Urbexer finds history, adventure in hidden haunts
The hobby of urban exploration (also known as UE or urbex) has gained major traction over the past decade and has become a treasured pastime for many young adults. It is a diverse, dangerous and occasionally illegal activity that involves exploring abandoned manmade structures closed to the general public. Old schools, mills, hospitals, military camps, tunnels and hotels are all prime targets, and many travel long distances to visit them in person.
Some do it for the thrills, others for the photographs and others for the ghosts. While it often requires trespassing, the ambitions of urban explorers are inherently innocent. The general code of conduct is “take only photographs and leave only footprints.” Most avid urbexers detest vandals and graffiti artists, who defile the authenticity and natural decay of their beloved structures. In fact, many hardcore explorers conceal the identities and locations of their favorite haunts for that very reason.
Recently, after a great deal of effort, I was able to find a young, but experienced, urbexer who has explored some of South Carolina’s most alluring abandonments--from the Upstate to the coast. Twenty-two-year-old Vince asked that his last name be withheld. He lives in Greer and is a student at USC-Columbia. The following interview was conducted via email. Part 2 of the conversation will appear in next week’s paper.
How did you get into urban exploration?
Vince: I have always liked to explore and go on adventures. Growing up in Charleston, I remember my grandmother telling me “adventure is anywhere you look for it.” She filled my head with stories of the old city and took me on weekend tours to old jails and ships and other such adventurous outings. It left an impression on me, and I never forgot the joy of discovering something hidden in plain sight.
Ever since, I always made it a habit to pull over and explore any abandoned house by the side of the road. I really started urban exploring, though, when I moved to Columbia and found my first tunnel. Since then, I’ve found all kinds of sites, underground or abandoned, across every corner of the state.
How often do you go urban exploring now?
I try and urbex every weekend, time willing.
Are you a part of any urbex group? Who do you go exploring with?
One of the most essential rules of urbex is not to go alone. You don’t want to face a potentially dangerous situation, with the elements or otherwise, on your own. When I was 19, I started a group called “Final Frontier” in order to catalogue sites across South Carolina, particularly Columbia and the Upstate around Greenville. We are also associated with another local group, “The Third Shift”, that’s been active in South Carolina for about a decade now. Usually though, you can find a site to explore or buddy to explore with on the Urban Exploration Resource or the S.C. Urban Explorers Facebook page.
What are some of the more notable buildings or places in our state that you have explored?
In Greenville, I am partial to practicing photography in abandoned mills. The tunnels in Columbia are also fantastic as a lower risk trip. See -- here’s the gem of urbex in the Midlands: when Sherman came through and burned the place down, the city hired a Dutch architect to rebuild. Now in Europe, it was fashionable at the time to build escape tunnels under capital cities. Columbia was thus reconstructed over a pretty impressive set of tunnels. I’ve spent a decent amount of time piecing together the above information, and finding the lost tunnels scattered around.
Obviously, history is a lot of the draw for you.
As I’ve said, some of the old mills have a decent amount of history, but the Bull Street Asylum (aka SC State Hospital in Columbia) really takes the cake for historic significance. See, it’s not just an asylum... but a whole campus, a city within a city, that lies abandoned. There’s a library, school buildings, an old church, office buildings, houses -- all forgotten and out of use for years... And there are also stories within the asylum itself. Patient files are scattered about that detail a whole history of lives.
Do you ever take any artifacts from these places?
Like most explorers, I do not condone taking artifacts from sites or leaving our “tag” or graffiti. For one, we do not want the negative image of vandals or looters that urbexers are sometimes associated with. We (for the most part) just want to admire, as if we were exploring an exclusive museum. Second, in line with the museum idea, we want to preserve the beauty of a site for other explorers who will come through in the future. That said, I sometimes make an exception in the case of old books. It’s a shame to let some things go to waste.
Do you ever go on any urbex trips out of state? If so, where?
Yes, I frequently go out of state. Easily the best spot within four hours is the Old State Prison right by Atlanta. I’ve been three times before. It’s an old jail (of course) that has sort of become a proving ground for Atlanta’s graffiti artists. It’s a long-gone two-story building, but the second floor roof burned a decade ago leaving it open air. The top story is now a colorful museum of artwork. Seriously, it’s like the MOMA of graffiti. The bottom floor is also good exploring. Very atmospheric...you can walk past old jail cells and peak inside...and because of all the corridors you can never see all the way around you, so you never quite feel safe. I am still not convinced of the supernatural, but that place would make me a believer after dark.
What do you think is the main allure of the hobby?
There are a few answers to this. One of my buddies says he wants to see the world as it will be when we are gone. Another says he gets a thrill from trespassing, and likes the scenery. I’m a little less romantic. I just want to explore because that stuff is there. We pass by old buildings on our way back from work, or we walk over forgotten tunnels without realizing what’s under us. I just want to explore what’s hidden to most.
