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Photographer explores abandoned hotel and neighborhood in Tennessee

  • A light switch plate sits near a window as the midday sunlight beams in, never to be used again. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
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    Scenes from the abandoned

    A light switch plate sits near a window as the midday sunlight beams in, never to be used again. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • A sign informs visitors who find the property about the history of the Wonderland Club. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    2/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    A sign informs visitors who find the property about the history of the Wonderland Club. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Looking down the path toward the back of the property — the back way in. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    3/27

    Scenes from the abandoned

    Looking down the path toward the back of the property — the back way in. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • One of the abandoned summer homes near the old Wonderland Club. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
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    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    One of the abandoned summer homes near the old Wonderland Club. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Without stepping inside, here's a look at a door sitting along the wall in a hundred-year-old home called the servants' quarters, next to the hotel site. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    5/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    Without stepping inside, here's a look at a door sitting along the wall in a hundred-year-old home called the servants' quarters, next to the hotel site. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Underneath one of the abandoned summer homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
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    Scenes from the abandoned

    Underneath one of the abandoned summer homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • A look inside the first floor of the living room in one of the Wonderland Club summer homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    7/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    A look inside the first floor of the living room in one of the Wonderland Club summer homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Behind a summer home. Outside of the shot sits an old television antenna, rested between some trees. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    8/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    Behind a summer home. Outside of the shot sits an old television antenna, rested between some trees. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • An old birthday balloon rests along the path down the street where the summer homes are lined up. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    9/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    An old birthday balloon rests along the path down the street where the summer homes are lined up. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • A ripped up electrical box outside the servants quarters. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    10/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    A ripped up electrical box outside the servants quarters. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • A shot of the servants' quarters. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    11/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    A shot of the servants' quarters. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • The front side of the servants' quarters. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    12/27

    Scenes from the abandoned

    The front side of the servants' quarters. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • A look inside one of the many abandoned summer homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    13/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    A look inside one of the many abandoned summer homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Up the steps to a home on a hill. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    14/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    Up the steps to a home on a hill. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Abandoned double hot plate next to a home at the back of the property. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    15/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    Abandoned double hot plate next to a home at the back of the property. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • The screened-in room, all ripped up, on the front of one of the homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    16/27

    Scenes from the abandoned

    The screened-in room, all ripped up, on the front of one of the homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • A look from the outside at the bathroom on the bottom floor of an old summer home. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    17/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    A look from the outside at the bathroom on the bottom floor of an old summer home. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • The site of the still-standing Wonderland Club annex. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    18/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    The site of the still-standing Wonderland Club annex. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • A look from the outside of a home. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    19/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    A look from the outside of a home. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • The fireplace for the now demolished hotel, still standing on the concrete foundation. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    20/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    The fireplace for the now demolished hotel, still standing on the concrete foundation. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • The front of one of the summer homes near the Wonderland Club. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    21/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    The front of one of the summer homes near the Wonderland Club. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Broken floorboards are common in most of the homes, making them dangerous. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
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    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    Broken floorboards are common in most of the homes, making them dangerous. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • A look in from the outside of the annex, showing the huge fireplace, now a century old. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    23/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    A look in from the outside of the annex, showing the huge fireplace, now a century old. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Light fixtures are still attached to the side of a tree in the back of the property. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    24/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    Light fixtures are still attached to the side of a tree in the back of the property. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • The red brick fireplace for the now demolished hotel in the foreground with the white annex in the background. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    25/27

    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    The red brick fireplace for the now demolished hotel in the foreground with the white annex in the background. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Two chairs at the front of the very back home, never to be used again. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
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    Scenes from the abandoned "Wonderland Club" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)

    Two chairs at the front of the very back home, never to be used again. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
    Jordan Liles
  • Wonderland Hotel photo taken in the 1920s. (NPS Staff photo)
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    Wonderland Hotel

    Wonderland Hotel photo taken in the 1920s. (NPS Staff photo)
    NPS Staff photo
A light switch plate sits near a window as the midday sunlight beams in, never to be used again. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
A sign informs visitors who find the property about the history of the Wonderland Club. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Looking down the path toward the back of the property — the back way in. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
One of the abandoned summer homes near the old Wonderland Club. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Without stepping inside, here's a look at a door sitting along the wall in a hundred-year-old home called the servants' quarters, next to the hotel site. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Underneath one of the abandoned summer homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
A look inside the first floor of the living room in one of the Wonderland Club summer homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Behind a summer home. Outside of the shot sits an old television antenna, rested between some trees. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
An old birthday balloon rests along the path down the street where the summer homes are lined up. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
A ripped up electrical box outside the servants quarters. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
A shot of the servants' quarters. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
The front side of the servants' quarters. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
A look inside one of the many abandoned summer homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Up the steps to a home on a hill. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Abandoned double hot plate next to a home at the back of the property. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
The screened-in room, all ripped up, on the front of one of the homes. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
A look from the outside at the bathroom on the bottom floor of an old summer home. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
The site of the still-standing Wonderland Club annex. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
A look from the outside of a home. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
The fireplace for the now demolished hotel, still standing on the concrete foundation. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
The front of one of the summer homes near the Wonderland Club. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Broken floorboards are common in most of the homes, making them dangerous. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
A look in from the outside of the annex, showing the huge fireplace, now a century old. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Light fixtures are still attached to the side of a tree in the back of the property. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
The red brick fireplace for the now demolished hotel in the foreground with the white annex in the background. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Two chairs at the front of the very back home, never to be used again. (Photographs by Jordan Liles)
Wonderland Hotel photo taken in the 1920s. (NPS Staff photo)
Updated

Some might see this abandoned resort as just a bunch of falling-down buildings. Jordan Liles saw a way to connect to the past.

The 30-year-old Memphis native-turned-Brooklynite trekked into Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a quest to find the site of the once vibrant summer neighborhood and hotel known as the Wonderland Club. Read the story.

(Photographs by Jordan Liles)