Author: Sherman Cahal

January 11, 2013 / Explorations

The Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad (DT&I) is a defunct railroad that began in southern Ohio as the Iron Railroad Company, which connected Ironton to the coal and timber reserves in the southern part of the state. Through acquisitions and mergers, the DT&I stretched for over 370 miles from Ironton to the automobile manufacturing plants in Michigan

January 4, 2013 / Explorations

This Queen Anne-styled building at 2313 East 55th Street in Cleveland, Ohio, was not only a residence but home to several businesses and murders.

January 2, 2013 / Explorations

For far too long, cities across the United States have treated the rehabilitation of historic properties as an afterthought, a pursuit undertaken only when a neighborhood has reached a critical juncture, with precious few buildings remaining, or when the inexorable tide of gentrification has already set in motion. But what fate befalls those structures that lie beyond the purview of future restoration initiatives, left to the ravages of neglect, stripped of their essence, and destined to collapse under the weight of their own decrepitude?

November 30, 2012 / Explorations
November 29, 2012 / Explorations

The Crowell-Collier Publishing Company, once the world’s largest magazine publishing house, once boasted its printing operations in Springfield, Ohio.

October 23, 2012 / Explorations

While exploring Virginia’s back roads, I came upon the former New River, Holston and Western Railroad (NH&W) that once extended from the Norfolk & Western (N&W) at Narrows on the New River in Giles County to the village of Suiter in Bland County, Virginia. The 43-mile line followed Wolf Creek or its tributaries for its entire length.

September 24, 2012 / Explorations

The Paramount Theatre is located in Youngstown, Ohio and was originally known as the Liberty Theatre. Designed by Detroit architect C. Howard Crane, with Stanley & Scheibel serving as associate architects, the vaudeville house opened on February 11, 1918 with the production of “A Modern Musketeer.” The late Neo-classical, Ecole des Beaux Arts exterior featured terra cotta ornamentation, while the interior featured ornate plaster detailing and 1,700 seats.

September 18, 2012 / Explorations

There is a lot of commonality between Youngstown, Ohio and the Ohio River valley that I grew up within near Ironton. Both are areas that have experienced major employment losses, either due to a declining steel mill or other heavy industries; both are areas that have experienced population declines in the cities; both are areas that are impoverished. But the severity of Youngstown’s losses are hard to compare to.

August 17, 2012 / Explorations
July 20, 2012 / Explorations
July 18, 2012 / Explorations

If the weathered facades of the industrial structures lining Ashland Road in Cleveland, Ohio, could speak, they would regale us with tales of a rich and multifaceted history. Despite the paucity of readily available information and the occasional misinterpretation stemming from firsthand accounts and urban exploration, the complex’s narrative proves more intricate and captivating than initially envisioned. Though a wealth of materials has been uncovered, certain gaps remain unresolved, adding an air of mystery to this chronicle.

July 5, 2012 / Explorations
June 13, 2012 / Explorations
June 12, 2012 / Explorations
June 1, 2012 / Explorations
May 29, 2012 / Explorations
May 24, 2012 / Explorations

With profound gratitude extended to Downtown Mansfield Inc. and Preservation Ohio, hundreds of residents were afforded the opportunity to delve into Mansfield, Ohio’s rich history through a series of guided tours encompassing five significant sites within walking distance. The first installment of this five-part series spotlights the City Mills Building.

May 24, 2012 / Events
April 24, 2012 / Events

San Francisco Armory

Tour the historic San Francisco, California Armory for just $28 for two, now listed on Groupon. Constructed in 1914, the 220,000 square-foot armory hosted the National Guard until 1973 and then remained vacant for three decades. It was purchased in 2007 and then subsequently rehabilitated for adult film sets by Peter Acworth, owner of Kink.com.

April 23, 2012 / Events

Indianapolis City MarketTo be offered beginning in June, the Indianapolis, Indiana Catacomb tours will take the public beneath City Market into mostly unknown catacombs that date to 1886. The cavernous walkways, featuring brick archways and columns of limestone, encompass more than 20,000 square feet and were part of Tomlinson Hall, a structure along Market Street that burned in 1958.