51 Comments Posted by 12baumarobi

Penguins should taste bad. That's what you get for eating something so cute and fuzzy. Chickens are good 'cause they're ugly. It's a mess here but the bathroom has to be somewhere hehe. __Robert B.

Darlene, from up here, this is the mezzanine, one would go down the stars behind the camera and to the lower seats. And if you look close you can see steps to the stage, those do come from the lower seating area. This is a pretty nice auditorium actually, at least I think. Hope that clears things up Darlene:)

I was ready to say it was a food slot, because if the patient was in a dangerous state, it would be unsafe to open the door, but looking closer I don't think you could get much food through it, so it's. . . ?

Strange - Robert B

Well Sam, you answer your own question. These buildings that Motts risks freedom and life to photograph represent the best of forgotten history and beauty in architecture. While there is a proper place for a talented graffiti artist and I am a fan of street art, these buildings are not the place for it. The names are hidden to protect the remaining integrity and majesty that these buildings still have, because leaving them to be scraped vandalized and graffitied further destroys them, and leaves them more dangerous for serious explorers to see and photograph, and hastens their demolitions. Motts didn't have a cheatsheet to go through, he worked the old fashioned way by getting to know other explorers, putting in hours of research through local records and websites, and just getting off his butt and strolling through the forest. Any serious urban explorer should do the same, it feels more rewarding, and who knows, you may even find something nobody else knows about. Lighten up Sam and enjoy the pics for the art they are :) Be glad that most places didn't get ruined and ugly like what happened
at Byberry state hospital. We have to be careful because of too many people that would take more than pics and leave more than footprints. Well sorry this kinda became a soapbox, I just have a good sense of preservation :) Enjoy the site Sam! - Robert B

10,000 pics posted, what a milestone Tom! And you've really been booking out the new sets lately, merry Christmas for us:) The variety of locations and genres is great also. On the subject of Alabama, have you ever toured the abandoned Army barracks in Ft. McClellan? My dad was in boot camp there in '81 and saw it again back in '02 or '03 and said it was all abandoned. He Didn't have a camera but I would love to see it too, and so would Dad again.

Looks like one of the numerous Chinese alphabet symbols. If someone who studies Chinese writing finds this someday, hopefully they can tell us what it means.

Boy if that was nitrate film, it would be a ticking time bomb. And the further it deteriorated the more flammable it would have got.

This is some info about Nitrate film from Wiki
"Nitrocellulose was used as the first flexible film base, beginning with Eastman Kodak products in August, 1889. Camphor is used as a plasticizer for nitrocellulose film, often called nitrate film.

Nitrate film was used until 1933 for X-ray films (where its flammability hazard was most acute) and for motion picture film until 1951. It was replaced by safety film with an acetate base.

The use of nitrocellulose film for motion pictures led to the requirement for fireproof projection rooms with wall coverings made of asbestos. The US Navy shot a training film for projectionists that included footage of a controlled ignition of a reel of nitrate film, which continued to burn when fully submerged in water. Unlike many other flammable materials, nitrocellulose does not need air to keep burning as the reaction produces oxygen. Once burning, it is extremely difficult to extinguish. Immersing burning film in water may not extinguish it, and could actually increase the amount of smoke produced.

Cinema fires caused by ignition of nitrocellulose film stock were the cause of the 1926 Dromcolliher cinema tragedy in Limerick County in which 48 people died and the 1929 Glen Cinema Disaster in Paisley, Scotland which killed 69 children. Today, nitrate film projection is normally highly regulated and requires extensive precautionary measures including extra projectionist health and safety training.

Projectors certified to run nitrate films have many precautions, among them the chambering of the feed and takeup reels in thick metal covers with small slits to allow the film to run through. The projector is modified to accommodate several fire extinguishers with nozzles aimed at the film gate. The extinguishers automatically trigger if a piece of flammable fabric placed near the gate starts to burn. While this triggering would likely damage or destroy a significant portion of the projection components, it would prevent a fire which could cause far greater damage. Projection rooms may be required to have automatic metal covers for the projection windows, preventing the spread of fire to the auditorium.

It was found that nitrocellulose gradually decomposes, releasing nitric acid and further catalyzing the decomposition (eventually into a flammable powder). Decades later, storage at low temperatures was discovered as a means of delaying these reactions indefinitely. It is thought that the great majority of films produced during the early twentieth century were lost either through this accelerating, self-catalyzed disintegration or through studio warehouse fires. Salvaging old films is a major problem for film archivists"

The good news is though it is probably not nitrate as the theater would have operated long after its discontinuation in 1948 and they likely would have removed it.

This is likely Cellulose triacetate film, which is less flammable, only burns like regular paper and was easy to put out. and about deterioration;

"Although triacetate does not decompose in as dangerous a way as nitrate does, it is still subject to a process known as deacetylation, often nicknamed "vinegar syndrome" (due to the acetic acid smell of decomposing film) by archivists, which causes the film to shrink, deform, become brittle and eventually unusable."

Cellulose triacetate would mostly get phased out in the 80's and 90's and replaced by polyester, but it can still be found here and there today. So that ends my history lesson for today :)

Man, this would have made a great place to have a picnic with some wine. And like this shot, needs a wallpaper verson! Is that a pond on the right, btw?

I don't think there is any way you could walk through any of the halls in the Kirkbride anymore, at least NOT the 1st and 2nd male wards. The roof is all gone over these parts, the damage appears to be pretty thorough. It is kinda interesting to get a bird's eye view of the floor plan but damn, can't believe how far gone it is now:( It's practically demolished from nature.
This is seen from Google maps
https://www.google.com...4,572m/data=!3m1!1e3

Was This shot with a Wide angle lens Motts?

Yeah the whole shot is missing too, in fact I noticed a few days ago some other panoramas have gone missing from the site. Bobo, Mica, were you using Chrome? this is what I use.

This is a beautiful shot Motts. I think this one deserves a wallpaper:)

But at least this is still rather bright and airy, unlike most other places which are dark and dreary.

NBC nightly news just had a news story about the conditions of Gary today, and a news anchor had actually spoken from within the chapel here. It was very open, the place has practically no walls left. It was surprising that he was even in here. I don't think City Methodist has long left either way, if someone doesn't tear it down, it may just fall down. I normally vote to let nature take its course but i'm afraid it may be to dangerous for a place like this. What a beautiful place it was and still is even in ruins. shame the place has gone to waste.

Well I guess it ain't no fluke, our Motts is really back:) This was a great gallery to go through, pretty much my favorite place from Italy so far. I love all the intact glass here, that's one element that most of the other places you've shown us don't have.