Tag:

abandoned

Salton Sea of the Midwest – 2016

by Kaylah Stroup May 2, 2016

Yesterday Jeff and I took a drive to one of our favorite little vacation spots of yesteryear, the abandoned trailer park. We first discovered this spot in early 2015 and have since made a few voyages there. It doesn’t seem to be losing it’s charm for either of us. It’s such a cool spot and it seems like each visit I find something new. Yesterday, multiple times, I said “I don’t remember seeing this last time, do you?!”

I wish I had more information on this place since I really do enjoy sharing that sort of stuff in my posts about abandoned places but I’ve got nothing on this spot. The most I can offer you is that this was a vacation area along a lake. The road is lined with rotting cottages, and colorful trailers, both full of furniture and possessions. No idea why it closed and why even if the grounds that the trailers were on closed that people didn’t come back to haul out their vacation homes. Seems awfully silly to just leave them, unless of course they weren’t owned individually but rented instead. Regardless, dishes left in the sink of one trailer make it look like there was intention to come back. Abandoned places like this one have such an air of mystery surrounding them.

abandoned, ohio, trailers, colorful trailers

I was a little nervous heading out on this trip that I wouldn’t be able to find anything different to shoot, that I would essentially be taking the same shots I had already taken. Aside from the few I tried to reshoot, I feel like I captured all new stuff. I’m really excited about my photos. I’m also really excited to continue to photograph this place, documenting how it changes. While trying to write this post I kept getting distracted, flipping back and forth between this and the old posts seeing how things have progressed.

The photo above is one of the few that I had remembered taking on a previous
visit and tried to at least somewhat replicate so I could compare. Without actually referencing the photo I’d say I did a pretty awesome job getting a very similar shot.
It looks drastically different since I last saw it just around a year
ago. (You can find the original photo in this post.) Ohio’s four very distinct seasons are definitely rough on abandoned things. I’ll never get over the huge difference between the stuff we have out here compared to the places we’ve found in the desert.

Our trip was fairly uneventful and quick. Middle of the day on a weekend is never really a good time to explore. Although this spot is obviously a bit secluded it’s near some occupied homes so we tried our best to be quick and quiet. The big excitement for me came hours later while laying in bed watching a movie. I was running my fingers through my hair when I felt something. I thought it was a scab, and I was curious but not too concerned so I pulled it out. I glanced at my finger and found a tick. Yuuuuuck! It’s pretty hard to gross me out and generally I love all sorts of creepy crawlies but I had to shower immediately after that. Ticks just freak me out. Those suckers are dangerous. I wasn’t just grossed out, I was offended this little jerk thought he could hitch a ride of me. I’m still really grossed out and basically want to stand in a scalding hot shower all day but I guess I should just be glad he never latched on. Moral of the story? Don’t forget to check for ticks, ALWAYS!

You can find other posts on this spot here – March 2015, March on film, and June 2015.
xoxo

Knox County Poorhouse

by Kaylah Stroup February 29, 2016

If you’ve been reading a while, you might recall how after I got my license I took a lot of little day trips to silly places as often as possible. After moving to Cleveland I kind of fell out of the habit. I’ve been missing it a lot lately. For 2016 I made two goals that would be accomplished by getting back into the habit of taking these trips; to explore Ohio, and be brave and be alone.

I spent last Sunday night researching places I might want to stop at. While browsing all my regular sites, hoping something would spark my interest, I thought of the Knox County Poorhouse. It’s one of those buildings I had known about for a while but never made it a point to go and check out. On June 26, 2015 the poorhouse caught fire. I thought that I had missed my opportunity and that was a huge bummer. It was an insanely gorgeous building. I did a little research, and found some recent photos. It didn’t burn down completely, it had caught fire. While the building was obviously in very rough shape, from what I could find online it still looked like it might be worth a visit. I decided I was going to make the drive, what was there to lose?

Built in 1875, The Knox County Poorhouse was a place for the poor, and indigent. The mentally ill were sometimes left there by families who could not afford the proper treatment. Many other residents were elderly who had no other place to go. It didn’t take too long before rumors that something wasn’t right began to swirl. Horrible conditions led to more than a few deaths over the years. Supposedly remains were even found in shallow unmarked graves in more recent years. Eventually, 1953, the building was found structurally unstable by a county engineer and subsequently closed but not for too long… The Knox County Poorhouse reopened as a bible college in 1957. It was open for 31 years before closing yet again in 1988. Finally, in it’s last incarnation the poorhouse was used as a haunted house. In 2006 four of the floors collapsed. Since then it’s sat completely abandoned.

