Historic Structures - Urban Exploration of Historic Properties

Lyndhurst Plantation, Monticello Florida

Lyndhurst Plantation, Monticello Florida

Lyndhurst Plantation is situated on a tract of land first obtained from the United States by Ayles B. Shehee on October 13^th, 1830. From Mr. Shehee, the property passed to Colonel William Bailey, who is credited with construction of the mansion in the early 1850's. That Lyndhurst was indeed a sizable estate engaged in numerous activities is attested to by the estate papers of William Bailey. Included among his personal and business papers are found vouchers and receipts paid for improvements to buildings on the plantation, and for supplies and equipment. In addition, a testamentary letter signed by Mr. Bailey's children, and sent to Honorable James Bell, Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit in 1875, specifies the exact land holdings of

Hotel Manchester, Middletown Ohio

Hotel Manchester, Middletown Ohio

The former Hotel Manchester is associated with the commercial development of downtown Middletown near the peak of its post-World War I economic boom. Following World War I, there was a focused effort on producing modern hotels to provide a combination of the most advanced mechanical technology with a higher standard of living. The adoption of steel frame construction, improved heating and ventilation, and vertical transportation (elevators) resulted in the construction of very complex hotels. The Hotel Manchester is an excellent representation of that complexity. In 1964 it was renovated into the Manchester Motor Inn. Prior to the construction of the Hotel Manchester, Middletown had several smaller and outdated hotels. As the economy in Middletown continued to flourish following World War I,

Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile Railroad Company Freight Depot, Tallahassee Florida

Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile Railroad Company Freight Depot, Tallahassee Florida

Built in 1858, and added to in 1880, the Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile Railroad Company Freight Depot is one of the oldest, and is the largest of the early railroad related buildings in Florida, and the oldest one still in use as a passenger rail station. It was constructed at a time when Tallahassee was the state's largest center for cotton and agriculture production and its size reflected this activity. The beginning of railroads in the Tallahassee area can be traced to the Tallahassee Railroad Company. Originally chartered in 1831 as the Leon Railway Company, it was re-chartered in 1832 and for a third and final time as the Tallahassee Railroad Company in 1834, just 9 years after the City was

Dade City Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, Dade City Florida

Dade City Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, Dade City Florida

The Second Seminole War brought the first permanent settlement to the area around present-day Dade City with the establishment of Fort Dade in 1836. Scattered settlement followed after the conclusion of the hostilities. Industrial development and even more widespread settlement came after the Civil War, with the establishment of sawmills, turpentine stills, grist mills, and cotton gins. Fertile land and good water made agricultural prospects great for new settlers, and the area became dotted with sparsely populated agricultural communities. By the mid-1880s, the southern portion of the county began growing in population, especially in the San Antonio and Fort Dade areas. In 1884, the community of Fort Dade was surveyed and a new post office was established in Dade City, located

Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway Depot, Boca Grande Florida

Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway Depot, Boca Grande Florida

Built circa 1910, the Mediterranean Revival style structure reflects the burgeoning economic growth of the area which was caused by new phosphate activities and the rise in tourism. The depot also served as the main office for the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway after the company moved from Hull. After 1913, part of the structure was leased to the United States Customs Service. New phosphate discoveries in west central Florida and advanced mining techniques developed in the 1880s demanded a port capable of handling the increased volume of seagoing traffic. The phosphate rock was brought down the Peace River in barges and lighters for both domestic and foreign trans-shipment. By the late 1890s, volume had increased to such a level that

Venice Depot, Venice Florida

Venice Depot, Venice Florida

The Venice Railroad depot facilities were part of John Nolen's Plan for the City of Venice in 1925. The structure was built in the Mediterranean Revival style that was required by the developers of the plan, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Located on the east side of the intracoastal waterway on Venice Avenue, the depot conforms to the standards imposed by both the city planner and the developer in the completion of commercial and industrial properties. The Depot is an excellent model of the quality of product that was produced in Venice by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. All the heavy timbering, as well as the smaller lumber, was processed at the local BLE sawmill. (Although the exact whereabouts of the

Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, Sebring Florida

Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, Sebring Florida

The Seaboard Air Line Railway passenger station in Sebring was one of six constructed when the Seaboard company expanded its operations through central Florida in 1924. Until that time, there was no direct route for passengers from places in Florida such as Tampa and West Palm Beach, to northern cities. The new line, known as the Orange Blossom Line for its path through Florida's citrus groves, for the first time connected south Florida to New York City. George Sebring had been successful in marketing his new town in Florida as a excellent vacation spot. Reports in the local newspapers noted that the tourist business in 1926 was so brisk that local hotels rented cottages along Lake Jackson to accommodate their overflow

Punta Gorda Ice Plant, Punta Gorda Florida

Punta Gorda Ice Plant, Punta Gorda Florida

The original 1890s ice plant, located on this site, was powered by steam located in the northwest corner of the building. The freezing tanks were in the center of the building and the ice storage area and loading platforms were at the south end. The railroad spur that served the Punta Gorda Hotel also served the ice plant. By 1902, the plant was producing 25 tons of ice per day. In 1903, the Desoto Manufacturing Company became owners of the ice plant. By 1909, the plant was running 24 hours a day to produce 20 tons of ice daily. Wood burning furnaces generated steam to produce power to run the equipment in the plant. Water was provided from an artesian well.

