Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad’s 34-mile Paducah-East Cairo line was constructed in 1902-03 between East Cairo and Paducah, Kentucky and abandoned in 1943 after a wooden trestle burned.
Abandoned Posts
When I attended the University of Kentucky, I traveled the back roads of my state – a lot. On one of my excursions, I came across the abandoned Buckeye School. Back then, its lot was filled with relics of the past, namely automobiles. Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover and Volkswagen carcasses lay scattered around the several acre lot. But I never went inside the actual school, and despite my vows to find the owner of the property – I graduated from school and moved away. Now, nearly six years after I left, I decided to try my luck again en route to a wedding.
When I attended the University of Kentucky, I traveled the back roads of my state – a lot. On one of my excursions, I came across the abandoned Buckeye School. Back then, its lot was filled with relics of the past, namely automobiles. Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover and Volkswagen carcasses lay scattered around the several acre lot. But I never went inside the actual school, and despite my vows to find the owner of the property – I graduated from school and moved away.
Now, nearly six years after I left, I decided to try my luck again en route to a wedding.
Buckeye School was built in 1919 and closed in 1964 when the Garrard County school district was formed. Afterwards, it was used as a residence and then storage.
The original portion of the school was in fine condition, although a hole in the roof was starting to cause some interior weakness. The additions and the gymnasium had all but collapsed.
Perhaps one day, the Buckeye School can find some reuse. The owner I spoke to has high hopes of saving the original portion of the school, which is now one-hundred years old. But unless the leaks are taken care of in short order, there may not be much to save or even salvage.
St. Andrew Catholic Church was located in the Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, and was in operation from 1875 until its merger in 2010.
St. Andrew Catholic Church was located in the Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, and was in operation from 1875 until its merger in 2010.
The parish was organized in 1874 by Irish Catholics who had acquired a lot on Prospect Place. The cornerstone for a Gothic Revival-styled building was laid on September 20 with the new building dedicated in April 1875. The structure was enlarged in 1894 but with Avondale developing into an upscale community dominated by large estates and suburban housing, a larger church was needed.
In 1917, ground was broken for a new facility designed by Samuel Hannaford & Sons, which was completed in 1920.
It featured a vaulted ceiling, extensive stained glass panels and a statue of St. Andrew above the front door above the apex. The statue was ordered in 1919 by Frank Herschede from Italy although it received disapproval from the parish priest, Father David O’Meara, due to its smaller size. It was crated and stored in the warehouse of the Herschede Hall Clock Company. But because the statue held a St. Andrew’s Cross, it was difficult to sell the statue and was uncrated, blessed and installed on the lawn of the church in 1939. It was later moved inside.
In 1925, a sizable two-story school was completed behind the church.
But Avondale’s demographics changed for the worse during the mid-20th century. In the 1940’s, black professional and middle-class homeowners moved to the neighborhood by choice from an overcrowded West End, lured by large homes and lots and a vibrant business district. In the 1950’s, African-American planners in the neighborhood convinced the city to force thousands of low-income families to relocate from the West End as part of urban redevelopment projects in the West End that eventually led to the construction of Interstate 75 and the Queensgate industrial park. This led to the first wave of substantial population decline in Avondale, but the riots in 1967 and 1968, prompted by civil unrest, spurred the rapid decline of the neighborhood. St. Andrew’s was not spared damage and stained glass was broken during the melee, while businesses and residences nearby were set ablaze.
Below: Note the broken stained glass that was never repaired.
St. Andrew’s school closed in 1965 due to declining enrollment and students were sent to St. George School in Corryville, which was renamed Corryville Catholic.
On July 14, 2010, a decree by Cincinnati Archbishop Dennis Schnurr formed the Church of the Resurrection, which combined St. Agnes in Bond Hill, St. Martin de Porres in Lincoln Heights and St. Andrew in Avondale into the St. Agnes location. The newly combined congregation contained 550 worshipers. Four days after the formation, St. Andrew held its last service after 136 years.
Over the summer, I was able to venture into the closed St. Mark Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Ohio to photograph more of its intricate elements, and to follow up on two prior visits.
