Helena, July 2011

Darn, I just figured I’d come home and find a whole handy history online that I could post along with these photos. No luck.

Helena is a “ghost” or deserted mining town about 15 miles west of Weaverville.

It is only 1/4 mile off Hwy 299 and so worth the drive.

The building above is the first I saw to the right of the road, though it was the last I explored.

Door was open…

Though why I found this appealing and wanted to venture further, I can’t explain…

 I entered a few steps and stretched my arm around to get photos of the rooms off the hall

Ok, maybe not so appealing. But still…

After taking these photos I really wanted to enter the doorways to the right of the main hall but grew nervous.

I asked my husband and/or son if they would come in with me

Both declined.  I suppose I should be thankful they don’t consider me a delicate flower needing protection, but this was definitely NOT what I thought at the time.  Later, in fact, my son did say he could smell the stench of urine wafting from the house from where he sat in the car.  

Accepting that I would have to go without escorts, I grabbed the closest thing to a weapon I could find

Went back into the house and walked through this spooky, kinda scary room (with weird, icky black powdering stuff on the floor).  It was much darker and ominous than it appears in the photo with the benefit of a flash.

And see that stuff on the floor on the left in the doorway?  Anyway…

I really wanted through that blue door.  I did hear a noise once coming from a hole in the ceiling  (and screamed, I think) as I walked through the room but kept coaching myself–convinced I would regret it if I didn’t continue. After what seemed an eternity, I reached the other side of the room.

I found a small scrap of paper on the floor (see it) and scooched it over to the black stuff so I could step on that instead.  Then I carefully rounded the corner and found…

Yeah, still worth it.

And this is the exterior of the same building -South (?) side

And no.  There was no way in hell I was venturing into that basement alone. 

Perhaps another day.  With more adventurous and less stench-sensitive companions…