When we think of endangered things, our minds usually jump to pandas, polar bears, or maybe that one piece of chocolate cake in the fridge.
But did you know some homes are just as endangered as exotic wildlife?
These architectural wonders are teetering on the edge, and it’s not just because they’ve got questionable wallpaper or a roof that looks like it’s auditioning for a disaster movie.
Here are 5 homes with as much history as they have problems—let’s just say, they need a little TLC before they become another “what used to be here” story.
1. Dr. Horace Drew Mansion – Jacksonville, Florida
This Victorian-era beauty, built in 1909, is like the prom queen of old Jacksonville—but after a century of bad decisions, it’s now more “gothic drama” than “queen of the ball.”
Once the home of a prominent physician, the mansion now sits abandoned, its grandeur fading faster than a Florida suntan in winter.
Its peeling paint and creaky floors scream “haunted,” but don’t worry, that’s just the charm trying to escape. Locals are rallying to save it, but someone might want to call Chip and Joanna Gaines stat.
2. Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood Home – Los Angeles, California
Marilyn’s last home is in as much peril as her legacy is enduring. This modest yet iconic Spanish-style abode was where the screen legend lived her final days, but now it’s facing the threat of demolition.
Yes, you heard that right—someone thought bulldozing Marilyn’s house was a good idea. The house may be simple, but its history is priceless.
If walls could talk, this place would have some seriously juicy Hollywood gossip.
But unless preservationists step in, this piece of cinematic history might get turned into yet another bland LA McMansion. Tragic.
3. Hudson-Athens Lighthouse – Athens, New York
Built in 1874, this charming little lighthouse in the middle of the Hudson River is basically the introvert of endangered homes: it’s small, isolated, and surrounded by water.
Once a vital beacon for ships navigating the Hudson, it now mostly attracts curious kayakers and history buffs.
The structure’s weathered bricks and outdated lighting system are calling for attention, but hey, at least it’s not sinking.
If someone doesn’t save it soon, this lighthouse may fade into history faster than a ship disappearing into fog.
4. Luling Mansion – New Orleans, Louisiana
The Luling Mansion is the grand old dame of New Orleans—a glorious Italianate estate built in 1865 for cotton magnate Florence Luling.
Sadly, its current state is more “Miss Havisham chic” than “Gatsby glam.” Time, hurricanes, and neglect have turned this once-opulent home into a crumbling relic.
If ghost stories are your thing, this mansion looks like it could come with a free haunting. Preservationists are trying to save it, but honestly, even the ghosts are starting to pack up and leave.
5. Wallace E. Pratt House – Salt Flat, Texas
This modernist gem in the middle of the Guadalupe Mountains was built in the 1940s by Wallace Pratt, a petroleum geologist who clearly had a thing for stunning views and long hikes.
The house, made of local stone, blends perfectly with its desert surroundings, making it a masterpiece of early sustainable design.
But thanks to years of wear and tear (and probably a few rattlesnakes claiming squatters’ rights), it’s now at risk.
If you’ve ever wanted to live like a desert hermit with a flair for architecture, this is the endangered home for you.