Random pictures over the last few weeks- two schools, a old house.
This is the school that was sold, being turned into apartments. The State was kind enough to let me in before they started tearing into it. Only a few pictures as it was a dull building.
Basement with the dead body. ;)
And the red glowing bathroom I wrote about.... O.o
I found another school that was closed, but being used by the new owner. I stop, asked him if I could take a few pictures. He gave me the keys. ;)
Boys-
Girls-
Basement of this building. Have to give it to the man- he is keeping the building up, dry.
Then it was an old house, found on side of the road.
A rose bush, with drops of love...
As you can see the house was almost covered, hidden. No tripod as I did not plan to go inside but with the back door open.. I had to have a look inside. ;) But I did not go up the stairs to the attic- I was alone and no one knew where I was. And seeing the same shot in the light of the flash- you can see it was not the safe to go up to the floor above. Note the ball of hair on the floor? Wig. lol I had to look. :)
Trans- Allegheny Lunatic Asylum- Geriatric Ward
The building is orange, rusty metal, my favorite again. The stairway was in the center of the building, no lights. Have to say I did pause before I let the door shut behind me, going down to find the basement standing with water. The building had the damp wet smeel that standing water brings about, going up the stairs in the silent building and finding these creepy little paintings on the walls.
I did like how the nurse station was in the center- able to watch over both sides of the floor.
COMMENTS
Security much? That was one tough geriaatric ward.
I seriously got the chills from seeing this...
Wow.
Great photos by the way. :)
Building for the criminally insane... ;) LOVED this building. The nurse station had bullet proof glass, all the windows had thick bars. Creepy place. And at the start of my time there- I was alone. *evil laugh* I also notice the bathroom was open to the floor, showers not closed in. They watched everything going on but for the four cell looking areas that had doors. The nurses was locked into the stations by the heavy metal doors, the windows bar covered.
So reminded me of the movie House on Haunted Hill- a movie I love, how it starts with an attack at the hospital. Yes- my dark side came out on this place.
Looked like jail cells-
Ok- leaves only one more building, and a few odds and ends shots still to post from this trip. :)
COMMENTS
CREEPY! You really caught its essence.
Looks to me like every thing here was all natural and available light; no flashes, no flash lights ...
... and this ... is the reason I try to not use artificial light in my photogs. These are just stunningly amazing; and show the true depth and emotion of the environment.
You are getting so good at capturing drama in your images. So proud of your accomplishments and your moxy!
Time to share the main building with you. Have to say this building was a lot bigger then I expected, laid out the same on each floor but the 4th, where the staff slept. 2 ½ miles of hallways and some creepy rooms can be found in this place, as the fog outside burned off.
As you can see the 4th floor has skylights. Gave the hallways a different look all together.
A tour guild that walked by me with a group tells that the wallpaper is not wallpaper at all but stamped on by hand. I never did find out the meaning of all the colors. In one hallway it went from blue, to green, yellow, then back to blue. And the rooms are different colors. The lack of flow with the color, the harsh changes was driving me nuts. Guess I was at the right place for that.
Only the Dr., nurses and staff got private baths. Of course they were for the whole floor.
From the stain on the floor- I take the nurse station was here. It was almost in the center of the hallway, near the area that was a common room.
3rd floor isolation rooms. While most of the floors had this type of rooms it seems these are more secured. I could of spent a hour taking pictures here- the light was so good. But as I had to wait 20 minutes for another person to get her shots, I did not hog the place. Only about 4 minutes and I was gone, leaving others to enjoy.
Nurses rooms- they had locks on the doors that you locked from the outside and inside.
This area was banned from us. Seems parts of the building you only see if you take the Ghost Hunting tour. But I did see a window in the doorway so…
The stairway. With the bare bulbs light, the color of paint change on each floor. God help the people who had to look at this every day.
This nice detailed door lead me into what was a stunning bathroom. Gray marble slabs lined the walls, the shower and even the tub areas. It just spoke of wealthy that the others did not. Made me wonder if the ‘well to do’ folks was housed here.
Freedom just a doorway away…
Each floor had a room for supplies- all the cabinets had locks or padlocked at one time.
Found a large sunny room at the end of one hallway. I can just picture it being a craft room, or something of that nature.
Of course all the windows had mess, or steel grate over them. The window sat inside of a 2 ½ foot thick stone wall.
The Dr. common room inside their private suite. If you look at a picture from outside, just above the main entrance you will see a small patio. This lead off to that area.
Main floor had a few rooms set up to show you how the place looked back in the days. Of course this is about as far as anyone got, sure the patience rooms was off limits. As far as the rooms- small. With a single bed, you might have room for a nightstand. Just walking room really. And no closet in the patience rooms. Most doors had a peep hole if not a window so no privacy at all. But the Dr. Nurses, and staff rooms where not much bigger, and had more then one person in a room. They at least had locked doors, and closets. In the nurse/ Dr. areas they had what looked like at one time, a small kitchen.
