“The Heidelberg Project is art, energy, and community. It’s an open-air art environment in the heart of an urban community on Detroit’s East Side.” Once a place where people were afraid to walk during the day, Heidelberg Street was converted into one in which neighbors took pride and where visitors were welcomed. A gentleman by the name of Ellis was working on one of the houses when I stopped by. Ellis proudly stated the project “completely changed” the area, and thanks to Tyree Guyton, founder and artistic director of the Heidelberg Project, his life took a turn for the better, too.

An ice cream truck passes through Heidelberg's iconic colorfully painted polka dotted neighborhood

Described as an “urban environmental artist”, Tyree Guyton fought the urban blight on Detroit’s East Side and made it something beautiful. “When you come to the Heidelberg Project, I want you to think—really think! My art is a medicine for the community. You can’t heal the land until you heal the minds of the people,” Guyton explains. Through Guyton’s art, and the art of others, the project has drawn attention from the locals of Detroit and all over. This project has inspired discussion and action in Detroit with a goal of becoming a state-of-the-art Cultural Village.

A decommissioned house turned colorful on Heidelberg Street.

Tyree and other artists on the street use everyday, discarded objects to create a two block area full of color, symbolism, and intrigue. The project is now in its 25th year and constantly moving forward with new art installations, artists and life. Despite its inspiration and recognition, the Heidelberg Project has received threats of demolition. Unfortunately, on two occasion, the project faced complete destruction by the City of Detroit in 1991 and 1994. Since then, the project has been going strong.

One of the homes on Heidelberg Street.

Furthermore, the project works with neighborhood children to educate them on art, community and environment offering a new perspective. For children who walk to school past burned-out homes, rubble, crime and decay this project brings a light of hope. Guided tours are offered to provide children and visitors insight to the art on display and more background information on the project.

One of Heidelberg Project's artists, Tim Burke, working on a house.

Tim Burke, pictured above, was kind enough to spend a moment to explain his work “My Home is My Sculpture”. Burke’s project evolves day-by-day with new colors and pieces to decorate this home. It was a pleasure to meet him and learn more about his work. Here he decided to change paints from yellow to salmon. By now, this project may look completely different.

"Dr. Dee + The doctor is in".

“Our mission is to inspire people to appreciate and use artistic expression to enrich their lives and to improve the social and economic health of their greater community.” – Heidelberg Project. You can view more images of the Heidelberg Project here and continue to check back for more updates. Please read more about its history at the following sites:

• Official website for the Heidelberg Project.
• Official Wikipedia Article for the Heidelberg Project.
• Official Facebook Page for the Heidelberg Project.
• Tyree Guyton’s Artist Website.
• Tim Burke’s Artist Website.
• Aguilar, Louis. “House highlights artists, city conflict” The Detroit News.
• Cox, Sarah. “Forget “Rock City” and “Motor City;” It’s “Art City” Now” Detroit Curbed.

“It’s like an industrial cathedral” – Mike Piersa, of the National Museum of Industrial History. 

Once a titan in one of the nation’s most powerful and historically important industries, Bethlehem Steel produced steel for many widely known United States landmarks. For instance, Bethlehem Steel is behind the Golden Gate Bridge, Madison Square Garden, Rockefeller Center, Alcatraz Island and the Hoover Dam to name a few. The company’s history goes back to the late 1850′s, when the company was first organized by Augustus Wolle as the Saucona Iron Company. Construction of the first blast furnace began on July 1,1861 and began operating on January 4, 1863. Several name changes later, in 1899, the company assumed its most widely known name Bethlehem Steel Company.

View from the top of a blast furnace at Bethlehem Steel.

