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Holy Trinity

The Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church is located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was host to a Slovak Catholic congregation. Designed by F.W. Wilson of McKeesport in the Gothic Revival architectural style, the building’s stance on the side of a hi

The Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church is located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was host to a Slovak Catholic congregation. Designed by F.W. Wilson of McKeesport in the Gothic Revival architectural style, the building’s stance on the side of a hill, with its 150-foot tower, was to evoke a commanding presence over the Monongahela River valley.

The church was abandoned in 1970 when a new facility was built on the outskirts of the city. The building today is in severe disrepair and there have been discussions to raze it due to its failing condition.

News

The Storied Old Taylor Distillery Awaits Its Renaissance

For decades, the Old Taylor Distillery near Frankfort has endured a precipitous decline from its halcyon days as a jewel of the Commonwealth’s bourbon industry.

The Seclusion of Pickens: A Vestige of Appalachian Antiquity

Several years ago, I made my way into the heart of West Virginia – and came across Pickens.

Our Savior

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to its amazing architecture, the Woodward Avenue Presbyterian Church in Detroit needs to be saved.

January and Wood Company

I miss the January and Wood Company in Maysville, Kentucky. Dating to 1834, the firm was a cotton mill that diversified into synthetics. It closed in 2003.

Waveland

Waveland was constructed between 1797 and 1800 in Danville, Kentucky. After being abandoned for several decades, it is slated for restoration.

A Peek Inside Old Crow

Nestled amidst the storied distilleries that comprise the Kentucky Bourbon Trail lies Old Crow Distillery, a once-proud producer of such esteemed whiskey brands as Old Grand Dad, Bourbon DeLuxe, and Sunny Brook. Alas, the distillery’s operations fell silent in 1987 when it succumbed to a buy-out from the formidable Jim Beam corporation, its competitor.

News

Crosley Building Could Become Apartments

The historic and abandoned Crosley Building in the Camp Washington neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio could be reborn as 238 market-rate apartments.

The Fading Echoes of the Eastern Kentucky Railway

Amidst the verdant hills and winding waterways of northeastern Kentucky, the Eastern Kentucky Railway (EK) once stood as a vital artery, its iron rails spanning 36 miles and connecting the communities of Riverton and Webbville.

Exploring the Windsor School

The Windsor School, located in Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills neighborhood, opened in 1888 but closed in 2004 after years of decline.

Fairview School

Fairview School is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and was constructed from 1888-90 in the Romanesque Revival architectural style. It closed in 2008.

Fairview School is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and was constructed from 1888 to 1890 in the Romanesque Revival architectural style. A three-story addition, designed by local architect Edward J. Schulte, was built in 1957-58. The addition was meant to be expanded once the original structure was razed, but declining enrollment led to those plans never coming to light.

In 1982, Fairview became the Fairview German Bilingual School, which changed to the Fairview German Language School in 1994. It was the second magnet school for the city.

A 1976 report by the Cincinnati school board noted that Fairview should be abandoned or replaced due to unsatisfactory design or structural deterioration. Another proposal from 1999 called for Fairview to be replaced with a new kindergarten-through-8th grade German language magnet school. Fairview eventually closed in June 2008 as part of the Cincinnati Public School’s $1 billion, ten-year construction project to rehabilitate or rebuild nearly every facility within the city.

Fairview School

The complex was auctioned in July 2009 with Five Korners winning with a bid of $430,000. Five Korners was comprised of Mohammed and Rasheed Shamma who converted the 1888 building into luxury residences. In October 2010, both former Fairview school buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Out of School

School had been out for just a few months when this photograph was taken of the former Fairmont School in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Exploring the Linwood Public School

Linwood Public School is located in the Linwood neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio and was constructed in 1929. It was closed in 2005.

Ohio State Reformatory

The Ohio State Reformatory, also referred to as the Mansfield Reformatory, is a historic prison located in Mansfield, Ohio. See what it’s like inside.

Brooks was here

Dear fellas, I can’t believe how fast things move on the outside. I saw an automobile once when I was a kid, but now they’re everywhere. The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry. The parole board got me into this halfway house called “The Brewer” and a job bagging groceries at the Foodway. It’s hard work and I try to keep up, but my hands hurt most of the time. I don’t think the store manager likes me very much. Sometimes after work, I go to the park and feed the birds. I keep thinking Jake might just show up and say hello, but he never does. I hope wherever he is, he’s doin’ okay and makin’ new friends. I have trouble sleepin’ at night. I have bad dreams like I’m falling. I wake up scared. Sometimes it takes me a while to remember where I am. Maybe I should get me a gun and rob the Foodway so they’d send me home. I could shoot the manager while I was at it, sort of like a bonus. I guess I’m too old for that sort of nonsense any more. I don’t like it here. I’m tired of being afraid all the time. I’ve decided not to stay. I doubt they’ll kick up any fuss. Not for an old crook like me. P.S: Tell Heywood I’m sorry I put a knife to his throat. No hard feelings. Brooks.

Throwback

Baber Building

The Baber Building, an imposing edifice with barred windows and sturdy brick construction, once formed an integral part of the Longview State Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Haunting Presence of Joseph & Feiss

The abandoned skeleton of Joseph & Feiss looms over the motorists along Interstate 90 in Cleveland, Ohio, a derelict that has only been a little more than a decade in the making.

Knobs of Kentucky

On a melancholy February afternoon, I embarked on a sojourn through the knobs of Kentucky, meandering along the back roads that whisper of bygone eras.

The Crumbling Edifice: The Unfortunate Demise of the Penn-Lincoln Hotel

The Penn-Lincoln Hotel is an abandoned hotel in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania that is scheduled for demolition.

A Delicate Dance with Nature: The Turtle Creek Flood Control Project

In the face of nature’s relentless fury, humankind has long sought to erect bulwarks against the ravages of floodwaters, a testament to our indomitable spirit and ingenuity. One such endeavor, the Turtle Creek Flood Control Project, stands as a shining example of this ceaseless struggle.