Abandoned America

The vacant Third Presbyterian Church in Chester, Pennsylvania was an endangered architectural treasure in a city that has already lost many. A team of dedicated preservationists were making strides toward rehabilitating it into a much-needed community art center, but a sudden and horrific turn of events resulted in the destruction of the church. Join host Matthew Christopher and guest host Matt La...

Aside from homes, abandoned churches may be the most prevalent type of abandoned building in the United States - but why is that? In this episode I'm joined by Matt Lambros, author/photographer of the After the Final Curtain book series, and we'll discuss why churches are closing in such staggering numbers. The answers may surprise you! We'll also look at the history of the Ascension of Our Lord C...

In this episode I'm joined by my guest Matt Lambros, creator of the After the Final Curtain podcast and book series, and we'll discuss Danvers State Hospital, one of the most infamous of the abandoned American asylums. Starting with the fascinating history and lore surrounding the site and journeying to the hospital's closure and the impact that had on the surrounding community, we'll wrap up with...

In part 2 of our exploration of America's abandoned asylums, we'll discuss what led to the closure of so many state hospitals across the United States. Why was such an expensive, ambitious system dismantled and why is the word "asylum" now associated with such stigma and sadness? Together with my guest Matt Lambros, creator of the After The Final Curtain podcast and book series,...

Of all the American ruins, asylums are perhaps the most iconic - but how did so many come to be left to rot across the country? In this two part episode we'll cover the history of the American state hospital system with my guest, Matt Lambros, creator of the After the Final Curtain podcast and book series. How were individuals with mental illness treated before the asylums were built? What led to...

Now that we've discussed the history of theaters in America and why so many were lost or abandoned, let's take a closer look at a specific one: the Victory Theatre in Holyoke, MA, which has been abandoned since 1979. I'm joined by my guest Matt Lambros, one of the country's foremost experts on abandoned theaters and creator of the After the Final Curtain podcast and book series, as we ask how one...

How did so many grand theaters and movie palaces come to be abandoned?  In this episode we'll dive into the history of theaters in America with Matt Lambros, theater historian and creator of the After the Final Curtain book series and podcast. Together we'll chart the race to build increasingly ornate theaters across America and uncover why they eventually fell out of favor with the...