Monday morning I hopped in the car, equipped with multiple cameras, and headed off with a few spots mapped out. The drive was beautiful. The further I got from home the foggier it got. I absolutely LOVE shooting photos in fog so I nixed my other stops and headed straight to the poorhouse. Much to my dismay around ten minutes before arriving the fog had lifted, I was disappointed to say the least. I turned down the road and there she was. After a long drive, the feeling of seeing what you came for off in the distance is incredibly satisfying. It no longer mattered that it wasn’t foggy, I was just happy to be there. Even in the state the building was in, she was beautiful!! I couldn’t wait to get out of my car and take pictures.

Then I spotted a truck… Seeing that the property is clearly marked “NO TRESPASSING!” there’s no playing dumb and really the property isn’t that large so sneaking around wasn’t an option. Did I really just drive two hours only to see the building and leave with no photos?! I parked across the street, contemplated my options, did a bit of pouting then decided to put on my big girl pants and just go feel out whoever was parked over there. In case y’all need a reminder, I am insanely shy. Things like this, while no big deal to most people, are a huge deal to me. I rehearsed it a few times, “Hey, do you own this place? Would you mind if I took some photos?”, before actually working up the nerve.

I drove over, rolled down my window, and took a deep breath. “Hey!” I blurted out. “Hey!” the man mimicked back in the same tone. I stuttered out my rehearsed speech and to my surprise, he said yes! We traded introductions, and spoke briefly about the building. His name was Larry, he and his wife purchased the poorhouse in September of 2015, shortly after it caught fire. They had plans to turn it into a banquet hall but soon realized it would cost a lot more money than they had anticipated. The city was pressuring them to do something with the building immediately due to the dangerous conditions. The day I showed up to photograph it? Demolition day! What are the chances?! I gathered all my equipment and started off to photograph what was left of this incredible building before it was gone forever.

I don’t know about you but there are just some people I instantly feel at ease with and Larry was definitely one of those people. He joined me after my first lap of the property and together we walked around discussing the building’s history and how sad we both were to see it go. Larry grabbed a flashlight from his vehicle and we both explored inside for the first time. “My wife wouldn’t let me come inside” he joked. It was really special to be able to experience that with a stranger, especially one who is from a totally different generation. To be able to find common ground like that is really awesome. We poked around inside where it was possible, and peeked in all the windows to see the spots we couldn’t otherwise access. My plans for the day were just to get some exterior photos so I definitely got more than I ever expected.

Larry searching for the perfect souvenir brick for me to keep.

I’m bummed I never got to see the poorhouse in all it’s glory before it burnt down but I guess it’s pretty darn cool to be able to say I was one of the very, very last people to explore and photograph it before it was torn down. I can’t even begin to tell you how much of a success I consider that little day trip to be. I conquered a fear of mine and was repaid enormously with a personal tour of an incredible piece of history.
xoxo

A million thanks to Larry for being so kind as to let me photograph his building and giving me a tour. Words cannot express how thankful I am! Part of me couldn’t imagine that it was actually being torn down that same day but a news report along with photos confirm the sad news, the poorhouse is gone forever.

Mount Moriah Cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup February 23, 2016

After deciding to take a spur of the moment trip to Philadelphia for Valentine’s Day, we hit the internet for ideas of what to do. I guess unlike most like people we weren’t looking for museums, or delicious restaurants, although we obviously love both of those things. We were looking for abandoned buildings, accessible rooftops, and any other little interesting, yet often overlooked, nooks and crannies. I knew from my last, visit a few years back, that Philadelphia has some really great cemeteries. I was thinking we could swing by Laurel Hill Cemetery again. It was beautiful, my photography has definitely improved since then and I’d love to re-shoot it. Then we found it… Mount Moriah Cemetery, the cemetery of my dreams.

Mount Moriah Cemetery was established in 1855. It’s the final resting places for over 80,000 people. It spans 380 acres. You can read the full history of the cemetery here. The short version is that the cemetery was privately owned but in 2004 the last known member of the association passed away. Basically it was a big legal mess and the cemetery was essentially abandoned. It suffered from years and year of neglect. Large sections became completely overgrown with weeds. I even saw a tree growing straight out of an obelisk! By golly, this place is a sight to see!

