If you ask someone what Cementland is, there is a chance 6 out of 10 people won’t know what place you’re talking about. Now, if you go int STL that would probably be a very different ratio. But at least where I am, it’s probably a good 6 out of 10.
For those 4 out of 10, Cementland is a beautiful landscape full of places to explore and just have fun. A place where you can roam around and gaze upon some pretty gorgeous views. Sure, there are certain ways to get to places that are more tricky, but that’s the fun of it, the adventurous routes you can take to get to some areas.
A man named Bob Cassilly was the one who created Cementland. He was also the creator of the St. Louis City Museum, which still brings many visitors in every day. Unfortunately, the reason Cementland has been abandoned all these years is because Cassilly unfortunately died while working on Cementland. In 2011, it was announced that Bob Cassilly was killed due to an accident at Cementland. Even now, hearing that news hurts to hear.
When I first went to Cementland, I was terrified. I had never explored an abandoned anything. But one day, one of my best friends asked me if I wanted to go. I said yes, and so we took an adventure to north STL to visit the place they always talked about.
When I first entered I was in awe. How could I have not heard of this place sooner? I followed my friend up the stairs and we found ourselves at an area where there was already such a pretty view.
We both went in our Spider-suits because we wanted the chance to get more photos in them. Which we did! We got lots and lots of photos, which was super nice. We even got pictures at places where some items at Cementland aren’t located anymore.
There was a bridge that connected two buildings together right near this area where my friend was perched. It allowed people to get to the top of the other building and explore that place. Unfortunately, recently that bridge was taken down. Probably just to stop getting people from exploring, but you know how people can be. They’ll still find a way.
There was a big cement sphere that just sat on the floor. It had graffiti covering the entire thing, so you could just barely see the actual cement. It was absolutely beautiful. But last time my friends and I went, it was already gone.
One more place that got removed was this circle area that had a grate in the middle. Well, not a grate. See, I don’t know ho to explain it. There was a whole in the gazebo type building, but there was a small gate that filled in the hole, a hole that if you were small enough, you could fit into. And I did! I was able to once, and that was the first time I went. You can stand on top of it, you can go in it. Going in it is much scarier though, because you’d be just separated by water by a couple of pieces of metal. But obviously I didn’t fall in!
This place has definitely helped me overcome many fears of mine. Not just with exploring abandoned places, but with heights, with constantly being afraid, and just with being more adventurous.
I’ve never really been one to be always up for “adventure.” But going to Cementland has absolutely changed that. Keeping up with people is hard, but keeping up with people as they walk through an abandoned building, that’s even trickier. Especially if you’re short like me. So you really have to keep up!
But you know what? It gets you to face your fears head first.
The last time I went with my friends, it was back in March. One of my good friends was visiting from Chicago, and me and my friends where I live wanted to show her Cementland since she likes exploring abandoned places like we do.
We went up one of the buildings we normally go to, but this time, instead of continuing to go up, they started going out from the side of the building and onto the roof.
Now you can imagine that’s probably a bit scary. And it is. You don’t know if you’re going to fall or if you’re going to be perfectly fine. But as long as you stay in the areas you know you won’t fall that are stable, you should be fine. But even so, being up there was so nerve-racking. But I did it. I went on the roof. And I looked out. And by golly was it beautiful.
There was a way to get on the roof that was taken out, though. There was a gap between one corner of the wall and the one right next to it that looked like it used to be a way to get across. But it just turned into a big hole that someone could fall through. So we avoided that completely.
There’s another roof that you can stand on that gives you that classic view of St. Louis. Now, I don’t remember which building it is, exactly, since there are many and I have been on top of many over the course of my visits, but if I could find it, I know you can.
But I do know there is a roof you can stand on that is incredibly high. At least it was when I first got on top of there.
Now the first time I went on top of a roof in Cementland, it was, quite literally, life changing. I got to stand on a roof and just feel the breeze going across my face.
You know the movie Garden State?
Well, whether you do or not, there is a scene in that film where the three main characters stand on top of a ledge and just scream into the “infinite abyss.” Now, that abyss doesn’t actually exist, so no one can recreate that moment exactly.
But that place? That place is my infinite abyss. An infinite abyss I get to explore.
I always find more and new interesting facts about it every time I go. I find more graffiti art I didn’t see before. I climb up new stairs, go up more buildings. It’s the place I have always been looking for, and it was graciously shown to me by my best friends.
I talked about my fear of heights, but never actually went into it.
There was an area that my friend and I went to the first time I went. It was a big open area with a tall pillar in the middle. One you could climb, actually! The first time I went, I couldn’t even climb it. I just stood in front of it, well, on another ledge, because I was too nervous to climb up.
The last time we went, we mad our way to that same place. All of us, except for one of us, climbed. After a minute or two, the others went down. I stayed on, and climbed all the way to the top.
I knew I had to get over my fear somehow. I already had been with going on top of roofs and climbing up the tall buildings and just exploring the whole place. And yes rollercoasters do help with the fear of heights.
But this was different. I don’t really know how else to explain it. I knew that I had been afraid of climbing it before. So I knew I wanted to try climbing it. And I did! All the way up to the top. I almost even got on top of the little half sphere that sat on top of it. But I wasn’t quite there yet.
But I actually did it. I actually climbed to the top. I conqured my fear!
To be completely honest, I’ve always been nervous about conquering fears. I’m nervous about doing something I’m not used to doing. So with me actually jumping n head first and immediately going to climb, that was a big step. It shows progress. Cementland helped me learn that progress. And I am always going to be grateful for it showing me that.
Now, the reason I’m talking about my love for this place so much, is because I got sent an article this morning.
The title reads “BOB CASSILLY’S CEMENTLAND SOLD AT AUCTION”. Which is something that no one has heard in years. Well, obviously.
Bob Cassilly died in 2011, so Cementland has really just been sitting there over the last decade, letting people explore its wonders. But it finally got sold. Now, the buyer hasn’t been announced yet, they are waiting thirty days to make sure the sale sticks.
But there is a chance that it might not be able to be explored anymore soon. They might close it down and actually use it for something. Which is heartbreaking. The runner of the auction, Adam Jokisch, mentions how he “doesn’t expect that the buyer will continue on with Bob’s vision for the site. ‘I’m sure it’s going to be for some industrial use’ said Jokisch.”
So knowing that such an important place to so many people will no longer be able to explored is so heartbreaking to think about. That is why I am most likely going to visit one more time within the next month. I want to go there one more time. To gaze upon the wonders that Bob Cassilly so beautifully created and the additions that other people have added over the years. I want to visit the place that has changed my life one last time.
If you haven’t gotten the chance to visit yet, please do so. It is an experience that is a must. Cementland is a place you’ll never be bored. There’s so many cool places to go, neat items to find, and awesome things to do. If you like abandoned places, Cementland is the place to be.
And like the artwork, says, thank you, Bob Cassilly, for creating one of the best mysteries on Earth. And thank you for creating such a meaningful place for me and my friends. If we could thank you in person, I know we would in a heartbeat.
Article referenced: https://nextstl.com/2022/05/bob-cassillys-cementland-sold-at-auction/
Coley Rose's Corner 