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UER Forum > Archived US: Mid-Atlantic > Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell (Viewed 516 times)
RedDevil 


Location: M'boro, TN, USA
Gender: Female




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Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
< on 3/26/2006 12:00 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
The Place:
Abernathy and Ezell Halls

Location:
Murfreesboro, TN (MTSU Campus)

Visited:
Yes

Current Owner:
MTSU

Background:
Built in August 1974, Abernathy and Ezell - then buildings J and K - started off on a bad foot. Within weeks of the first move in, pocketbooks, books, shoes, and other personal items of the residents were molded and mildewed. Almost 25 years later - all the while still housing students at MTSU, the rotting titans were evacuated in 1999.

Was the campus protecting its students from the mold spores and other dangerous allergens? Were the administrators taking student safety that seriously? No, large chunks of concrete started falling from the ceilings.

Seven years after the evacuation, why are these buildings still standing? Asbestos lurks in the deep recesses of the halls and demolishing the buildings would cost more than the estimated $6.5 million to repair them.

The first floor of Ezell has been renovated and houses RIM offices, 2 recording studios, and the MTSU-Department of Geosciences Mineral, Gem and Fossil Museum.

The structure is otherwise, uninhabited.

Status:
The buildings are in the process of reclamation. Maintenance workers can be seen clearing clutter and debris on the upper floors of both dorms. It's just a matter of time before it is closed off for major repair.

While Ezell houses one floor of offices, etc. Abernathy is utter empty. A chain link fence guards the outside entry hallways and stairs, preventing easy access to the dorm.

Photographs & Prose:

Dictation from my notes and some storytelling about my recent mini-venture.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday woke to chilly potential. A chalky fog of cloud-cover settled in well before dawn leaving an all day dusk hanging low in the sky as I approached the six-years-empty dormitories on the far corner of campus. Not my first visit, like most of my fellow students, I've cut through on late night walks; I even once buried my first, brief attempt at keeping an aquatic pet.

Today was different. Today my breaths came quick and shallow as the dormant titans loomed empty and silent in the eerie, sunlessly bright afternoon. An open aperture gave me pause. Was someone in there? Had I missed some crucial tidbit in the administration administered annals about residence hall renovation?

(Some pictures link to larger images)


The chain-link veil that had hooded both buildings in the past no longer sealed the first floor of Ezell. Instead neat black office plaques declared it office and studio space for recording majors and their professors. On the far wall - a hanging sign declared one room the "MTSU-Department of Geosciences Mineral, Gem and Fossil Museum."


Ezell Directory

I had no idea. Door to door, I looked into who was who and what was where. With only one office occupied, but still much of Ezell blocked at the stairs, I turned to Abernathy, my camera close and tripod handy.


Abernathy

Large chunks of concrete closed these dorms in 1999 when they fell from the ceilings of the outside-entry dorms; thus I was a little hesitant to go up on the second level.

Then I saw a maintenance worker moving around the deceptively dangerous area without a hard hat. Normally the only stairs accessible through the open walk-thru hallway were guarded by a temporary plywood wall with a door cut into it, external hinges, and a heavy-duty padlock.


Stairs

Fortune smiled down on me, the stairs were unlocked - presumably by the maintenance man working on second floor.



I slipped up the stairs stealthily. I had to be cautious; there are no internal pedestrian passages and the external ones are visible from a relatively busy campus crossroads.


Debris

Keeping low, I prowled the passage, finding little of interest and no unlocked doors. Wishful thinking I suppose. I'd only intended to come and take a few preliminary outside photographs, find possible entry points, and mark potential interesting areas. Without any necessities, I didn't want to risk making a makeshift set of tools and breaking a lock. Overzealous curiosity isn't property damage.



Instead, I contented myself with window peeking and hallway scrambling until a rather large bit of second floor smacked my hand as I was lining up a courtyard shot from second floor and smacked my right knee before breaking into smaller bits on the floor. Bruised and scraped with a slightly damaged and functionless camera, I made my way back down with every intention of heading home for an ice pack and a diagnostic run on my digital camera.

I had, however, lost track of time in my exploration. It was nearly 5:30pm. The campus maintenance worker had to leave before 4:30 to get back and clock out. He'd locked the plywood door as he left - with the hinges and locks on the outside and me on the inside.

Not a problem really. I walked back up stairs and used the interior courtyard hall to make my way to the uncovered stairs. Here lies my conundrum.

The uncovered stairs were snuggly kept behind the chain link fence. Average in height and without antipersonnel measures - the fence would have been a quick shimmy up and then down. Unfortunately, my hand had started swelling. Not horribly, but enough that I didn't want to put weight on it yet.

A chain link fence never loomed so largely before. I tucked my hand to my chest and sat down on the steps. It was a nice niche - enclosed and safe from prying eyes and bitter winds. Since everything still wiggled and gripped properly, I assumed my hand just needed ice. My knee got an alcohol wipe and two butterfly bandages; my jeans, sadly, were a total loss and dark with gore. Jittery from the adrenaline rush of "Oh God! ROCK!" my left hand shook as I turned my camera awkwardly in my lap. Nothing externally wrong and my memory chip was fine.

I opened the compartment and turned the camera up to dump the battery into my lap - as I didn't want to use my sore hand. Lucky me. I yanked my legs apart and let the broken battery land on the steps. It wasn't shattered or anything, just oozing something grayish out a single, hairline crack. Thankfully, nothing leaked inside my camera that I could see, but unfortunately, I would have to buy a new battery.

