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This once-grand mansion was built at the turn of the 20th century by one of the premier architects of the Gilded Age, and belonged to the family of a railroad magnate and his Army officer son. Since its construction, it has also been an orphanage for girls and a nursing home, before its inevitable abandonment after almost a century of continuous habitation.
The years and the elements, not to mention vandals, have not been kind to the house, which is one of the most badly-decayed large abandonments I've ever set foot in. Ceilings hang precariously overhead, having shed their plaster and a distressing portion of their framing, and the floors in areas have the consistency of a soggy sponge.
Nevertheless, and despite the institutional renovations that the house has seen in its long history, and the nearly complete lack of any remaining artifacts from any of its past lives, the beautiful architectural elements added by the designer shine through in the multitude of fireplaces, parquet floors, and the grand staircase. It takes almost no imagination to picture this place as the sight of lavish parties a la "The Great Gatsby", tended to by dutiful servants filed away in the attics and back addition.
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Thanks for looking!
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Beautiful place - well done. I love your use of existing and the addition of lighting. Love #3 especially!
Give abandonment a reason for its sacrificial reclamation to nature. Love it. Remember it. Take a picture. Share it. Leave the decay to nature.
Lifetime member of The Anti-MyInstaTubeTweetFace consortium. |
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I’ve been wanting to see some recent photos of this place, glad to see it’s still as gorgeous as it was years ago.
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The perspective of #16 is very interesting!
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15 - are those pianos?
The #1 rule about poking things with sticks is never use your finger. |
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What an awesome explore! I love that staircase, and of course the peely paint. Pics 9 & 11 are cool too. Thanks for sharing!
"When you've truly done something right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all." |
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Fuck yeah! 16 is great. They're all great. But 16 stands out.
RIP Blackhawk |
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Ooohh I recognise this one, not seen an update for a good few years.
That tagging though 
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Oh Baldran, Awesome Job! So many nice Artsy Shots. 2, 4 9  But, Look Out!! here comes 15 and 16. Love these! Your photography just keeps getting better and better. Wonderful!
A place of Mystery is Always worth a curiosity trip!
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Thanks very much, all! I know this place has been on the radar for a while, and I'd really appreciate seeing pictures of it when it was a little less fucked up, if anyone could point me in the right direction.
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Very nice, photo nine is excellent!
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Ethics
