Narrator -- "When you think of the perfect little town to live in; what comes to mind?
I think of a picturesque small town surrounded by huge trees and mountains
it also has beautiful blue skies and nicely manicured lawns. I think of small
mom-and-pop stores ran by the citizens of the community where people enjoy
helping each other. The town would have a nice library, grocery store, and hospital;
as well as other conveniences we've come to rely on. There is such a place and
it's beautiful it's a small town on the northeastern coast of British Columbia
Canada. The name of this almost perfect town is Kitsault British Columbia.
I say almost perfect because one very important part of this town is missing
the most important part in fact; the people.
Kitsault British Columbia is a town with a very unique story. A sad story
that's fading away like the fall leaves to cover the grounds before winter.
salt British Columbia was founded and built by the US mining conglomerate
Phelps Dodge in 1979. The town was built to sustain a mining operation for
molybdenum which is a metal used in steel production. At its peak the town
housed over 1200 residents and had a hospital, a Sports Center, a theatre, and a
grocery store with the promise of growth and
prosperity. Only 18 months after the town was opened the price of molybdenum
crashed and residents were forced to leave. Phelps Dodge purchased the homes
back from the residents and asked them to leave. Some were forcefully removed
from their new homes and the once booming town was seemingly closed
overnight. Everything was simply abandoned as it would have been more
expensive to sell it off than to just leave it behind
The books were even left on the shelves in the library, as you can see; everything
was left as is. Everything was in perfect order but they're just missing the
people. After the last person left the town,
it was completely vacant; however, somebody left the power on. The power has
been on for nearly 30 years and the town sits very well preserved waiting for its
residents to return.
This looks like the hallway in a school.
Due to the lack of funds, people were only able to pack up their personal
belongings; everything else was left behind. Mailboxes were left vacant and
empty and wonder what building this was taken in. It's so weird seeing a
perfectly preserved building sitting there empty. You have to follow a long
dirt road to enter the town which still stands in the middle of nowhere.
Everything is covered in late 1970s decor and the names of the champions are
still written in chalk on a board in the Sports Center. The town's backdrop is one
anyone would be envious of, the place is stunning. Kitsault has 94 homes, 200
apartments, a hospital, a shopping mall, a movie theater, a Town & Country
restaurant, and a Sports Center. All of the homes were left completely vacant.
With the homes and structures being only three years old at the time of vacancy;
they're all still in very good condition to this day.
There must be quite an eerie feeling walking down the streets of Kitsault; but,
I would love to live in a place like this. Photographer Chad Graham is the
only one in the town on this photo shoot
An empty playground outside the school was once full of little children having
a great time. Not even a year after this plaque was made the town was closed
the electricity still lights the town up at night. Everything in Kitsault was
purchased brand new and it just sits deteriorating now.
Can you imagine 1,200 people just up and leaving after only 3 years
Even at the end of a dock in the bay; sits a lonely boat tied up waiting for
its driver. The old refining plant that sparked the construction of this town
sits empty and unproductive. Over 200 apartments without residents
Even the town center, which provided phenomenal views of the surrounding
landscape looks as if it's ready to move in and start a party. The bridge to Kitsault
once had hundreds of cars a day crossing and now it's a rare sight to
see that bridge in use.
Kitsault went up for sale in 2004 and was purchased for five million dollars.
Canadian entrepreneur and businessman Krishnan Suthanthiran purchased the
town sight unseen. He had just found an article in the newspaper and sent a
check. He had hopes of turning the town into a sort of retreat for intellectuals
scientists and doctors to work together
The town was opened in 2011; But, things have since changed. Their talks about
opening a natural gas plant in Kitsault; but, that would require an investment of
thirty billion dollars to get off the ground.
The plan is still open as
investors are sought after this large venture.
The housing and infrastructure are already in place and something needs to happen to breathe life back into this
beautiful town. It is tragic that this beautiful little place on earth was left
abandoned but at least there are talks of revamping this little town with so
much character and such a beautiful landscape; it would sure be a shame to
leave it all alone to rot. Looking at the photographs and understanding the
memories of this town it's hard not to hope that this wasted land gets put to good use.