I knocked the broken one outside the fence, with every intention of putting it somewhere safe (recycling), and tucked my camera back in my bag. There would be time for all that on the other side of the fence.

Slow and unsteady I tried to climb up with one hand. That didn't work. On the second "yank in, let go, and grab" my foot slipped and WHOMP. Right on my ass.

Ok. I leaned on a section of brick and took a deep breath. Ok. Over the fence. I needed over the fence. The section of first floor I was in was entirely fenced in and a jump off the second floor balcony - even onto grass - was a bad plan with a hurt hand and knee.

I took another deep breath and looked out in the courtyard. A rope would be perfect. A rope I could tie to the top of the fence and wrap around my wrist as I went up then unwrap on my way down. Rope burns maybe, but I'd be worrying about them on the other side of the fence.

Unfortunately - no rope. I turned to open my satchel and felt the rough brick rub my back. Eureka! Bracing my back there, I grabbed the fence at shoulder height and bent my left knee, planting it high in the fence and pushing. Slow, dirty and not-great-for-my-jacket I scooted my way up and just hopped down. Not a great landing, but I was out.

Achy, batteryless, and probably looking like someone hit me with their car I made my way back to my dorm. Time to invest in some rope.

Those of you used to my prose may notice its lack of common eloquence. Pain and pain killers along with one handed typing yields a propensity for quickness rather than verbosity.


[last edit 3/26/2006 12:02 PM by RedDevil - edited 2 times]

xrahy 

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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 1 on 3/26/2006 12:38 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Great write up! I hope your hand heals quickly...

Oherian 

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Location: West Virginia
Gender: Male




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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 2 on 3/26/2006 2:57 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Actually, I quite enjoyed this. More in my vein of writing styles, I suppose.

Excellent write-up.

"If the door's open, you might as well stick your head in."
-- Lil-trouble
LizBellum 


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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 3 on 3/26/2006 6:03 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Thank you for the interesting study.

What department are you in, if you don't mind me asking? (you can PM me if you don't want to reveal it here).

Me? I'm in the History (Graduate) department. If you ever want to stop by and say hi, just ask for Liz the urban exploration girl. Since I've been writing my thesis on the topic, I've found that the majority of the faculty members have also done their fare share of exploring, and one faculty member (who shall remain nameless) was even busted. Ain't it a small world?

flickrgrrrrl :: boyfuckingracer
RedDevil 


Location: M'boro, TN, USA
Gender: Female




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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 4 on 3/26/2006 6:48 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by honorabright
What department are you in, if you don't mind me asking? (you can PM me if you don't want to reveal it here).


Art with a graphic design concentration is my current field, and optimistically, what will be on my very expensive pedigree papers come graduation.

I wish I had thought out my exploration of the not-so-dormant dorms a bit more before trying it out. As my hand and leg have been keeping me off my feet and on my research papers, I've begun making plans for a rope ladder for next time. Unfortunately, until a hard-hat enters my exploratory expenses budget, I fear further ruin-fishing in Abernathy is on hiatus.

I do, however, have hope for a very short under-the-road tunnel just past Hastings. One side is open, facing a school and the other has a several feet high fence around the deep, square concrete canal. Not an exciting expedition, but I find myself curious none the less.

muskratwombat 


Location: Bishop, CA




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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 5 on 3/27/2006 7:44 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by RedDevil
Unfortunately, until a hard-hat enters my exploratory expenses budget, I fear further ruin-fishing in Abernathy is on hiatus.



http://business.se...edZ300QQsacatZ1266

They're like five bucks. Man up, nancy.


SaraBellum 

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Location: Villa Villekulla
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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 6 on 3/28/2006 5:57 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
That was a very enjoyable read. I hope you hand heals soon!

[01:47:56] <GreyDeath> Sara just stares her enemies into submission and eventually madness

"You can either be wise or a bad-ass gangsta, but not both. You must choose your path." ~~metawaffle
blueblocker 


Location: Guam, USA
Gender: Male




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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 7 on 6/12/2006 11:26 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Hey my name is Ben. I also work in the history department. I thoroughly enjoyed the prison yesterday. I plan on going back soon and look forward to Moundsville in July.

Blueblocker is now a full member of uer :)
SaraBellum 

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Location: Villa Villekulla
Gender: Female


Coming to a cinema near you this summer.

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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 8 on 6/13/2006 12:01 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by blueblocker
Hey my name is Ben. I also work in the history department. I thoroughly enjoyed the prison yesterday. I plan on going back soon and look forward to Moundsville in July.


BlueBlocker!!! Hell yes!

[01:47:56] <GreyDeath> Sara just stares her enemies into submission and eventually madness

"You can either be wise or a bad-ass gangsta, but not both. You must choose your path." ~~metawaffle
LizBellum 


Gender: Female


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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 9 on 6/13/2006 4:35 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by blueblocker
Hey my name is Ben. I also work in the history department. I thoroughly enjoyed the prison yesterday. I plan on going back soon and look forward to Moundsville in July.


Hi Ben, thanks for playing nice. You're the UE Master of MTSU.

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natxtron 


Location: memphis


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Re: Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell
<Reply # 10 on 6/13/2006 7:39 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
nice article. graphic designers unite!

Are you now, or have you ever been?
UER Forum > Archived US: Mid-Atlantic > Murfreesboro, TN_Abernathy & Ezell (Viewed 516 times)



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