A 15-year-old named Rylee from Orlando, Florida, has caused quite a stir with two TikTok videos and a story of adventure that some are questioning.
In September, she posted a video of a 1950s diner and Texaco gas station that she allegedly found near a vacation rental that she and her family were staying at somewhere in Tennessee.
“I’m walking in the mountains in the middle of no where and I found an old abandoned diner/gas station,” reads the text on the TikTok video. She captioned the video “let’s hope I don’t get murdered!”
In an idyllic setting, the building looks surprisingly well-cared-for. The inside looks frozen in time, featuring red and white booths and tables decked out in red-checked tablecloths, vintage coke machines and other time-appropriate furnishings.
“We were all in awe of the beauty of the house, the decor and surrounding area,” Rylee said, according to The Mirror. “It was so mysterious and beautiful. “Initially, I only filmed the building and surrounding areas. We couldn’t go in, so I just tried to capture the entire area.
“I uploaded the videos to TikTok, as I wanted to remember the moment myself, but also let others soak in the beauty of it.
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“I just did it for fun and wanted to show my friends. I definitely did not think it would go viral! I couldn’t believe it when I woke up and saw how many people were loving the video.”
The video has over 3.4 million views, and many have enjoyed stepping back into time. The clip earned so much traffic that Rylee posted an update with more footage.
“I tried to show the incredible details — the entrance, the vintage signage and decor, as well as a closer look at the pond and old windmill in the front of the house,” she said, according to The Mirror.
“I am very grateful for how far the video has gone. So many people got to see and enjoy something so cool that, because it’s so hidden and remote, they would never have been able to actually visit.
“I’m thrilled to have been able to share it with so many people, and I hope those watching will appreciate this incredible relic. There’s a lot of beauty in the world; you just have to look around and find it!”
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Many are calling foul, saying the building and grounds are taken care of far too well to be “abandoned.” Some wondered whether the area was part of a movie set, but the teen denied such claims.
“Guys I am staying in a house in a different state right now and the renters told us there was an abandoned building nearby,” she wrote. “It is not a movie set ya’ll. The house we are staying at is in the mountains and is in the middle of nowhere so we wanted to explore!”
She did clarify, though, that by “abandoned” she simply meant “no one is there,” but she acknowledged she didn’t know the back-story of the diner. She also wrote in the description of the second video that the woman they were renting from gave them permission to check out the building.
Whether the building is a movie set or simply a well-preserved relic, it’s certainly an intriguing find in a beautiful location.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
