With again much thanks to Downtown Mansfield Inc. and Preservation Ohio, the public was allowed inside to view the former Charles Schroer Mortuary. What seemed nothing more than a rather generic building along North Diamond Street in Mansfield, Ohio was actually part of the large Schroer business that at its height, occupied half of the block from East Temple Court to East Fifth Street.
With much thanks to Downtown Mansfield Inc. and Preservation Ohio, hundreds were able to enjoy learning more about Mansfield, Ohio’s history and were given the opportunity to tour five sites within walking distance, including City Mills – the first leg in this five part series.
Lee Plaza is one of those iconic abandonments of Detroit, Michigan that stands out as a prime example of what went wrong with the city in the latter half of the 20th century, and is a pillar of potential along West Grand Boulevard. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Lee Plaza is an excellent representation of Art Deco from the 1920s and was at one point, a luxurious apartment complex that offered hotel amenities to its wealthy residents.
Many moons ago, I had the opportunity to explore the Lafayette Building in downtown Detroit, Michigan with two friends. It was a blustery, cold Sunday morning and there was not a soul out. No pedestrians and very few cars. In retrospect, I wish I had spent more time at the Lafayette. I only saw the interior once and that was brief – it was more photogenic than I imagined despite years of abuse and alterations.
Located in the Northwest Goldberg neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, King Solomon Baptist Church’s facility at Marquette and 14th Street was best known as the first African American church to be located on a major thoroughfare.
Detroit’s Eastern Catholic High School, despite its blown out windows and scrapped interior, was still breathtaking and beautiful.
The Packard Automotive Plant in Detroit, Michigan is known for its extensive deterioration, brought about by decades of underutilization and neglect.
Several years ago, nine schools in Cincinnati, Ohio were auctioned to the highest and most qualified bidder. The McKinley School was one of those.
Spurred on by an impromptu excursion to photograph a collapsed bridge in western Kentucky, I decided to visit a part of the state that I had not yet fully explored. From Owensboro to Paducah, from the isolated Land Between the Lakes to dense streetscapes, I toured the back roads in hopes of finding something new to write about and to photograph. Then, I came across Cairo, Illinois. What the hell happened here?
While driving through Trimble County, Kentucky after photographing the Milton-Madison Bridge, I turned onto Kentucky State Route 625 and stumbled upon an old schoolhouse.
Railroad YMCA’s were once staples in the United States, offering lounges, recreational amenities, restaurants and a safe and convenient place for rest for the myriad of railroad employees. Russell, Kentucky is one such instance of a town that offered a YMCA.
While on an expedition to the upper peninsula of Michigan, namely to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, I stumbled across two abandoned railroads.
Located along Stone Lick Creek north of Orangeburg, Kentucky is this quaint and simple farmhouse has newer gingerbread detailing.
Deerton, Michigan is an unincorporated community in Alger County that was founded in 1882 when the Detroit, Mackinac & Marquette Railroad constructed a station for a lumbering camp. A post office opened in 1922, and in 1926, a small school was constructed at the junction of Deerton-Onota Road. Today, not much is left in the community – most of the residences are abandoned, although the school still operates.
Noted as the second oldest arcade in the United States, Springfield, Ohio’s downtown Arcade was demolished in 1988. The Arcade was adjacent to the Esplanade, and was a leading example of Romanesque, Italianate and Monumental architecture. It was bounded by S. Fountain Ave., E. High Street, Washington Street and Primrose Alley.
While spending a rainy day at a library, I managed to find some information on the now closed American Car and Foundry Company manufacturing company in Huntington, West Virginia, that dated back to November 1, 1872 when it was issued a charter as the Ensign Manufacturing Company. It is nearly as old as the city itself!
The Packard Motor Company on East Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan was constructed in 1903 and closed in 1958. With just the exception of a brief reuse in several locations, the entire complex – 3.5 million square feet over 35 acres, produced 1.5 million vehicles. Designed by Albert Kahn, the industrial complex used reinforced concrete for its construction, a first for Detroit.
For a town that has been on the economic decline for over two decades, Jeannette, Pennsylvania held its own. Not so much for the Monsour Medical Center.
Caesar Creek School, located in Caesar Creek Township in rural Greene County, Ohio, was constructed as a high school in 1908. It began serving elementary students in 1927, and a small addition was constructed in 1957 that included two classrooms, two indoor restrooms and a gymnasium. Caesar Creek closed in 1967.
These classic Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad CPL’s at Limeville, Kentucky/NJ Cabin Interlocking are being replaced with new SafeTran signals.
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