October 18, 2024
As if to give me everything I wanted, after a yummy vegan lunch in nearby Bolivar, WV, we found the ruins of the Shenandoah Pulp Factory in nearby Harpers Ferry. The old pulp mill was impressive and surrounded by this delightful bright green sludge. Though the structure was impressive, I Read more…
April 2, 2024
After a ride through the mountains I was at Lake Shawnee’s grounds for a tour. Long on my list, the grounds were teeming with life though dormant for quite some time. Read through its sorted past here.
April 1, 2024
Wheeler, West Virginia has an interesting lure… an overlook on Mt. Wood, next to Mt. Wood Cemetery, where an abandoned brightly vandalized decay sits. Construction of the Mt. Wood Castle, the would-be residence of a local doctor, had been underway when he was indicted for sale of narcotics. I made Read more…
July 19, 2021
The West Virginia State Penitentiary operated for more than 100 years (1876 to 1995), holding a peak of 2,000 inmates. The cells, which I roamed in and out of freely taking the Photography Tour, were mostly 5 by 7 feet. Shockingly during overcrowded periods of operation, those small cells held Read more…
July 18, 2021
To follow are some shots from the main Kirkbride building of Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. A bit cleaned up and subject to large groups coming through for tours, many of the spaces were staged with artifacts and informational displays. A lot of ghost hunters have left toys for the spirit of Read more…
My favorite shots of the day at Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum were in this batch of photos–from the Greenhouse and the Medical Center. It’s of course color, light and texture that play so well in these structures. The effect of this combination is far more impressive than my next batch from Read more…
Opened in 1864, Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was designed under the Kirkbride Plan, aligned with the namesake’s views on best care practices: giving patients access to air circulation and natural light. Those long hallways that illuminate decay so powerfully are all his fault. As was the case with many large self-sustaining Read more…