It's been forever since I've put up a photo thread; college and summer work have left me a bit low on time to explore and with not a ton to share. Once I get myself some four-wheeled transportation (within the next couple weeks, fingers crossed) traveling outside of Maine should be a lot easier. Thankfully, I've still had some fun trips and adventures over the last several months.
This particular state school is beyond worse for wear, and has been for a long time. Before my first visit in January 2015, however, my adventures had consisted of small rural locations, and this place totally blew me away; here was a whole state-built series of abandoned buildings, in varying stages of decay, begging to be wandered through and explored. Since then, I've been privileged to check out a number of hospital and school complexes, most of which are larger and in better shape. Despite the endless tagging and destruction here, though, this place was a personal first, and I've always had a soft spot for it.
This past January, I made what will likely be my last visit. Over the past couple of years, a handful of buildings have been demolished in phases, including the hospital and several cottages. A few new developments as of this trip: the theater building (arguably the most interesting building on campus) was completely demolished, one of the cottages had been burned to the ground, and most of the remaining buildings were sealed tight. Ultimately, there are plans to construct senior housing on the property, and the town seems eager to get rid of what's left.
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Pulling up to the main entrance, I was greeted by this gigantic "Absolutely No Trespassing" sign. I had read that patrols were stepped up, and although the site had previously been used as a park of sorts, visits of any kind were no longer tolerated. From what I had been hearing, I definitely planned on seeing at least one or two local cops lurking around.
BT020 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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...However, after entering at the other side of campus and treading cautiously, I realized I was completely alone. In fact, throughout the entire trip, the site was eerily silent, save for a few minutes when a freight train passed by.
BT01 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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BT02 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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BT012 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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BT013 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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BT018 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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Cafeteria
BT07 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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Bhs01 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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Burnt out cottage
BT016 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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BT015 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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BT05 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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BT006 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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BT017 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
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One last look
BT019 by
Sanitarium Sean, on Flickr
I suppose watching locations deteriorate and fade away is an unfortunate inevitability that comes with this hobby, and of all the unique places that are being demo'd or are long gone, it seems silly to get sappy about this one. Still, I'll miss it.
Thanks for looking!
*All photos shot with my Galaxy s6*