In 1904, Charles M. Schwab and Joseph Wharton formed the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. The company began to earn itself the role of being the leading producer of steel to the construction industry. The company’s innovations such as the wide flange and the revolutionary rolling mill pushed America forward in building bigger and greater bridges, buildings and dams. During World War I and World War II, Bethlehem Steel was a major supplier for the U.S. armed forces. Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation’s 15 shipyards produced a total of 1,121 ships, more than any other builder during the war and nearly one-fifth of the U.S. Navy’s two-ocean fleet. It employed as many as 180,000 persons, the bulk of the company’s total employment of 300,000. President of Bethlehem Steel, Eugene Grace, orchestrated the company’s wartime efforts. He promised President Roosevelt one ship per day, and exceed his commitment by fifteen.

There were rows upon rows of rusty machinery like these.

Unfortunately, after World War II there was a significant price difference between American and imported steel, causing Bethlehem Steel to see its first financial losses. The slide continued to get worse until November 18th, 1995 Bethlehem Steel halted all steelmaking activity. Bethlehem Steel became another victim of cheaper imported goods into our markets.

Overgrown tracks at the Bethlehem Steel Plant

Several years later, in 2007, the Bethlehem property was sold to Sands BethWorks with plans to build a casino where the plant once stood. Construction began shortly after and was completed in 2009. While parts of the Bethlehem Steel plant were demolished to make room for the Sands Casino the blast furnaces and various small buildings still stand, left to rust. Much of the campus has been taken over by nature, as you can see in the photograph above. It is something else to see nature taking over the furnaces and their surroundings.

Inside one of the blast furnaces.

What amazed me was the inside of the blast furnaces and how empty they looked. It is difficult to imagine these structures full of life with people working busily through out the day. You could spend hours upon hours wandering around these massive structures and still not see every last detail. Now all that remains are the machines and their dust.

One of the many sets of rusty pipes throughout the plant.

Now the campus is busy with the Sands Casino and activities by non-profit groups such as ArtsQuest. Coined the SteelStacks, it is described as ”an arts and cultural campus in Bethlehem, Pa, located at the former site of the Bethlehem Steel plant.” The campus is home to buildings such as the ArtsQuest Center, Musikfest Cafe and PNC Plaza.

View from the ground, looking up, at Bethlehem Steel.

You can view more images of Bethlehem Steel here and continue to check back for more updates. This article is only scratches the surface of the history of Bethlehem Steel. Please read more about its history at the following sites:

• Official Wikipedia Article for Bethlehem Steel.
• Sutton, Andy. “Bethlehem Steel– A Look Back in Time.” The Market Oracle. 30 March 2008.
• Metz, Lance E. “Bethlehem Steel: The Rise and Fall of an Industrial Giant” Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• Bethlehem Steel, Forging America. A website with an immense amount of information about Bethlehem Steel from the beginning.
• Official Website of SteelStacks.
• Official Website of ArtsQuest.

What once was a 1,700 seat movie palace in Downtown Youngstown, is now a shell of its former self. The Paramount Theatre opened as a vaudeville house by the name of the Liberty Theater in February of 1918. Slightly over a decade later Paramount Pictures Corporation purchased the theater from the original operators, C.W. Diebel Associates, and renamed it to the Paramount Theatre. Paramout spent $200,000 modernizing the building and installing a sound system to stay up to date. The theatre was very successful up until the 1960′s when, like many American cities during this time, Youngstown went into a sharp economic decline.  Youngstown’s downward spiral was compounded by factors such as the opening of several shopping malls and the collapse of the local steel industry resulting in depopulation of the center city.

One of the decaying projectors.

The last movie screening at the Paramount was Bill Cosby‘s film, Let’s Do it Again in 1976. Since then, the projector room (shown above) and the rest of the theater sits in a state of disrepair despite multiple attempts to revive the historic building. It is rare to find a projector room with its contents still in place. Several rows up from the beginning of the balcony, I was surprised to find two projectors still standing. There was a door leading out to the roof from this room with nowhere to go — it was caved in.

Lower level seating in varying colors and states of decay.

