An urban explorer stumbled upon a small, rotting ghost town in rural Canada: it’s home to forgotten houses, a school, and even a church.
The former town of Insinger in Saskatchewan is now just a collection of abandoned buildings that were once the center of a small Ukrainian community, where hundreds of people lived.
It was founded in 1898 and almost 100 years later, in 1981, the settlement still had a population of 805 people; This number dropped to just 315 inhabitants in 2016 and is now an empty village, with no one in sight.
Ontario photographer Dave, known online as Freaktography, stumbled upon the rural community and was shocked by what he found, sharing the images with his 88,500 YouTube subscribers.
He recalled: “There were a lot of abandoned buildings scattered everywhere. There was a Ukrainian church that was very small.
An Ontario urban explorer has discovered a spooky abandoned ghost town left to rot in rural Canada.
‘There was some graffiti, there were no windows, but it was very pretty. There were a lot of buildings, houses and a small post office.
“There was a school that wasn’t in very good condition; everything was falling apart and I couldn’t get very far.”
Originally founded as the town of Lawrie in 1898, the rural settlement later changed its name to Insinger in 1907.
It grew into a small prosperous community, and many of its inhabitants were of Ukrainian descent.
The now ghost town is located just off Saskatchewan Highway 16, Yellowhead, in southeastern Saskatchewan.
Population decline, caused by an economic shift as well as improved transportation to larger areas, led to its population slowly declining.
Its last population count in 2016 revealed that there were only 315 inhabitants, according to the Population Census, this had reduced from 805 in 1981.
Now it is completely abandoned, and only curious explorers and photographers like Dave stop by to catch a glimpse of its past.
It is not the only city in the area to suffer this fate: throughout Saskatchewan there are 140 ghost towns, many of which were abandoned during the 20th century.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 7 The ancient town of Insinger in Saskatchewan is home to forgotten houses, a post office, a school and even a Ukrainian church with a domed spire.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518976_698_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
The ancient town of Insinger in Saskatchewan is home to forgotten houses, a post office, a school and even a Ukrainian church with a domed spire.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 9 Urban explorer and photographer Dave, known online as Freaktography, stumbled upon the rural community and was shocked by what he found - sharing the images with his 88,500 YouTube subscribers.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518977_298_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Urban explorer and photographer Dave, known online as Freaktography, stumbled upon the rural community and was shocked by what he found – sharing the images with his 88,500 YouTube subscribers.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 11 Pictured: The Insinger School, which the sign says closed in 1967.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518977_14_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Pictured: The Insinger School, which the sign says closed in 1967.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 13 Pictured: Insinger in the 1950s, before it was abandoned.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518977_592_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Pictured: Insinger in the 1950s, before it was abandoned.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 15 There were abandoned houses considered dangerous to enter, as well as an unoccupied post office.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518977_906_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
There were abandoned houses considered dangerous to enter, as well as an unoccupied post office.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 17 The school (above)](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518977_905_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
The school (above) was “not in very good condition” and “falling apart” so Dave had difficulty getting in
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 19 The explorer found an old schoolhouse that was in dangerous condition after being left to rot over the years.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518977_67_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
The explorer found an old schoolhouse that was in dangerous condition after being left to rot over the years.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 21 Rooms that were once classrooms filled with children are now filled with collapsed wood and the floors are littered with trash.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518977_828_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Rooms that were once classrooms filled with children are now filled with collapsed wood and the floors are littered with trash.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 23 In Insinger's haunting video, Dave began by filming the church and panning his camera across the ancient city to show that there was not a soul in sight, just empty fields stretching into the distance.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518977_124_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
In Insinger’s haunting video, Dave began by filming the church and panning his camera across the ancient city to show that there was not a soul in sight, just empty fields stretching into the distance.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 25 Although the church appeared to be in good condition from the outside, inside it was in disrepair, with debris and trash scattered everywhere.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518977_710_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Although the church appeared to be in good condition from the outside, inside it was dilapidated, with debris and trash scattered everywhere.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 27 The now ghost town is located just off Saskatchewan Highway 16, Yellowhead in southeastern Saskatchewan.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_343_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
The now ghost town is located just off Saskatchewan Highway 16, Yellowhead in southeastern Saskatchewan.
