# Abandoned Film Set



## matsorjc (Jan 25, 2010)

Abandoned film set? That’s what I thought the first time that I came across this place some years ago. 

The site sits several miles outside Washington DC and was developed in the late 1800’s from a country house into an inn/hotel. Ye Forest Inne was built to provide a getaway for those wanting to escape the oppressive heat and humidity of the summers in Washington DC, the inn being on much higher ground. The project did not prove to be a success so the Inne was remodeled to house a casino and bars, this also failed to bring in enough income and so in 1894 the building was sold. 
The new purchasers wanted to create a finishing school for young ladies as this seemed a convenient location, being situated outside the city. Extensive refurbishments would be required in order to provide schoolrooms, dormitories, eating halls as well as administration offices. The owners were a husband and wife who had the Utopian idea of creating a cultural environment for their charges by providing a suitable varied architectural setting. Each building was to have its own individual style and theme, this included a Dutch windmill, a Swiss chalet, a Japanese pagoda, an Italian villa, an English castle and a Greek Revival Gymnasium, with extensive grounds that displayed an assortment of classical statuary. The maintenance crews employed at the site were also housed, and had workshops in buildings that were in the Spanish Colonial style. 
The school opened in 1894 and remained so until the 1930’s when the fashion for such elitism had begun to wane, this, coupled with the great Depression, brought about the closure of the school. In 1942 the site was commandeered by the War Department as a convalescent center for homecoming injured US troops. It became the rehabilitation and psychology branch of the nearby Walter Reed Army Hospital and remained so until the 1970’s after which it became disused. In 1972 it became a listed site but inevitably fell into a state of neglect in the following years, suffering a good degree of vandalism in the process. In 2004-5 a building company began work on redeveloping the site. 





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These were covered bridge type links between the various buildings.

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Spanish Colonial style, used as workshops by maintenance crews.





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Castle.




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Greco-Roman Gymnasium.




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All of the decorative mouldings are made out of pressed galvanized steel.




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See the pagoda peeping over the top on the right.




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Incineration chimney in the background.




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I have taken many more shots of this site over the past few years in all seasons, this batch I have tried to match as being autumn/winter, but it looks equally spectacular in the spring and summer. There are plenty more if anyone is interested.

More historical info. and photos can be seen at:
http://www.operant.com/seminary/


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## night crawler (Jan 25, 2010)

What a great place , wonder what it is like inside. Well done on that


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## dervish99 (Jan 25, 2010)

what a bizare and curious place, thanks for the great pics


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## Pincheck (Jan 25, 2010)

impressive looking place to explore .


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## Foxylady (Jan 25, 2010)

What a wonderfully quirky set of buildings. Imagine living in one of those! It would make a great village. 
Great find.


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## J_a_t_33 (Jan 25, 2010)

What a fantastic, amazing place. No interior shots?


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## matsorjc (Jan 29, 2010)

J_a_t_33 said:


> What a fantastic, amazing place. No interior shots?



Sorry. nothing worth looking at. At the time that I discovered the site it was being regulalrly patrolled and was certainly well boarded up.


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## drpepper (Jan 29, 2010)

*Walter Reed Psychriatic unit*

I was working in Washington DC from 1967 to 1969 and one weekend was invited to Sunday Lunch by a civilian psychiatric doctor whose family were billeted in the Swiss Cottage on this site. It was a bizarre experience! No patients were then accommodated in these themed houses, they were all occupied by medical staff, a case of no inmates being resident in the asylum.


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## Lightbuoy (Jan 29, 2010)

This is something that you certainly don't see every day!

Plenty of great stuff to see by the looks of it -thanks for sharing your pics with us


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## smileysal (Jan 30, 2010)

What a gorgeous place. Love all the different types of buildings there, gorgeous stonework, and nice to see the pagoda as well. Good write up on the history of the place. Excellent pics mate, I do like this. 

Cheers,

 Sal


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## matsorjc (Jan 30, 2010)

drpepper said:


> I was working in Washington DC from 1967 to 1969 and one weekend was invited to Sunday Lunch by a civilian psychiatric doctor whose family were billeted in the Swiss Cottage on this site. It was a bizarre experience! No patients were then accommodated in these themed houses, they were all occupied by medical staff, a case of no inmates being resident in the asylum.



Hi Drpepper,
Nice to hear from someone who visited the site years ago, my visits have been over the last 5 years. There are certainly some urban myths surrounding this place, shrieks heard during the night, etc. due to its links with the psychiatric profession and its mentally troubled patients.

I think this may be the building you were referring to:






and here adjacent to the Pagoda


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## spacepunk (Jan 30, 2010)

Wow!, whata place, pity you couldn't get in for a wee peek.


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