243 Comments for Samuel R. Smith Infirmary

Thanks Motts! Another great gallery! :0)

I just read about the fire. How tragic to lose another grand old lady in such a manor. Thank God you captured it forever in brilliant photography. We're losing these beautiful buildings at an alarming rate.

wow that is beautiful! fantastic colors :)

Really nice building

It may please you to know that there are efforts being made to "Save the Castle" http://www.facebook.co...firmary/262347164433

I've been a fan of Motts' work and opacity.us for a few years but I've never commented on any pictures. In fact, this site was what taught me that I wasn't the only person fascinated with the abandoned, forgotten, and decaying. But having just stumbled upon this one, I really can't hold back. This is stunning. How lucky were you to catch these beams of light at precisely the right time to capture this amazing effect. Awesome job!

I'm trying to wrap my brain around what it would take to make this building inhabitable. Let's see.... First hire some professionals to remove the asbestos ($Cha-Ching). Then gut the interior to the bricks ($Cha-Ching). Then remove & replace the plumbing & all fixtures ($Cha-Ching). Then remove & replace the electrical wiring ($Cha-Ching). Install a new HVAC system ($Cha-Ching). Replace all the windows ($Cha-Ching). Replace the roof ($Cha-Ching). Replace the interior floors, walls, doors & ceilings ($Cha-Ching). Install all new appliances ($Cha-Ching). All right. Let's go to Home Depot & Lowes.

Very surreal. I would be mesmerized by the dust cloud and walk right into the gaping hole.

Oh my God. The photos seen up to this point have been utter devastation & destruction. Then we are treated to this. Out of the rubble rises this magnificent staircase & columns. Even in ruin the beauty shines through. Who could have used these? Perhaps a young nurse or physician fresh out of medical school rushing upstairs to an emergency. Perhaps an elderly man or woman slowly climbing the stairs to visit a dying spouse. Or maybe a young couple descending these stairs with a new baby in their arms. These scenes played out day after day. Year after year.

Found lots of these places by word of mouth, internet, contemporary news, preservation organizations, and reading historical documents. Yup there have been countless places where it just wasn't worth pulling out the camera.

There were paths cleared through the rooms to get around easily. Tetanus is out of date and no medical insurance.

Geez. That fireplace is almost buried in debris. Looks a lot like fire damage. Was it tough to walk through all this stuff? I hope your tetanus vaccine is up to date.

Ooooo, time has not been kind to this place.

Good one Greg. Motts, was this natural light or did you use flashlights?

Magnificent architecture. Boarded up windows are (to me) a building's obituary. Oh sure, they are put there to preserve the interior for future use. But more times than not, it's the death sentence.