On the ground level, many of the seats remained with a pile of the former ceiling in their laps. It was significantly darker photographing the lower level area of the Paramount. Fortunately there was some light shining in from above and the stage area. The lower level also contained two empty storefronts towards the back of the auditorium.

Two seats remained on the stage.

Despite its state of decay and weak flooring, the stage remarkably holds quite a bit including two theatre seats as shown above. The lighting on the stage was fantastic thanks to holes in the structure’s ceiling. Unfortunately I was not able to walk around on the stage, this was as close as I was going to get.

What remains of the final curtain and a look "backstage".

Merely blocks from Youngstown University, the Paramount’s white glazed terra cotta exterior is hard to miss while walking around downtown. It is unfortunate the city has plans to demolish this National Historic Landmark in the near future.

You can view more images of the theatre here and read more about its history at the following sites:

• Official Wikipedia Article for the Paramount Theatre
• Nelson, George.”City to Acquire Former Paramount Theater.” Business Journal Daily. 28 May 2010.
• “Youngstown buys old Paramount Theatre building.” Vindy.com. 21 July 2010.
• “State Releases Clean Ohio Funds for Theater.” Business Journal Daily. 12 July 2011

Towering over the Mount Hope Avenue cast-iron gate stands the 1912 Chapel of Mount Hope Cemetery.  The 1912 Chapel was designed in the gothic revival style. Constructed from 1909 to 1910, designed by John Foster Warner, the chapel was built with modern materials and housed a state-of-the-art receiving vault. Despite construction being completed in 1910, the chapel was not used by the city until 1912.

View from the pews of the 1912 Chapel.

The basement vault could store and process up to 275 bodies, essentially doing away with Winter burials, which at the time, was a significant burden on the clergy and cemetery crew. The interior woodwork was crafted from old English Oak from the cathedral rafters to the pews, which could seat up to 200. A 1910 Austin Organ Company pipe organ and oak choir stands stood at the front of the chapel, now decayed and falling apart.

Side view of the hydraulic coffin lift in the basement of the 1912 Chapel.

In front of the pulpit is a rectangular hole in the ground, lined with white marble served as a hydraulic coffin lift, which lifted caskets from the basement crypt to the chapel. The first such contraption of its time, corroded remnants of this old technology can be found in the basement. What once housed a room full of crypts, boilers and coal storage, is now an empty basement except for the crumbling cement foundation.

Front view of the hydraulic coffin lift in the basement of the 1912 Chapel.

The darkness of the basement is lifted by the rectangular opening in the floor above, providing enough light to wander around. One can only wonder what it was like to operate such a contraption and take care of the crypts in the Winter months. It was far more pleasant to walk above with the tall stained glass windows allowing the sun to pour in.

Pathway to the stairs that lead to the roof of the 1912 Chapel.

Mount Hope Cemetery is one of the most remarkable Victorian cemeteries in America. Spanning across 196 acres, the cemetery is full of hills and and a forest of trees. The cemetery is a veritable museum of funerary sculpture and mausoleums standing for more than a century and a half. Mount Hope Cemetery is home to the grave sites of historical figures such as Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony.

Door detail of the Chapel.

This beautiful piece of history is under the process of restoration. You can view more images of the castle here and read more about its history at the following sites:

• “1912 Chapel” NY Water Falls.
• “Mount Hope Cemetery“ Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery.
• ”Mount Hope Cemetery.” City Website
• “Glossary: Gothic Art and Architecture.” Athena Review, Vol. 4, No. 2.
• “John Foster Warner“ Department of Rare Books.

Buried within the woods, atop a small mountain overlooking the river, an imposing stone castle sits vacant. The Dundas Castle was constructed during the early years of the First World War, with a design inspired by medieval European castles.