I didn’t do too much research on the cemetery before visiting. I guess I didn’t want to get too excited in case we weren’t able to make it there. So my first though upon parking outside the cemetery was “Okay, this has to be trespassing…”* Jeff and I slipped in through the broken fence and made our way to the gatehouse, which was what initially caught our attention in the photos online. It was in A LOT worse shape than we had seen. I actually didn’t even mange get a decent shot of it, the sun was at a funny spot in the sky, and I was completely overwhelmed with everything else that surrounded me.

I don’t even know how to describe this cemetery to you right now, except that it was all of my cemetery dreams come true. I know, I’m sorry, thats awful to say. I don’t think it’s awesome that someone royally screwed up and let this happen to a cemetery but I would be lying to say that “abandoned cemetery” didn’t rank SUPER high on my list of things I’d like to photograph.

In 2011, Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery was formed, a group of clearly amazing volunteers dedicated to the preservation of the cemetery. Although the cemetery was definitely overgrown, and in the worst shape I have I ever seen a cemetery in, it was obvious that lots of hard work had been going into it recently. Trees growing up beside headstones and been cut down, and there were piles of brush waiting to be hauled away.

Right now FOMMCI has a gofundme running to raise the money needed to save the gatehouse. It will cost $35,000 to stabilize the structure. They currently have $24,500 from a grant and previous donations. They need another $10,500 to keep it from becoming a pile of rubble. Any donations over their goal (which they reached in two days!) will be used for additional Mount Moriah Cemetery capital improvements. You can read more and donate, if you feel so inclined, here!

We barely saw a fraction of the cemetery. It’s the largest in the state of Pennsylvania! Part of me is sad that it’ll no longer exist in this condition. I’ll never be able to experience it like I did on this day but I guess that’s why I feel photography is so important… The other part of me knows that’s obviously a really good thing that it’s now on the up and up. I’m sure returning this cemetery to it’s former glory will take a very, very long time but it’s definitely on it’s way. FOMMCI, you guys rule!
xoxo

*Just wanted to note that everything I’ve read says the cemetery is open and visitors are welcome.

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Abandoned Rubber Bowl

by Kaylah Stroup January 27, 2016

The Rubber Bowl was one of those places I had known about for a little while but wasn’t all that concerned with actually getting to. I’m not interested in football at all, and I really didn’t see how an abandoned stadium could be all that cool. I had seen a few photos but wasn’t too impressed. I’m fully prepared to admit I was wrong, the Rubber Bowl was pretty darn awesome! I’m super pumped about my photos.

Let’s back up a second though. The Rubber Bowl is a, now abandoned, stadium in Akron, Ohio that was built in 1940. It was primarily used as a football field, both professional and high school, but also hosted concerts, and other events. Large names such as Black Sabbath, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Alice Cooper, Tom Petty, The Grateful Dead, and Aretha Franklin, among many others, have all played here.

Since 2008, when the Rubber Bowl’s home team The Zips, moved to a new stadium this place has sat abandoned. In 2012, a marketing company with big hopes purchase the stadium for $38,000. They have yet to do anything with the property but claim that the stadium could be up and running within six to eight months if they wanted. Apparently, “most of the damage is cosmetic.”

While we were poking around two teenage boys showed up. Always a little bit skeptical of others, I kept my eye on them only to watch them change shoes and start playing catch down on the field. It was kind of unexpected but can you blame them? I mean, what could beat your own personal football field to practice on?

I sent my mom a photo that Jeff took of me on the steps. Apparently in 1972 she had seen the Rolling Stones here. It’s one thing to read the history the history of a place but thinking that forty-four years ago my mom was somewhere in these stands, probably dancing and screaming her head off, is just crazy! It’s things like that bring you right back down to reality. This is a real place, that A LOT of people have had special moments at. I don’t necessarily feel sad about abandoned places (yes, it’s a total waste!) but knowing that someone I know was here makes me feel something I can’t quite describe. If you recall, she had also visited this now abandoned amusement park I blogged about back in 2014.

After finishing up shooting, we ended up finding a football. Jeff, Jason, and Brandon tossed it around while I laid on the ground and soaked up the sunshine. Playing catch might be something totally normal for most dudes but these are three guys I have never seen show any interest in sports before so it was particularly amusing watching them throw the ball back and forth. There were a few random tires scattered across the field so they took turns trying to throw the ball through a rolling tire. We could have hung out a lot longer and I’d have been a happy gal. The sunshine, and blue skies were a nice change of pace from the constant gray Ohio has been. And the artificial turf? SO warm! For a brief moment it was easy to forget it was we’re smack dab in the middle of January.

xoxo

Exploring Akron

by Kaylah Stroup January 21, 2016

Last Saturday Jeff and I had plans to make a real nice lunch together, and get lots of work done. I just had to run a few errands first. About thirty minutes after he left my apartment I get a text “How are your errands going? FYI You, Jason, and I are going down to Akron when you’re ready.” Well, that was a change of plans but I didn’t mind. The cold weather has me feeling blue so any time I get the chance to get out and take photos I’m jumping on it! I hadn’t even left the house to start my errands yet. Instead I layered up, packed up my camera gear, and shortly after we were off!

