Chase writes about the Buffalo Asylum:
“I’ve recently re-located to Buffalo NY. My partner works at one of the many universities here, directly next door to the Buffalo Richardson Complex, formerly known as Buffalo’s Asylum for the Insane. I know it’s featured on your Morbid Sightseeing page, but I feel your links don’t do it justice. The architecture is gorgeous, and the complex is huge. When I say ‘huge’ I don’t mean most of a city block or anything like that. It’s like 6 blocks long. Here’s a link to some photos of the building and a link to the Google Map that shows the size of this thing. It’s almost as big as the university itself.
“Great news! I’ve recently heard that discussions are being held towards the possibility of turning this wonderful old pile into a conference center and hotel. I can’t think of a better place to spend a special Valentines Night or my next anniversary (whether it’s a hotel then or not!)
“There’s also a massive old cemetery nearby, it’s part of Delaware park. I find that amusing, since that’s generally how I view cemeteries, as big parks where there happen to be lots of nifty monuments to the dead.
“Drop by Buffalo if you get the chance, it’s not just hockey and those disgusting fried waste parts of chicken dipped in vinegary sauce, we’ve got dead things and decaying buildings, too!”
Sightseer
Should you be planning a visit to the Czech Republic anytime soon, you surely cannot miss stopping by the Ossuary at Sedlec! It’s a chapel decorated with human bones! Now, there’s a proper church!
The Ossuary In Sedlec
Thanks to Kevin for reminding me of this one.
Sightseer
Nikki writes to tell us about visiting the site of the Great Boston Molasses Flood:
“After reading about this flood on my MFDJ email a long time back I’ve been nearly obsessed with this event. Read everything I could on it. Telling everyone I meet about it.
“So finally the day came that my Significant Other and I were taking a trip to that area. I demanded we find the site of the great flood!! I swear we looked friggin’ everywhere for this. Found a really awesome cemetery, but nothing on the flood. We scavenged the entire area on the map that was the location to no avail. Finally as we were giving up and leaving I passed by a teeny tiny little sign on a wall, about 2 feet high. The sign was at knee level where anyone could miss it. Needless to say I was not pleased, but at least glad there was something there. Personally I’d love to see a giant bronze statue depicting the wave and people drowning in it, but alas. At least some kind of monument would have been nice.”
More Bay State morbid sightseeing suggestions can be found at The Morbid Sightseer’s Massachusetts page.
Sightseer
Did you hear the one about the retired Canadian undertaker who built a house out of embalming fluid bottles? Now you have!
The Embalming Fluid Bottle House
Thanks to The Dickeys for the suggestion.
More Canadian sightseeing suggestions at the Morbid Sightseer’s Canada page.
Sightseer
The next time you’re in L.A., why not take a time out from visiting all the dead stars, and check out the most infamous gangland spots in town? You know I will!
L.A. Gangland Tours
Thanks to nina for the suggestion.
More California excursions can be found at The Morbid Sightseer.
Sightseer
Anne writes to make sure that if we ever find ourselves in Laramie, Wyoming (and are able to free ourselves from the fence post), we know where to go:
“If you ever have the misfortune to find yourself in Laramie Wyoming there is a neat old Territorial prison that is open to the public. Not horribly morbid, but interesting.”
Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site
The Territorial Prison is the best preserved of the prisons of the old west. Built in 1872 it was restored and renovated by the efforts of the citizens of Laramie. There were at least 12 woman housed here and more than 1,000 men, the most famous of which was Butch Cassidy.Opening Hours between May 1 and October 31 (including holidays):
Everyday, 9 AM to 6 PM
More Wyoming adventures can be found at the Wyoming page of The Morbid Sightseer:
Wyoming – The Equality State
Sightseer
The least they could do is wait until after I’ve had the chance to do my Morbid Sightseeing trip to Europe before they start desecrating the sites I want to see!!!
Auschwitz Sign Stolen
Sightseer
The Museum Of Funeral Customs in Springfield, Illinois has closed. I never made it there even though I’ve lived in Illinois for over five years. I hate myself.
The Museum Of Funeral Customs, R.I.P.
Sightseer
Dan has a morbid sightseeing suggestion for those of us passing through Wyoming (which I haven’t done since 1982, but you never know):
“If you’re ever winding your way west on I-80, be sure to stop in Rawlins, WY for the tour of the Wyoming Frontier Prison. It was a very harsh place to be jailed: no heat, no hot water, a whipping pillory, isolation cages (4×4x4 in size), a dirt-walled underground cell for the incorrigible, a two-floor execution building with a hanging area and a gas chamber, and of course, a mandatory chapel. Really creepy Victorian architecture too! It was also the location for the 1987 grade-C horror movie Prison (Viggo Mortenson’s first movie), which you can buy on VHS in the gift shop.
“All in all, a morbid delight!”
Frankie’s Web Kingdom Road Trip
The Wyoming Frontier Prison (Official Site)
More Morbid Sightseeing suggestions can be found at The Morbid Sightseer.
Sightseer
I received an e-mail from John C. Von Hohenstein who was delighted to see his great-great grandparents’ grave displayed on my Bonaventure Cemetery blog:
“I am very pleased that you posted the picture of my ancester’s tomb; Charles and Mary Hohenstein. They are my Great Great Grandparents. Charles and his Brother came from Germany at the end of the Civil War. They were shipping merchants who came to capitalize on the rebuilding of Savannah, Atlanta, and New Orleans. The Hohenstein Shipping Yard is still in operation at the Port of Savannah.”
If you’re interested in cemeteries, Savannah, or Savannah cemeteries, please have a look at my Bonaventure Cemetery travelogue. Other travelogues and suggested morbid sites are available at The Morbid Sightseer.
Sightseer
