America has many treasures – from iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty to mind-boggling wonders like the Grand Prismatic Spring. But sadly, not all of them have survived the wrecking ball or the wrath of Mother Nature. Here, we've rounded up the fallen natural arches, demolished grand hotels and extinct animals that America has lost forever.
Cheerful Galveston is one of the most popular escapes on the Texas coast, and the glittering – and aptly named – Beach Hotel was an added reason to visit. Designed by local architect Nicholas Clayton, the sumptuous property opened in 1883 and drew a host of well-heeled vacationers. However, the hotel eventually faced financial issues, exacerbated by incredibly quiet winter off-seasons. Before it could shutter, however, it was destroyed in a devastating fire that swallowed the property whole.
Today the Windy City's Federal Building is a minimalist, mid-century modern-style confection, but this wasn't always the case. Located in the Loop neighbourhood, Chicago's former Federal Building was a much grander affair, with a giant dome, ornate sculptures and huge arches and columns. However, despite its beauty, the building was deemed impractical, with an unsuitable layout and outmoded facilities. It was deserted by the 1950s, and though preservationists sought to save it, it was demolished in 1965.
Another precious Windy City landmark, the Garrick Theater opened in 1892 to much applause – not least because it was designed by lauded American architect Louis Sullivan, who is routinely dubbed 'the father of modern US architecture'. It drew culture lovers for many glittering decades, but began its decline during the Great Depression of the 1930s. By the 1960s, the decision came to raze the structure to the ground, even amid outrage from preservationist groups. It was replaced with a car park.
Oregon's coastline is one of the most spectacular in the States, with a roster of plunging cliffs, misty maritime forests and curious formations, like this dramatic hunk of rock shaped like a bird's beak. It once protruded from the shores of Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, but sadly is no more. Unfortunately, vandals dislodged the eye-catching hoodoo back in 2016, and – though their actions were picked up on camera – the culprits were never found.
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You've almost certainly heard of New York City's Grand Central Terminal – a glittering station that draws as many tourists as commuters – but did you know that an equally impressive station building preceded it? The dazzling Beaux Arts-style Penn Station was opened in 1910 and was a feast of porticoes, columns and arches. However, the intricate pile proved costly to maintain and the decision was made to shut it and ultimately demolish it in the 1960s. The station's modern iteration is a slick, glass-clad affair that retains none of the original building's charm.
This giant theatre was once one of New York City's most sought-after attractions, which is saying something given the Big Apple's glittering roster of cultural venues. It had room enough for 5,000 visitors and welcomed famous names including illusionist Harry Houdini. Nevertheless, the venue was expensive to upkeep and eventually punters started to dwindle. When the Great Depression took hold, the theatre closed completely and was eventually razed in 1939. A modern office block now stands in its place.
The Old Met – as it's affectionately known – survived almost a century before it was finally destroyed. Opened on Broadway in the 1880s, the opera house hosted packed-out shows in its early 20th-century heyday but, as its popularity declined in the 1930s, it faced demolition. Public funding saved the venue the first time but when plans for a new opera house materialised, time ran out for the original. It was destroyed in 1967 and now the contemporary Lincoln Center is the place for opera.
Dating back to 1874, the Old Cincinnati Library was a bibliophile's dream. Considered one of the most beautiful libraries in America, it was a riot of soaring cast-iron shelving units, marble floors and swirling staircases, holding a huge store of classic tomes. However, despite its beauty, the building was not big enough for the ever-growing book collection, and amenities including the ventilation system were poor. Ultimately talks of a new, more modern library surfaced and, after the new venue opened in 1955, the original was closed and eventually demolished.
The bones of what was once the world's largest swimming pool complex can still be seen on San Francisco's coast. There was enough room here for up to 10,000 people, across seven fresh and saltwater pools, and water-loving visitors poured in. However, despite the baths' popularity, the facility struggled to make ends meet and was eventually forced to close in 1966. In the same year, a devastating fire largely destroyed the complex and now all that remains are the foundations.
