Six regular people who love history got together and started exploring abandoned places in Mississippi and Louisiana.
I’m Peter Lycon, a Canadian-born photographer who ended up in the Deep South. My daughter Lena, still in her teens and always learning, comes with me on every trip. The rest of our little group — we call ourselves Krewe du Exploration — includes Stoney, a New Orleans native who knows every hidden corner and old story in the city; Gigi, a bayou woman who seems to feel things the rest of us don’t; Wyatt, another New Orleans guy who’s already explored ruins all over the world; and Jax, the youngest of us, full of energy and zero fear.
Together we’ve poked around a decaying sugar mill deep in the swamp, an old power plant along the river in New Orleans, a towering abandoned skyscraper, and a crumbling prison tied to Jimmy Hoffa legends. We carry flashlights, cameras, and a simple rule: document everything, leave everything exactly as we found it.
These four true stories take you inside the rust, the dust, the secret rooms, and the quiet moments when history feels close enough to touch. You’ll meet real people, hear real stories, and feel what it’s like to step into places most folks will never see.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s behind a locked gate or down a forgotten hallway, come explore with us.