A smattering of light
I didn’t even know there was a town called Maple, but there it was. Well, sort of. The Maple Co-op Gin appears to be still operational, and there are a couple of houses that are inhabited. But the rest of the place is left to the elements.
The town is not named after a popular locally-sourced syrup: this is cotton country, after all. Rather, it got its name from Mr. (I’m guessing on that part, actually) Maple Wilson, an early settler. It was founded in the early 1920s and the population peaked in the 1940s at approximately 600; at its peak the town had six businesses. The 2010 census listed the population at 56.
This is one of the six businesses Maple had at its peak; this one had two entrances and you can still read GROCERIES painted beside one door and DRUG COUNTER by the other one. I like the way the bits of light, from the holes in the roof, let the light play against the wall.
Maple, Texas
photographed 2.16.2014
Posted on February 24, 2014, in Photography and tagged 365 photo project, abandoned buildings, architecture, black and white photography, maple texas, melinda green harvey, monochrome, one day one image, photo a day, photography, texas. Bookmark the permalink. 8 Comments.
One Day | One Image 
Curious: Do you have protection (gloves, mask, etc) when you go in some of these places?
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That’s a good question – I don’t actually go IN most of these places. This shot was taken from the porch in front of the building; for example. I also shoot through windows, using a technique that I probably didn’t invent where I put the end of the lens against the glass. It eliminates reflections (usually) and lets me brace the camera while I take the picture.
I don’t want to get caught trespassing, but I also don’t want to get the hantavirus (which I don’t think you have in Australia) – it’s an often-fatal virus that humans can catch from “contact” with rodent feces (and “contact” can include breathing).
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We must have a more civilised breed of rodent here. 🙂
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Probably – ours, on the other hand, are rude little bastards!
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I cannot put a ‘like’ to this one . It is too depressing. And I am already in a downward mood as it is. But as a photo it is good.
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Vera, Sorry if this one is contributing to your mood. Go look at this one instead – http://bit.ly/1gzWjYn – and maybe you’ll feel better.
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I kinda of like environments like this. But I love horror films :-). I am curious as to how close the nearest grocery store is from this town.
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The closest grocery store is 34 miles away, in Muleshoe. The next one is 41 miles away in Levelland. (These are actual town names, too.) but for a big grocery store, it would be 70 miles to Lubbock, or 65 miles to Clovis, New Mexico. But out here, those are considered short drives – it would mostly be a question of keeping the frozen stuff cold until you got home…
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