This castle features beautiful Gothic and Elizabethan architecture, with every detail well crafted from its stone exterior to its lancet-arched windows. Built by Ralph W. Dundas, who purchased the 964 acre piece of land formerly used as a fishing retreat, construction slowly began around 1915. The project came to a halt three years after Dundas’s death in 1924. Despite the fact Dundas Castle remains unfinished, the building represents an impressive example of the romanticized medievalism in American culture at the turn of the twentieth century. Surprisingly, neither Dundas and his wife, Josephine, or anyone for that matter, has ever lived in the castle.

The beautiful stone used for constructing the castle was taken from the Beaverkill River nearby.

Today, the castle still stands with a crumbling exterior, housing 36 rooms along with a legend that states each one had steam heat and electricity long before any home in the township had them. This was considered a luxury at the time. While walking around the interior of the castle, I discovered brightly colored paint was used for many of the upstairs rooms.

An empty room inside the Dundas Castle with a vibrant paint.

When I think of a castle, I see tall ceilings and lavish furniture. However, the rooms in this particular castle were bare and the ceilings were quite low, but it had a wonderful charm to it. With almost a decade in the making, this castle exhibited incredible detail and craftsmanship.

Lancet-arches were built into every room.

The initial plan for the property was to establish a Masonic home for the aged and indigent when it was purchased from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the Masonic Order. This never happened and for many years the property was used as a rural vacation retreat.

Marble from Italy was used for the fireplaces, stairs and floors.

Now the crumbling castle remains, with no plans of future use, a hidden gem in a small New York town. The courtyard grass is tall and the fallen leaves pile in through broken windows. It is a shame the castle was never lived in.

Unfinished cabinets on the lower level floor of the castle.

This historic castle was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in March of 2001. You can view more images of the castle here and read more about its history at the following sites:

• “Dundas Castle” Wikipedia.
• Sokolow, Jane. “Dundas Castle.“ Friends of Beaverkill Community.
• Chapuis, Julien. ”Gothic Art.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• “Glossary: Gothic Art and Architecture.” Athena Review, Vol. 4, No. 2.
• Etess, RoseAnn and Rebecca Parsons. “History of Dundas Castle.”

Formerly known as the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, the Richardson Olmsted Complex stands today with its iconic Gothic towers at 141 years old. Construction began in 1870, designed by American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, and was completed approximately 20 years later. The Richardson Olmsted Complex was built in the Kirkbride Plan using Richarson’s characteristic Richardsonian Romanesque style. Richardson would incorporate 11th and 12th century souther French, Spanish and Italian Romanesque characteristics into his design. Characteristics of the Richardsonian Romanesque style included bands of windows, cavernous recessed door openings, massive stone walls, and towers.

View of the connecting hallways from outside the building.

Thanks to the Buffalo Unscripted “Shutterbug Series” Project, I had the opportunity to document parts of the Richardson Olmsted Complex. In short, “This July 16-24, the National Trust for Historic Preservation will hit the streets of Buffalo to tell the real story of a city that everyone seems to have an opinion about – whether they live here or not. Through meet-ups scheduled in neighborhoods across town, we’ll ask Buffalonians to go on camera to talk about the place they call home, its past, and its future.” To learn more about Buffalo Unscripted visit their Tumblr page here.

Mint green paint is a common color in former insane asylums. It is known as a calming color.

Over the years the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane was open, there were many changes to the buildings and landscape. Sections of the building were demolished over time. In 1969,  the three brick buildings on the east wing were demolished to make room for an adolescent treatment facility. Treatment for people with mental illness continued in the original hospital until the late 1990’s. The new Strozzi Building of the Buffalo Psychiatric Center was built east of the historic complex in 1965. Gradually, the services and administrative offices were moved out of the historic complex and into the new facilities, where they continue today.

A door to nowhere. This door leads to what was the three brick buildings on the East side. These wings were demolished in 1969.

The Richardson Olmsted Complex rehabilitation plan advances a mixed use campus of public and private activities for the neighborhood, the city, the region and the world to enjoy.  Learn more about the stabilization and rehabilitation efforts by visiting the project’s website.

