Comments on: Italy’s Most Famous Drowned Town

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:52:00 +0000

This is really freaky i would like to see more underwater
We are learning about it and acting about it in Drama

Really Spooky
Thanks ;]
Laura

By: auslander

auslander — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:14:00 +0000

Boston’s water supply comes from an area that used to be four towns in Western Massachusetts. Everyone was moved out and the buildings were taken away in the 30’s.

By: John

John — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:23:00 +0000

Lake Herrington, in Kentucky, has a submerged town with a Mill and Coveredbridge.

By: britt

britt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:09:00 +0000

Okay, so I am not defending KC’s comment. Yes the US has plenty of buildings that are 100 plus years but I think Noriko was referring to ols like 300 years or more. In that case, there are some. The ancient Pueblo structures that are found in the South Western US date back to the 1200’s at least. Though they may not be what you think of, they are buidings that are still standing and some feel are worth preserving. Also, some structures have stood since the 1600’s such as St. Luke’s church in Smithfield, Virginia and the House on De Vargas Street in Sante Fe New Mexico. But These are few and far between, not like Europe.

By: Meg

Meg — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:43:00 +0000

kc, our “old” is not so very old at all. . .that’s what norkio is referring to. Europe has plenty of places that are well over 200 years old and that would be about the oldest we can find here in America. What a shame, old buildings carry such knowledge and character!

By: Jonny R

Jonny R — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Another similar case is that of Capel Celyn (Treweryn), a Welsh village that was drowned in the ’60s to provide a reservior for the greater Liverpool area, even though there was no real need for the water at the time. The interesting thing is that the ultimately doomed effort to keep Capel Celyn above water played a large role in altering another landscape – that of Welsh politics. It’s a fascinating case that intertwines language, governance, culture, and nationalism and definitely worth some further exploration if that sounds appealing to you.

Also see the poem “Reservoirs” by truly underappreciated Welsh poet R.S. Thomas (no relation to Dylan). It opens with these lines: “There are places in Wales I don’t go:/ Reservoirs that are the subconscious/ Of a people…”

Man, sometimes eminent domain sucks.

By: Cardinal Fang

Cardinal Fang — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:08:00 +0000

Lake Minnewanka near Banff, Alberta, Canada also has submerged buildings and other cool things. Not nearly as many as Graun and Reschen but you can scuba dive there.

From the town’s website:

Lake Minnewanka is a favourite destination for scuba divers in the Banff area, mostly because of the interesting archaeological and historical sites submerged in the waters of the lake.

Power-generating dams built in 1912, 1923 and 1941 increased the size of the lake and deepened it, flooding several small settlement sites that were built around the shores of the natural lake.

Divers at Lake Minnewanka can explore the submerged town site of Minnewanka Landing (established in 1888) and a dam built in 1895. Features include a hotel, several house foundations, wharves, breakwaters and bridge foundations. These sites were partially flooded in 1912, and completely submerged in 1941.

All dives at Lake Minnewanka are cold water. Visibility fluctuates depending on the time of year and the number of divers at the site. Dives vary in depth from 12 m to more than 25 m (80 ft.), and vary according to the time of year, rising as much as 5.5 m from spring to fall. The town site dive requires access by boat.

There are no local operators who provide Scuba tours, training or rentals. However, several Calgary dive shops organize trips to Lake Minnewanka.

By: kc

kc — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:46:00 +0000

Norkio not sure about your part of the country but where I live we thrive on the old buildings. When people ask where you live you tell them by who used to live there “the old smith house” People just know where that is. my family’s house i grew up in was over 100 years old.

By: norkio

norkio — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:28:00 +0000

What a true shame. Since we have almost no “old” buildings here in America we don’t often take for granted a 700 year old building.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:06:00 +0000

Good point on the church… I, too, wonder how much was demolished before the flooding (it would be pretty strange to have buildings sticking out of the water and ice) and why they left the church tower but obviously leveled the church itself.

In the last picture, I see that bottom window and I wonder if anyone has ever taken a ladder and tried to get inside when it’s frozen. If not, I volunteer! :-D