. Grain carried through the Chicago Ship Canal could be easily stored in the silo due to its close proximity to the water.
A devastating explosion tore through the complex in 1977, destroying numerous silos and supporting structures. The place has been deserted ever since the blast.
The silos are still standing, but they are collapsing. For graffiti artists and taggers, the blank concrete is a canvas. You can investigate the tunnels that are labeled with different tags, as well as the silos.
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Peoria State Hospital
When Peoria State Hospital (also known as Bartonville State Hospital) was being built in the late 1800s, problems surfaced right away. The building had several problems with its structural soundness when it was first constructed. The new structure was abandoned for a number of years before being reconstructed.
Those deemed “incurable” were admitted to Peoria State Hospital. The Illinois Hospital for the Incurable Insane was its original name. The population barely exceeded 2,500 by 1925. Peoria was commended for its more contemporary and compassionate patient care methods in contrast to Manteno State Hospital.
The number of patients would peak at 2,800 by 1950. In 1972, Peoria State Hospital would collapse due to declining enrollment and financial difficulties.
Just 12 of the 63 buildings on campus are still standing. One of the buildings was recently acquired by a private owner who does ghost tours. One of the few abandoned buildings in Illinois that is open for tours without a permit is Peoria State Hospital, so check it out if you’re nearby.
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Old Joliet Prison
When the Old Joliet Prison first opened its doors in 1858, it looked like a fortress made of medesmers. During the Civil War, it housed both prisoners of war and criminals.
As the population increased, the record for the greatest prison population in the United States was broken in 1872 when over 1,239 convicts were housed there.
In addition, the prison featured a female cell house in the 1870s, which was ideally situated across from the male prisoners. In the later part of the 1800s, they would be moved to a new structure.
The circumstances were harsh. a bitterly chilly night and, until 1910, no running water or toilets in the cells.
Due to budgetary problems, deteriorating facilities, and antiquated architecture, the prison was closed in 2002.
Although the prison is currently deserted, excursions are still available thanks to the present proprietors. The Old Joliet Prison still contains a large number of items from its days as a functional prison, unlike many other abandoned locations in Illinois.
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Ashmore Estates
In the middle to late 1800s, the Ashmore Estates were a component of the Cole County Poor Farm. The conditions were harsh, and prisoners frequently perished while doing work on the estate. There are about one hundred people buried in the property’s modest cemetery.
The farm would eventually close and the area would be purchased by Ashmore Estates, who converted it into a private mental health facility in 1959. The plant was only forced to close after five years of operation because of financial difficulties.
In 1976, Paul Swinford purchased the property with the intention of erecting a new building to accommodate even more people. In 1981, construction was completed. By the spring of 1986, the facility had closed due to concerns with permits and compliance.
When Halloween night rolled around in 1995, the abandoned property caught fire.
The property is mostly deserted these days. Although there has been no information released or action taken on the project, there are rumors that the building will be converted into a haunted attraction.
Final Words
There are several abandoned sites in Illinois that have a special combination of mystery, history, and spookiness. Each has a unique story to tell and ranges from old mental health facilities to grain silos and jails. If you’re courageous enough, you can discover the fascinatingāand even unsettlingāhistory of these abandoned locations by exploring them.
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