A restored hallway from the Administration building.

The Richardson Olmsted Complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in January of 1973 and to the National Historic Landmarks in 1986. You can view more photos of the hospital here and read more at the following sites:

• Buffalo Unscripted. Official website for the Buffalo Unscripted Project
• Richardson Olmsted Complex. Official website for the Richardson Olmsted Complex Restoration Project
• Official Facebook Page for the Richardson Olmsted Complex
• Official Wikipedia Article for the H.H. Richardson Complex
• LaChiusa, Chuck. “Romanesque / Romanesque Revival.” Buffalo Architecture and History
• Official Wikipedia Article about the Richardsonian Romanesque style.

Towards the end of Spring, I had the opportunity to escape New York. After months of planning, I finally embarked upon a nine day adventure exploring states throughout the Midwest.

I wanted to share some highlights of the trip with you, like the photograph above. You are looking at the city of Chicago at night, my favorite part of the trip by far. Chicago is very different from the familiar [New York City] I have photographed in the past.

"Cloud Gate" in Millennium Park on a sunny afternoon. You may know this famous stainless steel sculpture by the name "The Bean".

Located in the Loop community area of Chicago is the 24.5 acre Millennium Park. Planning for Millenium Park began in October of 1997 and officially opened in July of 2004. While it is relatively small compared to the 843 acre Central Park in New York, walking around the park reminded me of home. Millennium Park features the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Cloud Gate (above), the Crown Fountain, the Lurie Garden, and various other attractions. The park is connected by the BP Pedestrian Bridge and the Nichols Bridgeway to other parts of Grant Park. Since the park sits atop a parking garage and the commuter rail Millennium Station, it is considered the world’s largest rooftop garden.

View from the upper level of the Ohio Theater.

From the outside, this theater gave me a completely different impression than what I felt when I stepped in. The stairs were like walking up a playground slide and the floors were fairly weak. The stage was unique with the screen barely hanging on against the blue painted brick wall.

Closer look at the stage.

The Ohio Theatre once seated over 1,500 people for vaudeville shows. It appears that two of those many seats have relocated to the stage. A decade after its opening, the Ohio Theater was renovated in order to include a sound system for playing movies. Like many cities in the 1960′s, the economy declined causing this beautiful theater to close.

Curtain Detail.

The furthest point of my trip was Wisconsin to document this 1927 theatre built for Universal Studios. The Kenosha Theatre is currently under restoration, but still illustrates what 50 years of abandonment can do to a building. This vast theatre is full of color and beautiful design.

View of the Balcony.

Many of the designs included a bright blue medallion, as seen above. If you would like to see some early photos of the Kenosha Theatre, LIFE has a gallery online here.

View from the upper level of the Palace Theatre.

Water damage is a common problem for vacant buildings, creating a serious danger after a long period of neglect. Welcome to the Palace Theatre in Gary, Indiana, a theatre in serious need of a roof repair. The water damage has been causing the ceiling to fall down in large pieces of plaster narrowing missing my head on a few occasions. For decades, the Palace ran as one of Gary’s grandest entertainment venues, business slowly declined until closing in 1972.

Despite the small tear, the Palace Theatre's curtain is all in tact.

When it opened, the Palace featured live stage shows, vaudeville acts, and eventually motion pictures. Now the Palace sits abandoned like many of the buildings in Gary, Indiana. Even though the Jackson 5 are originally from Gary, they never actually performed in the Palace Theater.

A majority of the stained glass still sits in the City Methodist.

This Gothic Revival church opened in the heart of downtown Gary, Indiana in 1925. Back in its heyday, City Methodist boasted a membership of 3,000, and the church was home to one of the largest Skinner organs in the state of Indiana. Now, like the Palace Theatre, the City Methodist is left in disrepair.

What remains of the City Methodist Church.

