14 replies to this topic

[Michigan Madman]

For many years, there was an abandoned farm homestead a few miles from my house. The house itself, a barn, a couple of small out buildings, and at one point there was even an early '40's GMC dump truck on the property (though that disappeared some time in the late '80's). The whole property was overgrown, and I always wanted to snap a few pics of it for use as diorama reference. I did get a couple of images of the house approaching from the East...

I never really got any shots of the building from the West, or the front, and never contacted the owner to ask permission if I could get some more close-up pictures of the buildings and other debris scattered around the homestead. I figured, "Hey, I can do that later." Well, I headed out to the location yesterday to do exactly that, and here's what greeted me.


Did finally get a shot of the property approching from the West, though. That big bare spot is where the house stood.


My point? If you see an interesting piece of property, it is best to stop and snap a few photos RIGHT THEN, and don't put it off! If you can, track down the owner and see if it is okay to go onto the property and capture a few detail shots. This house had stood abandoned for as long as I could remember, and the homestead had been there for over a century, I just kind of assumed it would be there 'forever'. Wrong!

Get your reference pics today, because you never know- the subject that inspired you might not be there tomorrow.

[Dr. Cranky]

Chuck, you are bringing up a great point, and one that worries me all the time. When I travel with my camera sometimes I think NAH, I WILL SHOOT IT NEXT TIME, and as you point out NEXT TIME might be too late.

Most of these old abandoned places are being demolished and lost forever, so we can all learn from your lesson.

IF YOU SEE IT, PHOTOGRAPH IT NOW. Don't wait. Next time it just might be too late.

All of these old buildings are either being replaces with nature (in rural places) or with fast food restaurants, banks, and strip malls. The landscape of this country has changed into one giant conglomeration of cheap, say-nothing bungalows.

And one day very soon nobody will know a darn thing about these buildings and/or cars. Everyone will live inside a drawer in polluted cities, eating bugs, etc . . .

Far fetched? Maybe, but these things are being erased as we speak.

[Dr. Cranky]

Well, Dave, it sounds like if you didn't take pictures of it, I'm pretty sure you are regretting not doing so right about now.

[paul alflen]

CHUCK, THE PEOPLE WHO OWNED THE LAND TORE IT DOWN, TAXES ARE CHEAPER FOR VACANT FARM LAND THAN ONE WITH A HOUSE ON IT!!!

[Michigan Madman]

Oh- there is one other piece of advice I feel like giving. Don't resist snapping a pic or two, even if it's just a run-down looking building that's still in use!

Sometimes, the building itself may not get torn down. Years ago there was a delapadated (but still active) horse farm about 30 miles southeast of me. The buildings were still solid but had a kind of 'patched together' look, the area outside the stables was overgrown, and there was a row of old farm equipment lined up out front- I mean everything from steel-wheel tractors to horse-drawn hay rakes! The building is still there, but sometime in the last ten years, the property has been cleaned up- the building has new siding, the overgrown lot is now nicely manicured, and all the farm equipment is gone, except for one horse-drawn hay rake being used as a yard ornament.

Don't get me wrong, it is a very attractive piece of property, but it just doesn't have the same 'grab' it did for me when it was shabbier looking.

[Joker]

True true..
I took pictures of this old building in Richmond for a future dio.
According to Mr. Shaver ..it's an old truck stop.




James aka Joker

[Eshaver]

Jim, at least this building you posted is on the Virginia state Historical register . Yes,it was until about 1971, a Texaco truck stop. However , here we have a former Amoco station , in a KRAK Hood by the way . How long for it gets burned/ bulldozed ?


GONE- Bull dozed , thank to RRHA Again .................

Now a Grass field ! Thanks Virginia Commonwealth University ..............


How long will this survivor stand as a beacon to REAL Automobiles ?

Ed Shaver

[Ramfins59]

I see some cool abandoned and/or dilapidated buildings in and around the Pittsburgh area, and some old cars just rusting away here and there... I just never seem to have my digital camera with me when I see that stuff. When my wife & I go out, or are traveling somewhere, I never really think about keeping my camera in the car with me.

[Mahyday]

A couple a years ago I started taking pictures of old buildings, especially former gas stations in our town & surrounding areas. I took some pics of an old garage just off our square that had a kiosk with pumps out front back in it's day. The next weekend I went by & they were knocking it down to expand a parking lot for a new market they built in an old furniture store building.

[Eshaver]

I might add Mark, there are , well were some really KWELL Chevron, and Standard stations in and around the Springfield area . Get yerself a camera and shoot ! Ed Shaver

[rel14]

Are child hood memeries are dissappearing quick,, When my grandkids get my age,,the only place your see a pencil, will be in a museum,,,

[Eshaver]

I really hope not Randy. How sad budding young artists will not experience a pencil , a piece of chalk , a lump of charcoal........ Ed Shaver

[Longbox55]

After reading Chucks original post, I made sure to get out and start taking pix of some of the local old building s, especially old gas stations. One in particular is this old gas station in Westville Illinois.

While it's no longer an operation gas station (hasn't as long as I can remember), it is stil being used for storage. There's a '62/63 1 1/2 ton Chevy in the back, and a late '60s Ford tractor more toward the front of the building. Other than a few broken window panes, the building is in very good shape. I'm not sure what the building next to it is

[UncleRonsBarn]

More old buildings:

[camaroman]

Chuck,
the same thing happened to me recently. There was this wonderful old Texaco oil distributor property that sat on the (defunct) Tallulah Falls Railroad line in Clarkesville, Georgia.
I kept saying that it wanted to photograph it for a project on my On30 railroad project. I went by one day and the tanks were just gone. Thankfully the buildings are still there (for now). I am trying to contact the owners for permission to measure and photograph the buildings before it is too late!

Ed, we had a beautiful old metal sided Texaco Station here that the idiot that bought it stripped for the "recyclable" stuff. Now it is just an empty cinder-block shell that is for sale again.

It is on my path to church , so I mourn its loss several times weekly.