The story of a forgotten America.

The Diary of a Cleveland, Ohio Industrial Building

If buildings could have diaries, the complex of industrial structures along Ashland Road in Cleveland, Ohio would be overflowing with details on its long and illustrious history. Not much has been written about the complex, owing to a lack of information easily available, and misinterpretations based on various first-hand accounts and urban explorers. But what was uncovered was fascinating and complicated, more so than originally envisioned, and despite a wealth of materials uncovered, there are still gaps that have not yet been resolved.

Ohio Edison

Ohio Edison Mad River Powerplant

The Ohio Edison Mad River power plant in Springfield, Ohio was opened on October 2, 1927 and was dubbed “The Giant of the Miami Valley.” Designed by Springfield architect William K. Shilling, the power plant was located at the confluence of Buck Creek and the Mad River. After years of disuse, the complex was razed in 2010.

Charles Schroer Mortuary

Forbidden City Tour: Charles Schroer

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.

City Mills

Forbidden City Tour: City Mills

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.

Indianapolis City Market

Tour the Indianapolis Catacombs

To 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.

Lee Plaza

Lee Plaza

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.

Lafayette Building

The Lafayette

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.

Cairo, Illinois

A Trip to Cairo, Illinois

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?

Biggest Population Losses

After a recent drive through Cairo, Illinois (article forthcoming), and seeing the effects of decades of racial segregation and violence, and then economic decline and population loss, I wondered what other major and minor cities in the United States has experienced such steep and dramatic losses? Besides Cairo, Detroit and Wheeling, I asked my Facebook readers of other examples.