Last weekend we had a short outing to an abandoned school a state over. Considering we were prepared for the entire thing to be a bust, it turned out to be a modest success. The building was boarded up, so it was uncertain whether or not we could even get in. . .For all the … Continue reading A School in the Dunes
Bełchatów (pronounced Bew-hot-oof) is a midsized town in central Poland. It is not usually a tourist destination, but it happens to be where my family comes from, and where most of them still reside. Though born in the States, I lived and attended school there for a couple years in the mid 80’s during the … Continue reading Bełchatów, Poland
I am a first-generation Polish-American. Though born here in the States, I lived in Poland for a few years as a kid, speak the language fluently, and know the history and culture pretty well. Most of my family is still in the old country, so visiting offers a chance not only for tourism but to … Continue reading Gdańsk, Poland
Last weekend I visited this old cemetery located on the far north side of Chicago. Like its better known counterpart, Graceland, it is the final resting place of many famous Chicagoans. On the morning we were there, its leafy, park-like setting attracted many joggers and others just out for a stroll, as well as a … Continue reading Rosehill Cemetery
Pittsburgh lays at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers which, in turn, forms the Ohio. The heavily built-up downtown sits right at the tip of the spear of land formed by this confluence, and is surrounded by fairly hilly terrain, particularly to the south. All this means that certain vantage points around town … Continue reading Pittsburgh Skylines
I was in Pittsburgh for a few days a couple of weeks ago. This trip was put together on short notice as other plans fell through, and, consequently our expectations were low. Indeed, we did not hit any home runs, but we found enough stuff to keep ourselves occupied. The vibe was loose, and the … Continue reading Abandoned Pittsburgh
Last month, right around the peak of the autumn colors, we visited Chicago’s most storied graveyard. Walking through Graceland is a bit like a crash course in the who’s who of Chicago history. Every so often you will see a grave and think, “oh, so that’s where that street name came from.” Wikipedia has a … Continue reading Graceland Cemetery
Most of Indiana is boring. This isn’t a particular knock on the Hoosier state; most of the midwest is rather dull, with long monotonies of flat farmlands blurring endlessly outside the car window. Which makes Turkey Run state park such a pleasant surprise. The road on the way there abruptly changes from straight highway to … Continue reading Turkey Run
I’ve focused on all the urbex photos from Italy in the preceding few posts. What’s left? Some of the more touristy shit, I suppose. We were in Italy, after all, a country that’s renowned for its beautiful countryside as well as its cultural attractions, and I’m not blind to those charms, however much I may … Continue reading Italy, Coda
What makes an abandoned place worth exploring? Sometimes I’ve seen photos of places that have been shuttered so recently that there isn’t much distinguishing them from active sites other than the lack of people in the shot. On the other hand, very ruined places are often so far gone that any signs of their original … Continue reading Details and Remnants
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