Nine days was not nearly enough time to explore the historic buildings throughout the Midwest! In the near future I hope to return and document more of the history out that way. The city of Chicago alone deserves a trip to fully photograph it.

Chicago at dusk.

I will be updating my collection of images from this trip here. Keep checking back for new images! Read more at the following sites:

• Official website of the Kenosha Theatre Restoration Project
• Historic Images of the Kenosha Theatre from LIFE Magazine
• 1967 City Methodist Church Directory
• Official Preserve Indiana website with information about the Palace Theatre and City Methodist
• Official website for Millennium Park in Chicago
• More information about the Cloud Gate sculpture

“When Charles Dickens visited America in 1842, he wanted to see just two things — Niagara Falls and Eastern State.” In 1829, when the Eastern State Penitentiary was built, it was the largest and most expensive public structure in the country.

Construction began on the Eastern State Penitentiary in May 1822. The site selected since it was an elevated area, an area that had once been a cherry orchard. Because of this, the prison later acquired the nickname “Cherry Hill.” When the Eastern State Penitentiary was completed in 1829  it was the largest and most expensive public structure in the country. Designed by British architect John Haviland, Haviland found most of his inspiration from prisons and asylums built beginning in the 1780s in England and Ireland. This massive prison was intended not to simply to punish, like what we think of most prisons. However, Eastern State’s goal was to move the prisoner towards a spiritual reflection and change for the better. Cellblock 15 is pictured above, was primarily a punishment block for the prisoner. Many years after Eastern State Penitentiary closed in 1971, all the bars were removed from the cells.

A mechanism used for opening all of the cells in Cellblock 15. A piece of metal blocks the lever from going down completely after it was decided this was a bad idea.

Cellblock 15, nicknamed “Death Row” was the last cellblock added to Eastern State Penitentiary. When it opened in 1959, it stood in contrast to the ideas of change and reform. The reason for Cellblock 15 was to serve as a separate confinement system to inspire deep remorse in the hearts of some of Pennsylvania’s most violent, aggressive criminals. The hope was to transform criminals deserving of Cellblock 15 and turn them into law-abiding citizens. Any inmates who had rioted, gambled, hurt or killed police officers, guards, or other inmates lived here in physical isolation from each other and the prison staff. Only a handful of men who actually had death sentences were on the block at any given time and no executions ever took place at Eastern State. Inmates awaiting execution were transferred, in their last few days, to Pennsylvania’s only death chamber at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview.

A typical cell at Eastern State Penitentiary.

Today, Eastern State Penitentiary is open to the public. Everyone is given the wonderful opportunity to tour the grounds of the former prison. All of the cell bars have been removed, allowing visitors to peek in Eastern State’s typical criminal cells. Originally, inmates were housed in cells that could only be accessed by entering through a small exercise yard attached to the back of the prison with only a small portal, just large enough to pass meals, opened onto the cell blocks. When this was deemed impractical, cells were re-constructed to allow prisoners to enter and leave the cell blocks through metal doors covered by a heavy wooden door. The cells were made of concrete with a single glass skylight, representing the “Eye of God”, serving a simple, yet powerful message to the prisoners.

Cellblock 3. The Hospital.

The way the light shined into the cellblocks of Eastern State was interesting. Each block was lit differently by the afternoon light, inspiring various moods while walking from block to block.

One example of the many beautiful art installations in Eastern State. "The Quilting Party", in Cellblock 7 by Susan Hagen.

There were a series of artist installations throughout the cellblocks of Eastern State Penitentiary. One that caught my eye in particular was designed by artist Susan Hagen. Hagen’s installation Recollection Tableaux is a collection of six dioramas sculpted to represent important moments in the prison’s history. They are scattered around cell block seven. Other installations by Susan Hagen are Teenager Project ”a series of portraits – ink and conté drawings and carved-wood sculptures – of adolescents”, Animalia Rarissima“a series of small carved and painted wood monuments of animals selected from the Department of Endangered Species” and The Lost Army ”a series of carved-wood soldiers complete with gear and weapons commemorating soldiers who lost their lives in Iraq.”