In Insinger’s haunting video, Dave began by filming the church and panning his camera across the ancient city to show that there was not a soul in sight, just empty fields stretching into the distance.
Although the church appeared to be in good condition from the outside, inside it was dilapidated, with debris and trash scattered everywhere.
Some of the ceiling tiles had fallen off and the carpet was half torn from the floor.
Although the religious icons, such as the golden crosses and works of art, as well as the blue tile roof, remained frozen in time.
The explorer found an old schoolhouse that was in dangerous condition after being left to rot over the years.
Rooms that used to be classrooms filled with children are now littered with collapsed wood and the floor strewn with trash.
There were abandoned houses considered dangerous to enter, as well as an unoccupied post office.
One building, marked ‘Insinger Water Works’, appeared to remain largely untouched since the last person walked through the door.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 29 Some of the ceiling tiles had fallen off and the carpet was half torn from the floor.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_105_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Some of the ceiling tiles had fallen off and the carpet was half torn from the floor.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 31 Speaking of the church, Dave said:](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_13_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Speaking of the church, Dave said: “There was some graffiti, there were no windows, but it was very pretty.”
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 33 Although religious icons such as the golden crosses and artwork, as well as the blue tile roof, remained frozen in time.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_446_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Although religious icons such as the golden crosses and artwork, as well as the blue tile roof, remained frozen in time.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 35 Originally founded as the town of Lawrie in 1898, the rural settlement later changed its name to Insinger in 1907.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_938_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Originally founded as the town of Lawrie in 1898, the rural settlement later changed its name to Insinger in 1907.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 37 There were also abandoned houses considered dangerous to enter (above), as well as an unoccupied post office.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_426_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
There were also abandoned houses considered dangerous to enter (above), as well as an unoccupied post office.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 39 One building, marked 'Insinger Water Works', appeared to remain largely untouched since the last person walked through the door.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_130_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
One building, marked ‘Insinger Water Works’, appeared to remain largely untouched since the last person walked through the door.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 41 In the picture: the interior of the Ukrainian church in the abandoned town of Insinger.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_739_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 43 In the picture: the interior of the Ukrainian church in the abandoned town of Insinger.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_427_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
In the picture: the interior of the Ukrainian church in the abandoned town of Insinger.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 45 On one side of the abandoned church there were graffiti scrawls.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_16_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
On one side of the abandoned church there were graffiti scrawls.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 47 Most of the buildings' windows are broken or missing.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_545_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Most of the buildings’ windows are broken or missing.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 49 The church has a vibrant blue roof, which is still largely intact.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_971_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
The church has a vibrant blue roof, which is still largely intact.
![Eerie 'ghost town' with its own church, school, post office and several homes is discovered in rural Canada where the last population count was just 315 before it was completely abandoned 51 1708518978 983 Eerie ghost town with its own church school post office](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/02/1708518978_983_Eerie-ghost-town-with-its-own-church-school-post-office.jpg.webp)
Now, Insinger is completely abandoned, with only curious explorers and photographers like Dave stopping to catch a glimpse of its past.
After The Forgotten City was shared on YouTube, viewers were quick to comment.
One user wrote: “Saskatchewan has the most beautiful abandoned churches.”
A second added: “That’s so sad,” and a third wrote: “Nice church.” I wonder why it’s a ghost town. School is dangerous. It’s sad to see Dave.
Someone else wrote: “It’s nice to know the city will be remembered in the movie.” I would pronounce it ‘in-sing-er’.
‘My favorite town in SK was Herbert. I’m glad you didn’t try to get into that house.
Meanwhile, another fan commented: ‘I love the old prairies and ghost towns of northern Ontario. Guy from Ontario here.