Blog Archives

A wrench in the works

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The same broken down, rusted truck had been parked outside this place for at least four years, so I figured if I went in to look around, there’d be no one else there.

And I was right. I was the only one there, and I found the usual assortment of odd, abandoned things. Like a two-legged chair. And a giant wrench.

All in all, it was worth the stop.

Marathon, Texas
photographed 7.10.2015

Lighthouse

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A friend of a friend took me here, and it was quite a find. I’ve posted other images of it here and here.

I’m starting to think it might be time for a return visit, just to see how the old place is getting along. Oh, and to make some more photos.


Lighthouse Church
Midland, Texas

photographed 8.23.2014

The future was wide open

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Another one of the closed-down schools around here. This one’s been vacant (or un-used, anyway) since 1965, when it was consolidated with the school in nearby Post, Texas.

Post was founded by C. W. Post, whom you may have heard of if you’ve ever eaten Post Toasties or other breakfast cereals. And Close City is named for Post’s son-in-law, E. B. Close, who was married to Marjorie Merriweather Post, who was famous for being a rich philanthropist*. She and Close were divorced and each went on to marry several more times. Which is how this happened: via his second marriage, Edward Bennett** Close would become the paternal grandfather of actress Glenn Close.***

And who says nothing interesting happens around here?

Close City, Texas
photographed 5.31.201

*Her home Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, is now tainted owned by Donald Trump.
** I have a granddaughter named Bennett, but I believe that’s largely coincidental.
*** You can read more here.

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Across the road from yesterday’s image, I found a gas station that’s been out of business for a while.

Those elm trees are tenacious: they’ve been on their own for a while now, through a long drought or two, and still they hang on, with new branches growing through the dead stuff.

McAdoo, Texas
photographed 7.3.2015

Toilet room

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By now I am pretty sure you’ve noticed that I like to peer inside abandoned buildings. I like to see the stuff that wasn’t important enough to take out, but that was too important to throw away.

Here at the abandoned field house behind a now-defunct school, someone decided a desk, a desk chair, a barrel, and toilet should stay behind.

McAdoo, Texas
photographed 7.3.2015