Man in a mask. Recollection Tableaux, in Cellblock 7 by Susan Hagen.

Eastern State Penitentiary was made a National Register of Historic Places in October 1966 and a National Historic Landmark in June 1965. It will require many, many visits to fully document this historic structure. I look forward to learning more about the history of Eastern State and sharing my knowledge and photographs with you. In addition to Richmond Power Station, Eastern State Penitentiary was also used as a filming location for the blockbuster hit 12 Monkeys directed by Terry Gilliam starring Bruce Willis. If you are interested in seeing Eastern State Penitentiary, you can visit their website here. Make sure to keep an eye out for special events at the prison. You can view more photos of the prison here and read more at the following sites:

• Official website of Eastern State Penitentiary
• Demarco, Anthony. “A Walking Tour of Philly’s Art Museum Neighborhood.“Forbes. 28 June 2011.
• Ivory, Karen. Philadelphia: off the Beaten Path : a Guide to Unique Places. Guilford, CT: Insiders’ Guide, 2007. Print.
• “Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love.“ The Independent. 03 July 2011.
• Taylor, Troy. “History & Hauntings of Eastern State Penitentiary.“
• Official Facebook Page for Eastern State Penitentiary
• Official Wikipedia Page for Eastern State Penitentiary

“THE PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC COMPANY” spans across the top of this imposing structure, in plain view from the Betty Ross Bridge along the banks of the Delaware River. This is the Richmond Power Station, a monument to the production and marketing of electricity in the early twentieth century.

This coal-fired electrical generation plant was designed for the Philadelphia Electric Company, built in a Neo-classical style from 1919 to 1925, beginning service in 1925. At one time, the Richmond Power Station housed the world’s largest Westinghouse turbo-generator.

Entrance to the turbine hall.

At first glance, a person would have no idea what to expect of this building. Standing along the Delaware River, gawking at the sheer size from a distance, I wondered what this 86-year-old structure was like inside. From the balcony, I realized it would take days to see every last part of this place.

View from the balcony stories above the turbine hall.

After 60 years of operation, the Richmond Power Station was closed in 1985. Over two decades of abandonment has done a great deal to the station. It is progressively breaking down, most noticeably in the framework of its vaulted ceiling. In the picture above, you can see the patches of sunlight pouring into the abandoned power station where parts of the ceiling used to be.

Close up view of one of the turbines.

In addition to the Richmond Power Station, Philadelphia is home to a few other structures built with a neo-classical style such as the 30th Street Station, Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Fairmount Water Works. Some neo-classical style buildings you may be more familiar with are the Statue of Liberty, The White House, the U.S. Supreme Court and the United States Capital. Neo-classical architecture.

There were rows upon rows of machinery through out this massive power plant.

It is fascinating all of this machinery can fit under one roof. It would take days to wander through the entire power station, probably longer to fully document every detail.

There was plenty of coal dust remaining along these belts.

Above you will find the most frightening room of all if you are afraid of heights. Below these rusty grates remains quite a drop if you do not watch your step. The conveyer belts were still lined with coal dust.

Only a fraction of the controls high above the turbine hall.

It is amazing to think the controls in this room operated such a grand power station.

Due to the gaping holes in Richmond Power Station's ceiling, flooding has occurred on the bottom level of the turbine hall.

