New York City Farm Colony — Local services in New York

The first thing I noticed was the silence. Not the peaceful kind, but the kind that presses in, thick and heavy, as if the world is holding its breath. The New York City Farm Colony had been abandoned for decades, its crumbling buildings swallowed by nature, but tonight, I was staying there. Alone.

I had always been fascinated by urban decay—by places left behind, their stories half-buried beneath layers of dust and ivy. When I learned about the Farm Colony, a former poorhouse and work facility for the destitute, I knew I had to see it for myself. The city had talked about redevelopment for years, but it still stood, a relic of forgotten lives.

The old brick structures loomed in the fading twilight as I made my way inside through a broken doorway. The floor crunched beneath my boots—glass, dirt, remnants of the past. I set up my sleeping bag in what must have been a common area once. The walls were lined with peeling paint and faded murals, their figures barely visible beneath years of grime.

As night fell, the air grew colder. The wind outside whistled through broken windows, but inside, the silence remained. I flicked on my flashlight, casting a pale glow across the room. That was when I saw it—the name scratched into the wall:

"HELP US."

I swallowed hard, reminding myself that it was probably just graffiti left by past explorers. But something about the jagged letters unsettled me. I traced the grooves with my fingers, feeling the rough texture of the brick. Suddenly, a sound echoed down the hall—a shuffle, soft and deliberate.

I spun around, my flashlight beam darting through the darkness. "Hello?" My voice barely carried. I waited, heart pounding. Nothing.

Then—another sound. Closer this time.

I grabbed my camera, my fingers shaking as I hit record. "If anyone's here, I'm just exploring. I don’t mean any harm."

The air grew thick, and a musty, rotten scent filled my nose. I turned, and for a split second, in the dim light, I saw movement. A figure. Not solid, but there. Watching.

Panic surged through me. I stumbled backward, tripping over debris. The flashlight slipped from my grip, spinning wildly before landing in the dirt. The beam caught something on the floor—a pair of old, decayed shoes. Still standing.

I grabbed my flashlight, heart racing, and ran. I didn’t stop until I was out of the building, out of the Colony, back to my car parked at the edge of the woods. I locked the doors and sat there, breath ragged.

When I checked my camera later, the footage was mostly static. But in the last few frames, as I turned to run, there was a glimpse of something—a face, pale and hollow-eyed, staring from the darkness.

I never went back. But sometimes, when the night is quiet, I swear I still hear whispers calling from the forgotten Colony, begging not to be...

Awesome place a bit creepy but definitely worth it if you don't mind trespassing and maybe catching a ticket or worst any way. It was an experience to remember great pics. There were Deer, rabbits and groundhogs or some kind of beaver looking animal the trees looked ancient all twisted and crackled it was just amazing all the graffiti and buildings that where in ruins the bridge was a nice photo Op!!! Definitely plan to go back in the near future. If you plan to just be careful the place is very old all broken down missing floor in certain areas glass every where wild animals alot of spider webs Umm rusted metal sharp object parks police... ETC. Have fun!! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!! 💀💀💀 ENTER AT YOUR...

There's just something about this place. Ive been drawn to go there a few times, I guess because this is where my grandfather spent his last days before dying of TB. My aunts told stories of how they went, as children, to visit him their on the weekends. My grandmother would bring food and drink to picnic there on the grounds. They said it was so beautiful and peaceful there especially coming from the noisy city and the Great Depression. Life was tough. I can almost feel his presence there and visualize them walking the grounds. Im sure I'll go back again...