In case you’re not from Ohio, or even the US* – Akron is the next large-ish city over from where I live. It’s approximately a forty-five minute drive away and I’ve probably only been there a handful of times. There’s not quite as much as abandonment there as in Cleveland but that wasn’t all we were looking for. Put simply, we were just looking for something new. Jeff actually grew up right outside Akron so nothing is all that new for him but it’s at least a little bit less familiar than our surrounding area. We were out looking for tracks to walks, tunnels to explore, and anything worthy of a photograph.

Jeff telling us a story about a time he was frightened by a plastic bag in this same spot.

After walking the tracks for a while I was ready for something a bit more protected from the weather. I realize that it doesn’t actually look that cold out which is exactly why this winter is so depressing. It looks like it’s nice out, the sun might even be shining but as soon as you step outside you get smacked with reality. It’s freezing!

Jeff knew of an abandoned factory that we might be able to get. After a quick drive, a short walk, and use of some muscles I’d realize the next day that I apparently hadn’t used in a while we were inside.

There wasn’t much left in the factory at all, and, to be honest, I feel a little rusty shooting abandoned buildings. The whole time we were in there I just felt like I was shooting horribly. I was having trouble composing photos. When I got around to editing them the next day I was decently surprised with what I got. I wish I would have taken more photos!

After making our way out of the factory we were all ready for some grub. Something local, something kind of quick so we could get back out before it got too late. Jeff suggested Diamond Deli which… I don’t even have words for. Their website says their goal is to “make damn good sandwiches” which they are definitely doing. I don’t recall what I even ate except for the fact it had some sort of mustard/mayo combo on it which was just awesome. I truly regret not bringing my camera in so I could have a photo of my sandwich for this post.

We drove around a bit more after gorging ourselves, and spent some time around the tracks shooting photos of trains before eventually calling it a night. All in all, a successful day!
xoxo

* Sometimes people name cities in their posts but it literally means nothing to me because I have no idea where that place is, how far of a trip it is for them, etc. Just thought including a little reference there would be helpful!

favorite 10 abandoned spots in 2015

by Kaylah Stroup January 7, 2016

motel

Finally, the last of my 2015 recaps! The year before last I shared my 10 favorite abandoned spots of the year and couldn’t resist choosing my favorites from 2015. I didn’t get out as much last year as I did the previous year but regardless I still had some really amazing adventures. Factories, multiple trailer parks, a greenhouse, and even a stretch of highway that hasn’t been driven on in years. My favorite had to be the massive abandoned hospital though. I’ve honestly had multiple dreams about that place since. I’m chomping at the bit to go back!

party supply company

trailer park

greenhouse (in the winter without snow, in the spring, and in the fall.)

abandoned around Cleveland

hospital

school

factory

rubber duck factory

highway

Here’s to another year of great adventures!

xoxo

You can find the rest of my posts on abandoned places under the “abandoned” tag.

abandoned Rochester subway // round two

by Kaylah Stroup November 18, 2015

The weekend before last Jeff, Jake, and I hit up the abandoned Rochester subway. I guess it’s sort of an annual thing now. The Rochester subway was a light rail rapid transit line that operated from 1927 to 1956. The subway was constructed in the bed of the old Erie Canal. Most of the tracks have since been removed but it’s a really incredible tunnel nonetheless. The main part, where light flows in, is filled with colorful graffiti. It’s a really interesting spot to go visit, take photos, and poke around.

We walked the entire length again this year. It really wasn’t too much different from last year. We did manage to find a new little path to go down though which was an awesome discovery. There was an opening and a strange tunnel that kept going and kept going but I wasn’t really feeling it. It was clear someone was living there, deep underneath the city. I really don’t like the idea of invading someone’s personal space like that so if ever somewhere feels like it might be someone’s home I’m out. Not to mention the fact there were around five million cigarettes, I’m barely exaggerating here, and the smell was hard to handle. I’m so curious where the tunnel went though. I’d love to go in deeper, maybe next year…

Of course, there was new graffiti as well. I’m sure things are constantly being changed around down there. People were even painting while we there. One of my favorite things from this trip was Halloween themed graffiti! Ghosts, pumpkins, spooky creatures, and more! It was so awesome!!!

hornbill above done by Mr. Prvrt who paints some real rad stuff (+works with Wild Wings Inc, an organization that houses injured and non-releasable birds of prey in NY)

See ya again next year, Rochester!
xoxo

Find last 2014’s abandoned subway post here.

