Some time back, I revisited Jeannette Glass in Pennsylvania as I came across an outdated article regarding its pending demolition. Fearing that Jeannette could be gone sooner rather than later, I packed my bags, hopped into my car, dialed up some music and pointed my compass east.
Category: Explorations
Thurmond, West Virginia is a fascinating town along the New River in Fayette County. With just a population of five, Thurmond served as an important stop for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad before the advent of the diesel locomotive era.
Amid the rugged terrain and verdant valleys of West Virginia, the echoes of an industrial age resonate through the winding corridors of abandoned railroads, now repurposed as recreational havens. These remnants of a bygone era stand as monuments to the indomitable spirit that once propelled the engines of progress, their steel rails beckoning visitors to embark on journeys of discovery.
Shenango China was once one of America’s great restaurantware and dinnerware manufacturers. Located in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Shenango produced Incaware, “Castleton China” and “American Haviland,” along with other brands and styles.
The historic Glencoe-Auburn Place and Hotel in the Mount Auburn neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio is being demolished after spending years in redevelopment limbo.
The opportunity to document a significant industrial site facing the threat of demolition is a rare occurrence, as most sites are inaccessible due to security concerns, reluctant owners or property managers, or liability issues. However, nestled in a corner at the junction of Lisbon and Evins streets in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad and the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate) converged, stood a collection of businesses that left an indelible mark on Cleveland’s history, growth, and influence.
Situated along East 79th Street in the Kinsman neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, the Van Dorn Iron Works once stood as a bastion of industrial prowess.
The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad (CH&D) Wellston Division was initially constructed as part of the Dayton and Southeastern (D&SE), who had proposed a line southeast of Dayton, Ohio to Wellston in 1878 to connect to the developing southeastern Ohio coal markets.
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
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.
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?
The trajectory of the Crowell-Collier Publishing Company, an enterprise that ascended to unprecedented dominance before succumbing to market forces, represents a remarkable narrative worthy of examination.
The Crowell-Collier Publishing Company, once the world’s largest magazine publishing house, once boasted its printing operations in Springfield, Ohio.
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.
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.
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.
The Springfield City Hospital was located in Springfield, Ohio along High Street and was in operation from 1931 to 2011.
The Cleveland, Ohio Cedar Avenue substation was constructed in 1917, and was the first automatic substation completed for the Cleveland Railway Company. It was closed in 1948.
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.