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Abandoned Places in Louisiana - 2024: A Year in Pictures | Louisiana Through My Lens


Photos and Story by Ken Hulsey

My work has taken me across our state, and I have encountered dozens of abandoned locations. Louisiana is dotted with such sites where prosperity has given way to poverty and then abandonment. This is a testament to what once was. The reasons for this widespread phenomenon range from declining economic opportunities to the development of highways that bypass small towns and rural areas.

While this visual collection may paint a dismal picture, there is always hope. Towns like Bunkie are starting to show signs of a rebirth. Louisiana has a rich history, and there are always new landmarks to discover in each little town. I hope these images inspire you to get out and explore on your own.

More importantly, I hope this inspires a sense of urgency about preservation. There are many wonderful places that can be saved from rot and decay, if only there is a desire to do so. Perhaps we need to start a conversation about what should be preserved and how to go about it. It would be a tragedy to see Louisiana's rich history crumble due to neglect. That mission belongs to us all.

Martin, Louisiana 


Eunice Louisiana


Lecompte Louisiana 


Lecompte Louisiana 


Bunkie Louisiana 


Alexandria Louisiana 


Ball Louisiana 


Bunkie Louisiana


Near McNeely Louisiana


Near McNeely Louisiana 


Rock Hill Louisiana 


Lake Providence Louisiana 


Quimby Louisiana 


Midway Louisiana 


Bentley Louisiana 


Colfax Louisiana 


Grayson Louisiana 


Bonita Louisiana 


Bonita Louisiana 


Bonita Louisiana 


New Orleans Louisiana 


Spring Creek Louisiana 


Elizabeth Louisiana 


Alexandria Louisiana 


Bugue Chitto State Park 


Marrero Louisiana 


Bonita Louisiana 


Marksville Louisiana 


Marksville Louisiana 


Anacoco Louisiana 


Hathaway Louisiana 


Sugartown Louisiana 


Sugartown Louisiana 


Mamou Louisiana 


Jennings Louisiana 


Prospect Louisiana 


Prospect Louisiana 


Kateland Louisiana 


Rock Hill Lousiana 


Colfax Louisiana 


Shreveport Louisiana 


Shreveport Louisiana 


Jefferson Louisiana 
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