While Richmond Power Station may be abandoned, it certainly has seen some activity since its closure. The Philadelphia power station was used as a filming location for movies such as blocker successes 12 Monkeys directed by Terry Gilliam starring Bruce Willis and Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen directed by Michael Bay starring Shia Labeouf. Unfortunately, the building was denied historical designation by the Philadelphia Historical Commission, against the recommendation of its own staff and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. Philadelphia is unsure of what will become of Richmond Power Station to this day. You can view more photos of the power station here and read more at the following sites:

• More information about Philadelphia’s buildings
• “Richmond Generating Station, 1925.” Workshop of the World.
• “Richmond Power Station.” PlanPhilly.
• Official website of Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO)
• Official Wikipedia Page for Neo-classical architecture
• Official Wikipedia Page for Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO)

Built in 1919, with its name commemorating the end of World War I, The Victory Theatre is Holyoke’s last surviving vaudeville theater today. The Victory Theatre switched from vaudeville and silent films to an all-movies format in 1931.

The Victory Theatre remained a vibrant movie house up until its closure in 1979. Sitting abandoned for approximately three decades has done a great deal to the building. The roof is covered with a blue tarp creating an interesting color cast behind stage, as seen above.

View of the stage from the ground floor.

Thankfully, the Victory Theatre had a loyal fan like Helen Casey, a Holyoke resident who enjoyed visiting the theatre back in its heyday. In 1983, Helen Casey organized the Save The Victory Theatre Inc., a non-profit organization, created to help reopen the theater. Save The Victory Theatre did not have a plan other than trying to raise funds to purchase and renovate the theater, according to Casey. Unfortunately, there was little interest in saving a run-down movie house when so much Holyoke seemed to run down, as well. Casey’s efforts did not go unnoticed, however. After twenty years, in 2009, a Holyoke-based Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts (MIFA) bought the theater from the city for $1,500. Currently, MIFA is more than halfway to its goal of raising $27 million to restore it.

Film from the 1972 horror flick "Last House on the Left" sits in the sink of an empty bathroom connected to the projector room.

Construction lights and piles of memorabilia line the theater today. There is still a great amount of work to do in order to restore this grand theater. I am glad I was able to document the Victory in its current state. Naturally lit through a skylight in the bathroom sits this sink with a wonderful element – old, curled up film. It turns out the film left behind was from the 1972 horror flick “Last House on the Left,” written and directed by Wes Craven, starring Sandra Peabody and Lucy Grantham. The film was remade into a 2009 film of the same name.

This little room connecting the projector room to the restroom was riddled with graffiti from over the years.

The only part of the theater that remained in dark was the projection room. The simple shining of a flashlight revealed years worth of graffiti in a room off to the side of the former projector room. It was fascinating to see all the different scribbles across the walls of this tiny room.

Another view of the graffiti across the walls.

The human element in these abandoned buildings has always been my favorite part of documenting them. It is discoveries like this often un-seen wall that I truly enjoy sharing with you. While I am not 100% positive this is the way the poet wants it written, I have attempted to re-publish the writing at a slant, in the black ink, towards the bottom of this image. Here it goes:

“Untiled” by Unknown Author

Remember me / as you pass by

as you are won’t / so once was I

as I am now / so you will be

Prepare yourself / to follow me

To follow you

I have / intent,

Unless I know / which way you / went

Detail on Stage Right.

MIFA is a 17-year-old arts nonprofit, which produces opera, theater, dance and music performances as well as film festivals and art exhibits. The organization has completed feasibility studies and construction plans, and has secured over $19 million in grants, donations and state and federal tax credits for the restoration project. Its executive artistic director, Donald Sanders said that some small projects will begin this spring and major construction will be in full swing by fall. The Victory Theatre is scheduled to reopen as a live performance venue on Dec. 30, 2012 – its 93rd birthday. You can view more photos of the theater here and read more at the following sites:

• Barker, Michele P. “Victory at the Victory Theatre in Holyoke.“ Preservation Massachusetts. 12 May 2011.
• Everett, Rebecca. “Hampshire Life: Victory at Last? Restoring a Grand Holyoke Theater.“GazetteNET. 01 Apr. 2011.
• Hohenberger, Dennis P. “Victory Theater Secures $200k Challenge Grant.“ The Holyoke Sun.
• Official Page on MIFA’s website for the Victory Theatre
• Official Facebook Page for MIFA