I stood looking at these room, thinking of a sister, brother, father or mother, son or daughter who came to visit their family. They would sit in this room, tea or coffee offered in china cups, waiting for their family member to be brought in. I wonder if any of them knew the kind of hell that was behind those doors? The tour guild spoke of how most of the patience had outside jobs, spent the day out in the work force, the town blowing a whistle to let them know it was time to return. I don’t know if that was much better- the people they worked for could have been more abusive then the nurse, staff. I have not read any reports of abuse from this location and that I held onto as I left the main building.
COMMENTS
Imagine ever having to live there as a patient?
You took marvelous pictures.
Wow, what a gruesome looking place and in stark comparsion to the rest of the waiting area!
More pictures from last weekend. Looking at these I think "Mommy" Joli is right- a Emergen C drink before I go into these places could not hurt. That and a mask.
COMMENTS
I don't want you to breathe in the yuck. I will say, though, that these are incredible, just incredible. The shadows at the bottom of the older stairs...you brought it to life. I'm SO impressed.
You have such a gift, Rat. And a worthy eye befitting any professional photographer- If you ever need to find another profession, I think you should seriously consider doing this for a living. And makeup. Definitely makeup...
The civil war wing is the oldest wing of the location. It is on the far left, and was started being built before the war broke out. It took two starts, but finished to face a already overcrowding of the wing. More wings was added on from this starting point. While the tour of the Civil War section was great- you really see the updates they did when you see large rooms that was wall to wall beds, only leaving a walk way, to having drywall portions used later as offices. Between these three wings, shaped like a 3, are court yards that are walled in.
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12- Fire escape stairway, later added to reach the four floors of the center building.
COMMENTS
I will be revisiting your journal this evening with my son, he will love these.
Amazing. I love your journal.
:o)
You always know the perfect image to catch our eye, catch our imagination and freak us out too ;)
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum- Medical Center.
Get a drink folks- this one is long. :)
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COMMENTS
Oh wow.
I would have loved to visit this place. The pictures are wonderful, as always Rat. It almost seems as if the building stands there, just waiting for someone to listen to its story.
:)
I loved 26, 27 and 29.
There is something about seeing grass, moss, trees, flowers and other bits of life retaking an old building that entrances me. The black and white was just spooky and the reflections of the windows in number 29 for some reason stood out for me.
I love the corridors and stairwells too. Empty hallways that should be bustling have always fascinated me. They are gloomy and a little foreboding sometimes. Walking down them is an exercise in itself as a person is always steeling themselves for what they might see.
Do you ever find yourself holding your breath?
Holding my breath? Yes. That seconds of you opening a dark doorway, the sound it makes as if it has not been open in years, the cold air the darkness holds washes over you as you step into the unknown, letting that door close behind you... is wonderful. :)
And I have held my breath a few times due to the odor of animals, rot, mold. lol :D
uh yeah I bet! LMBO!!!!
You paint beautiful images with your words VW.
COMMENTS
I love these tours.
I love these glimpses into other lives. What is beautiful are the ferns and plantlife creeping in, taking back dead space.
Your pictures are simply stunning. There are no glossy backdrops, no posing or anything 'artificial', just you and the camera and a broken building making beautiful art.
AND. I admire your courage going into gawd knows what! LOL
I just wish I had a picture of you climbing into the building to share :)
I am just glad you didn't. The stuff I put my hands into doing it...ewww. Was really happy to leave that place.
Absolutely stunning. I like how you were able to capture the old building showing that even deserted, life forms still grow and thrive there.
Ya know ... one does not get "caught by the pokey".
You get caught by the popo.
The popo throw you in the pokey.
Just had to correct you on that one
:smiles:
Just amazing. You take my breath away.
COMMENTS
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LadyKrystalynDarkstar
21:04 Apr 28 2011
Wow. Those are fantastic. I love the leaves with the drops on them. Great photos!
Morrigon
21:11 Apr 28 2011
Beautiful. That second school looks in amazing condition. I wish they would do something with big spaces like those.
RedQueen
00:20 Apr 29 2011
I LOVE the red bathroom- it's POSSESSED!!!!! lol
And the house is wonderful- but a WIG???REALLY???
Vampirewitch39
01:56 Apr 29 2011
The man who owns it now rent half of it out to a construction company who uses it for storage, and the parking lot for his equipment. He himself runs a recycling business out of what use to be the kitchen/ lunch room and gym.
At least it was not torn down. But we do have a lot of old buildings. Funny as they are mostly schools in small towns. So wish they was hospitals, or those large fancy houses you see in horror movies.
lol