Today Detroit's Grande Ballroom is the domain of urban explorers and photographers, but it was once one of America's top rock and roll venues. It first opened in the 1920s, starting off as a jazz dancehall, and its glittering Art Deco architecture was a draw alongside the music. However, its popularity waned and it ultimately shuttered in the 1970s, stripping America of one of its greatest music venues. The property remains abandoned and in serious disrepair.
While this was once a mega-popular tourist attraction in Yosemite National Park, the tunnel drilled into this mesmerising giant sequoia tree in Mariposa Grove actually caused it major damage. A winter of particularly heavy snow weakened the 2,100-year-old tree further and it ultimately fell over in 1969.
The City of Angels is not without its share of eye-catching architecture, but this soaring building was a loss all the same. Built in the 1920s, its design had roots in both Art Nouveau and German Expressionist architectural styles, with its glittering black and gold exterior. It served as the HQ for the Richfield Oil Company, but when the firm outgrew the premises the building was lost to the wrecking ball in the late 1960s.
Atlantic City is a favourite with holidaymakers, who come for its buzzing boardwalk, casinos and sandy beach. And at the turn of the century, the Traymore Hotel was the place to be seen. It was expanded multiple times over the decades and also served a stint as a military barracks, before continuing life as a hotel. However, the hotel – and Atlantic City as a whole – entered a period of decline in the 1960s and the property closed a decade later. When it was found to be structurally unsound, it was ultimately destroyed.
Check out these vintage images of America's most historic attractions
As its name suggests, natural arches are the principal draw of this southern Utah park, which is also known for its blazing red terrain and endless hiking trails. And while some 2,000 of the landforms are still intact, Wall Arch sadly succumbed to gravity in 2008. Over millions of years, precipitation ate away at the natural wonder, until it finally perished, leaving a pile of flaming red rubble in its wake.
Las Vegas has absolutely no shortage of glitzy hotels, but this one has a whole lot of history, given that it was a favourite haunt of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. Having opened in the late 1950s, it enjoyed its heyday in the mid-century, but was soon eclipsed by the larger properties that began to mushroom on the Strip and beyond. Eventually the Stardust was forced to close in 2006 and it was imploded just a year later.
At one time in history, fabled Route 66 was chock full of glorious retro motels like this one, which was built in the 1940s. However, over the decades many of them have faced the wrecking ball. That's true of the charming Coral Court Motel, a striking Streamline Moderne structure that once stood in Marlborough, Missouri. After the motel finally closed in 1993, even a spot on the National Register of Historic Places could not save it from destruction. It was bought by commercial developers and destroyed in 1995.
This grand hotel in the nation's capital had roots right back in the 1850s, when it began life as a humble boarding house. But over the years it became a landmark property, playing host to significant figures including 25th president William McKinley. However, the hotel's popularity declined and the building eventually lost its shine – it was destroyed in the 1920s to make way for the National Press Building.
Rock formations and historic buildings aren't the only treasures that America has lost – over the centuries, some precious species have disappeared from time too. Among them is Steller's sea cow, which was a close relative of the manatee. However, unlike manatees, these adorable marine mammals preferred the bracing waters off the Alaskan and Russian coasts to more tropical climes. Sadly, they were aggressively hunted for their meat by fur traders through the 18th century, and were extinct by 1768.
This precious fish existed only in Texas's San Marcos river (pictured) and is now sadly believed to be extinct, having been on the endangered list since 1980. The fish was last uncovered in the water in 1983 and it's thought that pollution caused by the expansion of nearby cities is partly to blame for the species' demise.
Hawaii's biodiversity is incredible, but sadly the archipelago is losing some of its endemic species. Among them is the Kauaʻi ʻoʻo bird, a
tiny breed of honeyeater, which has not been seen in the state since 1987 and is now considered extinct. The fascinating bird was known for its pretty song and understated plumage.
Read on for more incredible extinct animals that once roamed America