Abandoned houses, deserted shops, a nearly empty mall and faded street murals: an eye-opening documentary takes viewers on a tour of a languishing Ohio town.
Urban explorer Dark Devin inHe walked into downtown Steubenville, which he explained was once a booming industrial district known for its steel production and coal mining.
It is also famous for being the birthplace of iconic singer and actor Dean Martin.
However, “because the United States could not compete with cheaper prices abroad, the mines and plants closed in the 1980s” and the city “has lost half of its peak population of 40,000 people.” It is now “stuck in the 1940s,” according to Devin.
As the filmmaker walks through the historic city centre, he notes that “there is not a soul walking around here” and most of the shops appear to be abandoned.
Urban explorer Devin Dark ventured into downtown Steubenville, which he explains was once a booming industrial district.
It is also claimed to be the birthplace of iconic singer Dean Martin.
As Devin walks through the historic city centre, he notes that “there’s not a soul walking around here” and most of the shops appear to be abandoned.
At one appliance store you look into, there are still dozens of washing machines on the showroom floor gathering dust, while at a closed video game store there are hundreds of games on the shelves, gradually aging.
Devin explains as he looks out the window, “Wow, look at that! I think we need to abandon it.”
‘Over there to the left are PlayStation 2 games… Xbox 360 on the shelf… This place is a time capsule.’
Other closed locations he comes across include an old bank, a multi-story hotel, and a gas station with an old car parked outside.
During the tour, Devin explains that Steubenville is also known as the “Mural City” for its collection of giant artworks that adorn various buildings.
He Tourism in Ohio The website notes that there are currently 24 life-size murals painted on buildings throughout the city, creating an “open-air” art museum.
‘From Pioneer Days, which highlight the Ohio Valley’s role in westward expansion, to Dean Martin (the city’s native son) and the Rat Pack, to dramatic scenes of steelworkers in the now-closed steel mills, the murals present local history in a colorful and fresh way.’
Later in the documentary, Devin explores a residential area that he finds in disrepair and ventures to the Fort Steuben Mall.
Ohio’s tourism website notes that there are currently “24 larger-than-life murals painted on buildings throughout the city, creating an ‘open-air’ art museum.”
Later in the documentary, Devin ventures to the Fort Steuben Mall, which was built in 1974 but is now in a similar state of gradual decay.
A closed video game store has hundreds of games on the shelves that gradually age.
Devin explores a residential area that he finds in a state of ruin.
While it thrived after opening in 1974, Devin considers the mall a shadow of its former self.
As he walks through the empty mall, he says, “Because of the jobs that are being taken away from the area, people are just not doing retail shopping anymore and that leads to another dead mall here in America.”
“It will probably close eventually…”There aren’t really many shops here.
The camera pans to show that many of the stores are closed, save for a GameStop and a JCPenney.
Summing up his visit to Steubenville, Devin says, “I love Steubenville.”Most of these houses in the city were built for miners or businessmen affiliated with the mine or steel plant.
‘Since the reduction in housing stock has been more than 50 percent since the 1940s, about half of the city’s houses are now completely empty or demolished.
“I came across more and more abandoned family homes and businesses. It’s a sad sight, but a reminder of what big corporations do to the little people.
“I really hope this city can find some economy and that some of these buildings don’t have to deteriorate further, but it’s been a beautiful day, a beautiful exploration.”
Many viewers have thanked Devin for sharing his knowledge. However, some have pointed out that other areas of Steubenville are alive and well.
“Since they’ve fallen more than 50 percent since the 1940s, we have about half of the city’s homes completely vacant or demolished right now,” he shared.
“I kept finding more and more abandoned family homes and businesses,” Dave said.
Many viewers have thanked Devin for sharing his insights.
One fan wrote: “I grew up in Ohio. I went there once in the early 90s. I remember it being more vibrant. It’s shocking to see the transformation over the last 30 years. Loved the video.”
However, some have pointed out that other areas of Steubenville are alive and well, but these were not shown in the documentary.
One commenter wrote in response to the YouTube video: ‘I’m glad you were able to visit our city and appreciate what it was and some of what it is now, but Steubenville is not an abandoned ghost town.
It may not be what it used to be, and yes, many businesses and homes are abandoned, but there is so much more here.
‘In the last decade and even in the last few years, many new businesses have opened, and many of them are passed by without saying anything about it.
“Most of these places are closed on Sundays or have limited hours, but they have brought a lot of life to our town. Many families have moved here from larger cities across the country in search of the smaller-town community and cheaper prices.”
