Abandoned Madison County: The Demise of an Industrial Region

There was a time when the city of Anderson, Indiana, was considered to be the epicenter of Madison County. With a population of over 70,000 residents in the early 1970s, Anderson had three high schools and over one dozen elementary schools that offered quality education for youngsters in the city. For decades, Anderson’s General Motors plants employed thousands from Madison County, providing good pay and excellent benefits to its workers. But in the 1980s, red flags were seen waving throughout Anderson and surrounding towns. Job opportunities at General Motors became obsolete, enrollment at public schools began to crumble, and family-owned farms in rural Madison County were fewer and farther between. Join author David Humphrey as he explores abandoned locations throughout Madison County.