Abandoned & Forgotten

Abandoned and forgotten places all have stories.  Some are known, but most will forever be sealed within.   Here we showcase some of the Abandoned & Forgotten places in the Four Rivers area.




    Silo Overlook in Land Between The Lakes

    This was the former Silo Overlook while still in operation. Thanks to Bryan for sharing.

    Prior to the Land Between The Lakes being taken over the by US Forest Service from TVA, one of the more popular attractions in the park was Silo Overlook.  It was located on the shores of Lake Barkley near Honker Lake at the end of Mulberry Flat Road (GPS 36.908W, 88.016N).

    The structure was an abandoned silo that rises about 40 feet from the ground.  It was converted into an overlook with a wooden incline built to the top.  Folks could walk up the top of the silo for beautiful views of Lake Barkley.

    Sometime in the late 1990s, or perhaps during the Forest Service/TVA transfer, Silo Overlook was abandoned.  We aren't sure why but can speculate that is was for safety and liability reasons.  The access road has been barricaded and closed to vehicular traffic, but you can walk down the old road to the remains of Silo Overlook.

    The first portion of the walkway/incline has been removed to keep people off of the silo.  The rest of it is in terrible condition with all the wood deteriorating.  Extensive renovations would be needed if Silo Overlook were to ever open again.

    While there, we also explored the shoreline of Lake Barkley and took some photos of some interesting objects.  As always, if you can provide any insight into these objects or the silo (especially if you have old photos of Silo Overlook open), please share them with us by emailing info@explorekentuckylake.com.  We'll credit you on this page with any information provided.

    Thanks to Bryan for the photo at the top showing Silo Overlook's glory days.  The remaining photos shown here are from our trip in November 2008.

    The old Silo Overlook.
    The old Silo Overlook.
    Looking up at the old silo.
    Wood is deteriorating at Silo Overlook.
    What would have been the view, but has since grown up quite a bit.
    The old Silo Overlook.
    Navigation marker.
    Walking along the shores of Lake Barkley near Silo Overlook.
    An old pipe, surely abandoned, comes out from the banks of Lake Barkley and disappears into the waters.
    From the shores of Lake Barkley, what appears to be an old wheel sticking up out of the water.
    The old parking lot at Silo Overlook.
    The barricade across the access road to Silo Overlook.
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    Vampire Hotel in Land Between The Lakes

    The only photo we have been able to come across of the "Vampire Hotel" in LBL. If you have some photos of the original structure, please share them with us!

    "Vampire Hotel" (moniker) is an abandoned structure near Kentucky Lake in the Land Between The Lakes.  The stone and concrete structure was partially torn down in the 1960s with the creation of LBL but part of it remained.  It was one of just a handful of remaining structures in LBL not completely removed.  Throughout the 1990s, it had become a popular hangout spot with locals - some of whom were less than reputable.

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    Old Danville Transfer Elevator

    We've always enjoyed experiencing and seeing the oddities of the Four Rivers region. That's why this site, Four Rivers Explorer, exists.  But before we began this site, we had a section of our main tourism site, Explore Kentucky Lake, that was dedicated to the unusual and lesser-known aspects of our area.  We called the section "Explorations".

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    Great Western Iron Furnace

    The Great Western Iron Furnace.

    The remains of this limestone slab furnace are all that is left of The Great Western Iron Works. Great Western opened in 1855 and in a 34-week period produced 1,350 tons of iron. The production of high-quality iron required twenty bushels of charcoal, 800 pounds of ore, and 80 pounds of limestone.

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