Over the summer, I was able to venture into the closed St. Mark Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Ohio to photograph more of its intricate elements, and to follow up on two prior visits. Located in the Evanston neighborhood, the parish was dedicated to the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, and during its first fifty years, there were 24 priestly vocations, which included one bishop, two religious brothers and 36 religious sisters.
The first church for St. Mark was dedicated in October 1906 but it was not long before a new facility was needed due to a rapidly expanding population. Architect Henry J. Schlacks was sought after to design a larger church that would be inspired after St. Marie in Trastevere and St. Marie in Cosmedio, Italy. Schlacks was the founder of the Architecture School at Notre Dame University, and was the architect of Xavier University’s original campus buildings and other notable Cincinnati landmarks.
In 1914, the cornerstone for the new church was laid and the new building was completed two years later at a cost of $150,000. The exterior featured a mild brown brick with a terracotta facing which was colored to match that of Roman Travertine stone, with a Verona facade, and imported orange Roman tiles. The inside was just as labish, with Botticino marble used for the three consecrated altars, with the high alter containing images of the twelve apostles, which is surmounted by a baldachino comprised of Breccia marble. The side altars featured Lady as Queen of Angels and Mother Hen, and St. Joseph as Scion of the House of David and Patron of the Universal Church. Several statues included Sacred Heart, St. Anne, St. Mark and St. Rose, all constructed of Carrara marble. The stained glass windows were crafted by Zettler of Munich, Germany.
In 1933, a large pipe organ, built by Kilgen, was installed.
At its height, St. Mark welcomed 1,200 families every Sunday. But with the decline of the neighborhood in the 1970s came the decline of the parish. In more recent times, St. Mark was home to a small congregation of mostly African-American Catholics. Planning for a merger began in 1991 and in on July 25, 2010, the last service was held at St. Mark. It was merged with two other congregations with a combined 550 worshipers.
A proposal soon after called for St. Mark to become home to a new parish with a focus on Latin Mass. But restoration costs, tabbed at $2 million, and property acquisition, proved to be a high hurdle and the plan was shelved.
Today, St. Mark remains vacant and in an ever peculiar situation. It’s not been offered for public sale, but is still owned by the parish. It’s condition worsens with each passing month, with ornate plaster details becoming more worn and ruined with every developing leak in the roof.
Of course, there are many more photographs to pursue after the jump to St. Mark Catholic Church. Enjoy!
A while back, I ventured to Krypton, Kentucky to visit a small closed surface coal mining operation and explored a loadout.
A while back, I ventured to Krypton, Kentucky to visit a small closed surface coal mining operation. It is located along the CSX Eastern Kentucky Subdivision, which was formerly part of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad.
Constructed in 1975, the Krypton mine was marked as active in 2002 and closed at a later date. At this loadout, coal would be transferred to a conveyor to a stacking tube, which would dump coal onto an even surface so that it could be pushed into a conveyor in a tunnel. From there, the coal would be analyzed for impurities and then shifted to a flood-loader. The loader would funnel the coal into a 100-car siding for the C&O.
The Frenchburg Presbyterian College in Frenchburg, Kentucky was the first high school in Menifee County and offered a broad education for 50 years.
The Frenchburg Presbyterian College in Frenchburg, Kentucky was the first high school in Menifee County and offered a broad education for 50 years. The facility closed in May 1957 after serving 500 students and 30 staff. After closure, the buildings became home to a nursing home and retirement facility that operated for a few years, and later, a Boy’s Rehabilitation Center by the Commonwealth’s Child Welfare Agency. Most of the buildings are used as residences or as offices.
Southwestern Pennsylvania was once known for its local breweries, with loyalty to specific beers often determined by one’s place of residence. The Victor Brewing Company, founded by Frank Maddas in 1907 with a capital of $400,000, exemplified this trend.
Nestled along the winding New River in Fayette County, West Virginia, lies Nuttallburg, a town forged from the ambitions of English entrepreneur John Nuttall. With foresight and determination, Nuttall acquired land rich in coal seams, anticipating the arrival of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway in the early 1870s.
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.
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.