Abandoned hospital

by Kaylah Stroup November 12, 2015

Last weekend I finally got to explore an abandoned hospital! Like a lot of people I am terrified of hospitals, for not good reason at all. An abandoned hospital though? It has been on my list of places to get for so long. We actually had scoped out this place last year and didn’t see an entrance. I wasn’t super confident we’d be able to get inside this year but it was worth a shot.

We parked, got out, and started walking around the hospital in order to get some exterior shots, and possibly find a way in. Within a few minutes a car showed up, and headed right for us. The driver, an older woman, rolled down her window and asked “Are you guys urban explorers?” “Nope, just looking to take some photos of the outside.” She didn’t look convinced and now any chance of getting inside was shot. The last thing we needed was a concerned citizen thinking we looked suspicious… which we totally did. The three us dressed in dark clothes, all with backpacks and tripods. It’s beyond obvious what we’re up to. We continued to walk the perimeter of the building because technically there was nothing wrong with us doing that, right?

Jeff walked around the outermost perimeter while Jake and I stuck close to the building. When we rounded the corner there was Jeff chatting with the lady in the car. Jake and I walked over to join the conversation. Apparently she had a great interest in the hospital. She even revealed that a few years back she had been inside. It was at that moment we realized “okay, she’s not a threat!” She raved about how amazing it was and how much she enjoyed seeing it. She wasn’t looking for a way in this time, just to photograph a peregrine falcon who was known to hang out on the roof.

The grounds of the hospital were hopping which is both good and bad. Good because us being there raises less of a concern if people are there often just to get a look at this giant building, and bad because that means someone could see us entering the building. While talking to the woman from the car, Joyce, we noticed a group of six teenage boys walking around the building. To me, they looked suspicious but teenage boys always kind of do. Then all of a sudden they just start disappearing inside! Well, there was our way in! We were actually going to get inside of this incredible building. I was on cloud nine.

We weaved our way into the main stairwell and started to climb. We went all the way to the top, stopping off at a few floors to explore a
few rooms but honestly, there was just so much to see. It was insane. I couldn’t believe we actually made it inside. After all this time I was finally inside an abandoned hospital. I was beyond excited. I was like a squirrel, just darting back and forth, chattering about how cool this was or how neat something looked. I just wanted to see it all! There were so many little details I wish I could have photographed them all. Room numbers, murals painted to make the place seem more inviting, medical equipment labels, etc.

We didn’t get to spend too much time inside since it was getting dark. If I haven’t already made it clear how large this place was let me just say it again, the hospital is huge. I’ve watched enough horror movies to know that I don’t want to be lost inside an abandoned hospital in the dark. We all agreed it was time to leave. It was a bit stressful trying to get out, especially since the bottom two floors have the windows boarded and that means it was pitch black. Even with awesome flashlights, which we each had, this place was one dark, creepy maze.

Once we finally found the spot where we had entered the building Jeff peeked out first to make sure the
coast was clear. There was a car so he ducked back down. A few seconds
pass and we hear the car park, and the door open then close. We looked
at each other with wide eyes, we thought we were screwed. There wasn’t
time to hide and in my mind, it was most definitely the police. Jeff
said “we’ve just got to own it”…

It was Joyce, the woman from earlier. She came back to check on the bird and spotted Jeff’s tripod which he had tossed out first. She thought we had lost it and was coming to pick it up. She was SO excited to see that we had gotten inside. We chatted with her for at least fifteen minutes. We talked birds, and abandoned buildings. She showed us photos of the peregrine falcons from the area which she lovingly referred to as her babies. I had to take a deep breath and collect myself, this woman was amazing. I love nothing more than a person with a passion and she was clearly crazy about her hobbies. I truly regret not getting a group shot of the four of us together in front of the hospital.

It was an amazing day. I finally crossed an abandoned hospital off my list and we met Joyce, who definitely brightened my day. Seriously, what an amazing lady. I’m sure the chance of crossing paths with her again are slim but here’s to hoping!
xoxo

You can find more posts featuring abandoned places here.

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