Here are the 11 most endangered historical places in the USA: NPR

In the 1930s, an untrained architect in Phoenix, Arizona, built a dilapidated structure that resembled a sandburg of found materials. The Mystery Castle, which has become a funky street attraction, has become decay over the years and is now exposed to the risk of an offspring.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced on Wednesday that the Mystery Castle is one of the 11 most endangered historical places in America in 2025. The group has had an annual list of US websites since 1988.

“We are a nation with global roots, and our individual stories are important,” Carol Quillen, CEO of the organization, told NPR. “And if you find a story about a man who has built up this amazing castle for his wife and daughter without any plans, without any training, without any kind of guide or permission, you just want this story to be told.”

This year, this list not only contains buildings, but also entire communities such as a touch of islands off Florida’s northwest coast. Cedar Key was known for his old charm in Florida. A historical fishing village that bears its name was destroyed by Hurricane Helene in 2024.

Cedar key after the hurricane Helene, October 2024

Timothy Macy/National Trust for Historical Conservation

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Timothy Macy/National Trust for Historical Conservation

“This is one of the worst hurricanes I’ve ever gone through”, a long -time resident, Pamela Sikes, the Wusf member station shared with At the beginning of this year. “Total destruction. So many companies don’t come back and it’s just really sad.”

The hurricane Helene also led to the most at the recording of the French wide and Swannanoa River Corridors in the most endangered list 2025. The Western North Carolina region and numerous other cities. Climate researchers in the region have warned long before the dangers of extreme rain. buildings triggered by the hurricane, ironically, included, included, A data center monitoring of the environmental disorders.

The river art district in Asheville, NC, during the flooding of tropical storm Helene in 2024. The French Broad River fueled high enough to break the first floor of the buildings.

Drew Wallace/National Trust for Historical Conservation

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Drew Wallace/National Trust for Historical Conservation

“Our work invites these communities to rebuild and develop a plan for reconstruction, which supports their communities and also plan for the future,” said Quillen. “These locations have brought residents, governments, local administrations, universities and universities to produce research and to studies on how resilience and reconstruction in these communities can be made possible. In my opinion, these types of coalitions are really important to help us remember.

The increasing storm frequency and severity also threaten the Pamunkey Indian Reserve, by King William County, Virginia. A sovereign tribal nation recognized by the federal being, the Pamunkey -Volk and its ancestors have lived on and around the peninsula on the Pamunkey River for at least 15,000 years. The increase in storm heavy and the increase in sea level could make most of the reserve inaccessible within this century.

Pamunkey women made the Pottery School in the Pottery School in the early 20th century.

Pamunkey Indian Tribe/National Trust for Historical Conservation

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This year’s list contained none of the hundreds of historical government buildings that President Trump had been aiming for sale at the beginning of this year – some of the criteria for the federal architecture he has outlined January Executive Order.

“I would say that the process started beforehand,” said Quill. “It takes a long time for this process to work itself out, and the criteria that we use are quite consistent year over the year. We want a variety of websites. We want this to be driven locally. We want websites that have a kind of threat and have a plan to address this threat. And we want websites that can be kept when you can get your community.”

“You have to meet your needs now,” she added. “The restriction of this makes us more creative. It connects to the past. It keeps these incredible, incredibly powerful stories alive.”

Here are the other places on the list this year (with explanations from the National Trust):

Oregon Caves Chateau, Cave junction, ore.

Friends of the Oregon caves and Chateau/National Trust for Historical Conservation

“The Chateau of Oregon Caves, which is located in the National Monument and Preserve in Oregon Caves, has significantly benefited the rural economy of the nearby cave liabilities and the surrounding communities since its construction in 1934. The Chateau has the accommodation and concessions overnight, but the need for an extensive repair and restoration of repairs that are not accessible. In order to reopen the Chateau of Oregon Caves, considerable financing is necessary, so that visitors can again serve and support the essential economic revitalization in its rural region.

The Wellington, Pine Hill, NY

Shandaken Historical Museum; Shelley Smith/National Trust for Historical Conservation

“The Wellington Hotel is one of the few surviving examples of the wooden framework resort built in the Catskills region in New York in the end of the 19th century. After years of deterioration, the Wellington’s Collapse was necessary.

San Juan Hotel, San Juan, Texas

Gabriel Ozuna/National Trust for Historical Conservation

“The San Juan Hotel, built in 1920, has a long and complicated story in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and is one of the most famous sights in the region. Local supporters hope to work with the city of San Juan to rehabilitate the building to serve the community.”

Terminal Island Japanese American tuna road buildings, Los Angeles, California.

A. Nakamura Co., before World War II, C1930-40

Tim Yuji Yamamoto/National Trust for Historical Conservation

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Tim Yuji Yamamoto/National Trust for Historical Conservation

“Only two buildings remain in Thunfischstraße when the lively main street of the Japanese American fishing village on the terminal island, a community that was violently removed and imprisoned during the Second World War. American history.”

The turtle, Niagara Falls, ny

Cherrish Beals/National Trust for Historical Conservation

“The turtle, also known as the Native American Center for the Living Arts, was completed in 1981 and designed Dennis Sun Rhodes as a powerful symbol for indigenous heritage by Arapaho Architect. Unfortunately, the building has been free for almost 30 years and the owner has previously plans for demolition.

Hotel Casa Blanca, idlewild, me.

Ronella McGregory/National Trust for Historical Conservation

“The Hotel Casa Blanca is located in the historic black resort community of Idlewild, Michigan, and served as a place of accommodation for African -American travelers, entertainers and thought leaders during the segregation. However, after the integration, how many previously separate black resorts, Idlewild can be used again.”

May Hicks Curtis House, Flagstaff, Ariz.

Joshua S. Edwards, Cornerstone Environmental Consulting, LLC/National Trust for Historical Conservation

“The May Hicks Curtis, who was known as the ‘Betsy Ross’ of Arizona, sewed the first flag of the US state of Arizona in 1911. The May Hicks Curtis House, where she lived and worked for decades, has to be moved from its current place due to the new construction work, but the city of the flagstaffaff works to save.