Jeannette wasn’t just an ordinary glass plant. Founded in 1887, the plant closed just short of its 100th anniversary. The company introduced the first semi-automatic bottle blowing machine, manufactured beautiful Depression-era glass, and had installed the largest electric glass furnace in the world to melt heat-resisting glass.
But a buyout by a Connecticut businessman who had no knowledge of the glass industry forced Jeannette Glass into Chapter 11 bankruptcy just a year after its purchase. The businessman, John P. Brogan, bought the profitable factory and bled its assets for quick personal gain.
Not long after its closure, New York businessman Abe Zion acquired the Jeannette factory for $4 million in a bankruptcy sale. Zion had hoped to reopen the factory, but there were delays – first by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection due to hazardous wastes and industrial pollution, and a fire in the mid-1980s that caused significant damage. The state attempted to force Zion’s hand in 2011 and have him demolish the plant, but only minimal work has been completed since then.
Not that much has changed, with the exception of some clearing and a few buildings that have been razed. Click through for more on Jeannette Glass »
On June 15, Kentucky’s newest rail trail will open between West Van Lear to Royalton along the former Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Dawkins Subdivision. The 18.5 mile Big Lovely Mountain Rail Trail will be open to pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians. One of its highlights is the 662-foot Gun Creek Tunnel and several trestles.
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.
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.
Shenango’s roots date to 1901, when several capitalists came together to construct a plant at Emery Street and the Erie & Pittsburgh Railroad, manufacturing plain and decorated semi-vitreous china. In January 1905, Shenango was forced into receivership and was reorganized as Shenango Pottery in 1909.
The company purchased New Castle Pottery in 1912, and all equipment was moved into New Castle’s facility by March 1913. New Castle was organized in 1901, when the company purchased the plant of the New Castle Shovel Works and an adjoining handle factory. It completed additions and buildings to house kilns, producing semi-vitreous hotelware and dinnerware.
There was pent-up demand for dinnerware and overglaze hotelware by the end of World War II. Shenango responded by expanding the plant, adding space for decorating and a new 200-foot tunnel kiln. In the 1950s, the plant was further modernized and saw the installation of the first fast fire kiln, which fire glost ware in one hour and ten minutes – beating a previous time of anywhere from 36 to 40 hours.
In 1959, Shenango acquired Wallace China and Mayer China in 1964. The company was sold four years later to Inerpace Corporation, who had manufactured Franciscan and fine china. Inerpace invested into Shenango, adding a cup manufacturing system, new bisque kilns and decorating kilns. It had also developed the “Valiela” decorating process, which reduced the cost of printing greatly.
Inerpace sold Shenango to Anchor Hocking in 1979, who spent considerable money installing computerized body batch making, and new clay forming, decorating and firing equipment. Anchor Hocking sold Shenango to Newell Company of Freeport, Illinois, in 1987 who then sold the plant to Canadian Pacific six months later. Canadian Pacific was the parent company of Syracuse China. Syracuse, citing labor costs, closed Shenango and reorganized; all former employees had to reapply for their old positions, and many did not return.
Canadian Pacific sold Shenango, along with Mayer and Syracuse, to the Pfaltzgraff Company of York, Pennsylvania in 1989. The Mayer operation was moved to Shenango, and plans were drawn up for an expansion, but consolidation in physical plants and a downturn in the economy led to the permanent closure of New Castle’s facility in December 1991.
An auction was held in 1992. Many finished goods did not sell. Two fires, both ruled arson, consumed parts of Shenango in June 2011 and May 2012.
The historic Paramount Theatre in downtown Youngstown, Ohio is set to be demolished in May in a project that will take four months to complete.
Nestled in the Westwood neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, at 2918 Werk Road, stood the Gamble House, an imposing 2 1/2-story, 13-room residence that embodied the grandeur of the Queen Anne style.
The historic Glencoe-Auburn Place and Hotel in the Mount Auburn neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio is being demolished after spending years in redevelopment limbo.
A suspicious fire was reported on February 11 at the former Glen Rogers High School in Glen Rogers, West Virginia.
In a turn of events that serves as a sobering lesson on the perils of shortsighted development, The Foundry at South Strabane, a retail development near Washington, Pennsylvania, faces an ominous fate – demolition.
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.