Exploring the Poplar Hill Mansion
See what’s inside Poplar Hill, an abandoned mansion most famously owned by the Dunnington family in rural Virginia.
Category
Mid-Atlantic
Category
Mid-Atlantic
Renovation Progress at the Morris Memorial Hospital Site
My journey through West Virginia a few days ago took me by the former Morris Memorial Hospital for Crippled Children in Milton. I had been wanting to conduct aerial photography of the site for some time and see how much progress had been made in converting it into the Grand Patrician Resort & Spa!
Tornado Destroys Tennessee State Penitentiary Overnight
A storm in Nashville produced two tornados, killing 19 individuals and destroying many buildings, including parts of the Tennessee State Penitentiary.
West Virginia Exposition Hall Destroyed
The Exposition Hall, originally part of the West Virginia Exposition & State Fair located in Wheeling, was destroyed by fire on January 1, 2020.
A Day at Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, located in Weston, West Virginia, stands as a testament to a complex history, transitioning from a mental health institution to a prominent tourist destination.
Photographing Lonaconing’s Silk Mill
The Lonaconing, Maryland silk mill, last operated by General Textile Mills, is one of my favorite buildings to photograph. From its early 20th century machinery to its dated calendars and papers, it is remarkable that this testament to industrial heritage remains standing well over 50 years past its closure.
Bootleg Racing and the West Virginia Motor Speedway
Once considered outdated and redneck, dirt oval racetracks have made a resurgence across the rural swaths of America as unending regulations and expensive fares make it hard to justify trips to a NASCAR race track. Local dirt track racing has come back full throttle, although that resurgence has not spread to the abandoned West Virginia Motor Speedway near Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Exploring Wheeling Steel’s Benwood Works
The factory that produced the first welded steel pipe is partially abandoned. Wheeling Steel’s Benwood Works dates to 1884 when Riverside Iron Works, its earliest predecessor, became the second mill in the area to produce steel.
Revisiting the Jefferson School
Sometimes, I revisit an old friend and discover something new, such as the long-abandoned Jefferson School in Wheeling, West Virginia. I had not discovered much about the historic structure other than its demolition in 2013.
Friends in Sang Run
The historic community of Sang Run is located along the Youghiogheny River in the mountains of western Maryland. The drive to this remote pocket of the state is not the easiest, with twisty blacktop roads alternating between forested hillsides and open valleys.