Sunday, July 12, 2009

My Town Monday, July 12, 2009



Paulette Goddard reading.



Blogger is giving me troubles today so if you don't see a response, blame it on that. Does anyone ever report these errors and if so do you get a response?




Last Thursday, I spotted the word "Detroit" in the home section of THE NEW YORK TIMES. Whereas other articles on the pages were about pieces of furniture and similar items, abandoned homes in Detroit was its subject.

Notice the layers of abandonment in this selection.

Kevin Bauman has been photographing abandoned houses in Detroit for some time. He was hopeful that some of these houses would be saved when he began. The photos are for sale but as NYT suggested, probably few Detroiters will buy one. We just have to look out the window.

What's truly amazing is how lovely many of these buildings must have once been. It's not just tenements falling down here.

Here's his site--take a look. Something to keep in mind is that these are all in the city Detroit, despite often seeming rural due to demolished neighboring houses.

As Mr. Bauman says on his website: "All images, whether the crumbling facade of a century old mansion, or a client's industrial drill, are linked together by my devotion to photography, and each recieves the same attention to detail."

Visit more MY TOWN MONDAY SITES, HOSTED BY CLAIR DICKSON HERE.

21 comments:

Chris said...

Patti, those images are haunting and beautiful. It's heartbreaking to think the effect that this recession is having on your city; I only hope things are not too far gone to be repaired.

David Cranmer said...

Abandoned houses do have a unique sadness and beauty about them.

Charles Gramlich said...

I guess nature takes its own back one way or the other. This is pretty sad. We have a lot of similar places in New Orleans, except a lot of them have roofs torn off or other serious structural damage.

Clair D. said...

That's one of the things that always drives me nuts about the condition of Detroit-- there are such BEAUTIFUL buildings, and such marvelous architecture that you just don't see anymore, but it's all lost in dying city.

Clare2e said...

Stunning pictures, Patti. Abandoned Detroit, Goddard, Phil's garden. All beautiful images and all very different.

Slightly off-topic, let me express my jealousy and admiration of Phil's pictured hydrangeas. We've had so much rain and so little sun that my greenery exploded to form the biggest, jungle-sized bushes I've ever seen, with only one pale blue flower so far. Because I don't chemically treat the soil, I end up with mixed-hue bushes like you have. I may have to look at yours and pretend this year!

Clare2e said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Clare2e said...

Blogger's acting weird as I submit. I apologize if this creates any oddity in the comment thread

Stunning pictures, Patti. Abandoned Detroit, Goddard, Phil's garden. All beautiful images and all very different.

Slightly off-topic, let me express my jealousy and admiration of Phil's pictured hydrangeas. We've had so much rain and so little sun that my greenery exploded to form the biggest, jungle-sized bushes I've ever seen, with only one pale blue flower so far. Because I don't chemically treat the soil, I end up with mixed-hue bushes like you have. I may have to look at yours and pretend this year!

pattinase (abbott) said...

This started a long time ago-long before the recession hit, Chris, I'm afraid. The city has become so rural you can find all sorts of new animal life now.
New Orleans had a hurricane plus poverty--we just have poverty.
Funny, that we had heard the hydrangeas would be poor this year due to the hard, wet, col winter. But
instead they are a bumper crop.
Phil will be delighted you like his garden. He cooks too. I am so lucky. Yes, the buildings either get demolished or fall down on their own. Either way is horrible.

Dorte H said...

What a charming house - it would be a great setting for a crime story.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Does look a bit like PSYCHO, doesn't it. Of course, all of the houses on this site look like a great setting for a crime story.

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

can I claim one of thosew old properties?

Barbara Martin said...

Patti, I loved all the images of the older houses, and as Clair mentioned, the architecture will be lost. That is a true crime.

Another thing I love, are those wonderful photos of Phil's garden. What a lovely green thumb he has.

Peter Rozovsky said...

Those are two lovely photos. That house is beautiful, and Paulette Goddard looks good, too.
==============
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

pattinase (abbott) said...

It was beautiful. And PG was, too.

debra said...

We drove through some older sections in Cleveland last night. Similar sights. Beautiful architecture----you'd never see it today. I always wonder what it was like back in the day.

Barrie said...

How very very sad.

Travis Erwin said...

What a cool looking house in that pic.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I never got to see "the day" in Detroit. It was already in decline when we arrived.
It is sad but I also see why Travis sees the house as beautiful. It is if you can see past the boarded windows, the disappearing neighborhood.

Lyzzydee said...

I want a hopuse like that one!

Jenn Jilks said...

Tis difficult to determine what is progress, change or what should disappear. Up here progress seems to be paving paradise.

Lolita Breckenridge said...

Haunting and addicting art as photographs. Tragic and beautiful - the best combination.