Nolan Grimes has had a lifelong fascination with the abandoned, forlorn, and old in the world around him. He began urban exploring while he was a student at Beaver Area High School. In college, he found many friends interested in the hobby as well. He graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2021 with a degree in geographic information systems. Nolan has published two other books: Roadtrip: A Month Alone (2021) and A History of Buildings at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2022). He currently works in Pittsburgh and lives in Beaver.