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.
Tag: Industry
Situated along East 79th Street in the Kinsman neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, the Van Dorn Iron Works once stood as a bastion of industrial prowess.
The Crowell-Collier Publishing Company, once the world’s largest magazine publishing house, once boasted its printing operations in Springfield, Ohio.
The Cleveland, Ohio Cedar Avenue substation was constructed in 1917, and was the first automatic substation completed for the Cleveland Railway Company. It was closed in 1948.
If the weathered facades of the industrial structures lining Ashland Road in Cleveland, Ohio, could speak, they would regale us with tales of a rich and multifaceted history. Despite the paucity of readily available information and the occasional misinterpretation stemming from firsthand accounts and urban exploration, the complex’s narrative proves more intricate and captivating than initially envisioned. Though a wealth of materials has been uncovered, certain gaps remain unresolved, adding an air of mystery to this chronicle.
For those entranced by the enigmatic allure of urban decay, the Packard Automotive Plant in Detroit, Michigan, has long reigned as a preeminent destination. This colossal complex, spanning a staggering 3.5 million square feet and dominating the vistas from all directions, has borne witness to the inexorable ravages of time, underutilization, and the incursions of scrappers.
While whiling away a dreary afternoon at the local library, I chanced upon a trove of information regarding the now-defunct American Car and Foundry Company’s manufacturing operations in Huntington, West Virginia.
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.
It was a slightly chilly morning in downtown Cumberland, Maryland when I awoke to my alarm and the passing locomotives chugging along the former Western Maryland rail line through the heart of the city. I enjoyed listening to the trains throughout the night as it had a calming effect upon me, something that I recalled during my tenure at my parents house which was next to the massive Russell, Kentucky railyards. Feeling refreshed, I packed my gear and headed to my car and pointed my compass westward to Frostburg and then south to Lonaconing.
While the prevailing notion when examining abandonment fixates on decaying urban landscapes, there is an understated allure to venturing off the beaten path and immersing oneself in the pastoral void of the Midwestern countryside.
One night, accompanied by another photographer, I embarked on a journey to capture the early morning scenery at the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant, which holds the distinction of being the largest abandonment in the United States. The trek into the facility proved challenging, with tall grasses and vegetation reclaiming what once were meticulously maintained grounds bustling with activity.
The Moser Leather Company was one of New Albany, Indiana’s five leather companies during the early-20th century.
Couldn’t make the June 2011 meet for the Klotz Throwing Company? Looking to explore and photograph the last standing original silk mill intact in the US?
There is something to be said for hiking in before sunrise into the largest collection of abandonments in the United States: the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant.
There is not a place more worth saving than that of which has historic value and remains intact from the time of its importance than this silk mill.