Atlantic Coast Line Depot, Punta Gorda Florida

Atlantic Coast Line Depot, Punta Gorda Florida

The railroad's arrival in Punta Gorda in 1886 greatly predated the linkage of Fort Myers in 1912 and Naples in 1928 to the system. The commercial fishing industry, the lively trade sector, and the grand hotel business of Punta Gorda are attributed to the railroad. The Punta Gorda Depot was the third depot constructed in the town and reflects the continuous growth of the city through the Florida Land Boom period of the 1920s. The architecture of the depot is significant. The building is unaltered and retains the details and character of the Mediterranean Revival style that have become the trademark for the Florida Boom period. Building Description The 1928 Punta Gorda Depot, located at 1009 Taylor Street, is an excellent

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, Lake Wales Florida

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, Lake Wales Florida

The Atlantic Coast Line Depot, or Lake Wales Depot Museum, at 325 South Scenic Highway is the only transportation building remaining from the railroad boom era in Lake Wales. The building is an excellent example of the Spanish Mission style. Its completion, along with that of the Lake Wales City Hall in 1928, marked the end of boom-time period development in Lake Wales. Railroads were of great importance to the early development of Lake Wales. The central location of the city on the Florida peninsula made it an attractive railhead for several of the large railroad systems that operated in Florida during the 1910s and 1920s. Before the arrival of rail service, Lake Wales could be reached only by sand trails.

International & Great Northern Railroad Passenger Station, San Antonio Texas

International & Great Northern Railroad Passenger Station, San Antonio Texas

The International & Great Northern Railroad passenger station is one of only two remaining railroad stations in San Antonio, and is one of the few remaining buildings designed by Harvey L. Page. San Antonio emerged as an important cultural and economic center of South Texas after the arrival of the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio Railroad in 1877. The year 1879 marks the beginning of the extension of the International & Great Northern Railroad from Austin to Laredo, thereby linking the United States with Mexico. At the time of this extension, a station was erected in San Antonio which served the railroad until the present station was built in 1907. The International & Great Northern, although an affiliate of the Texas

Atlantic Coast Line Passenger Depot, Sarasota Florida

Atlantic Coast Line Passenger Depot, Sarasota Florida

The one and two-story Mission Revival Style building located at Number 1 South School Avenue was built at a cost of $100,000 as the passenger depot for the Atlantic Coast Line railroad. The passenger station was the largest ACL passenger station and was estimated to be the most modern depot in the State at the time of completion. Although the building was completed several months prior to the original opening date of Monday the 14^th of September 1925, the station was not actually opened for service until October 1^st. The contemporary press lauded the new passenger station for its excellence in design and finish, which represented the maximum of utility and architectural beauty. In addition to design excellence, the site and

Osprey School, Osprey Florida

Osprey School, Osprey Florida

The Osprey School was one of five schools built between 1926 and 1928 along the Tamiami Trail in Sarasota County. These school buildings were constructed to meet the needs of the expected population increase due to the 1920s Florida Land Boom. The Osprey School remained in use as an elementary school and then teaching center until 1989. Designed by well-known Tampa architect, M. Leo Elliott, the vernacular building has minimal Spanish Colonial Revival style details. The design of the building responded to the needs of a local community elementary school in a hot and humid climate using simple, yet classical, design elements. Now vacant, it remains in good condition with very few alterations. In February 1867, a well-educated farming family from

Union Depot Penn Central Station, North Canaan Connecticut

Union Depot Penn Central Station, North Canaan Connecticut

North Canaan, although a small town, was an important town to railroads because it came at the junction of the Connecticut Western Railroad and the Housatonic Railroad; these were later known, respectively, as the Central New England, which ran from Hartford to Poughkeepsie, and the Berkshire Division of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad, later the Penn Central. An article in Canaan's newspaper, Connecticut Western News, on December 6^th 1872, said of the station: The new Union Depot was completed on December 2^nd 1872. It is a grand structure indeed … The depot, so complete and elegant in every feature, was designed by Chief Engineer Shunk. The carpentry was under the supervision of G.H. Bundy of Lakeville, a general

New Haven and Northampton Railroad Depot, Simsbury Connecticut

New Haven and Northampton Railroad Depot, Simsbury Connecticut

In the year 1826 the New Haven and Northampton Company constructed a canal through the town of Simsbury, providing a route from the Connecticut River down to New Haven. Used for twenty years, it was abandoned in 1846 due primarily, to mismanagement by the company. However, transportation along that route was necessary and so, in 1850, the New Haven and Northampton Railroad put down tracks alongside the old canal. In 1871 the Connecticut Western Railroad also laid tracks through Simsbury, connecting Hartford with areas in New York State. With so much traffic, Simsbury needed a depot and, in fact, at one time there were two. The Simsbury depot on Station Street however, was built sometime between 1873 and 1875. There is

Denver and Salt Lake Railway Depot, Hayden Colorado

Denver and Salt Lake Railway Depot, Hayden Colorado

Hayden was one of the last stops on the Denver and Salt Lake Railroad when the first train arrived in 1913. The railroad brought many benefits to Routt County, both economic and social, and ended the relative isolation of the Routt County population. The depot, currently houses the Hayden Heritage Center Museum. This depot was described by the local paper in 1916 as an ornament to the town and is still considered as such by the residents. The Hayden Depot came into existence after David H. Moffat completed his colossal undertaking of building a railroad over the Continental Divide which opened up this rich northwest corner of Colorado. Hayden, a long established community in the heart of the Yampa Valley, was

Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Depot, Steamboat Springs Colorado

Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Depot, Steamboat Springs Colorado

In 1906 prominent citizens of Steamboat Springs convened to raise funds to bring the main line of the Denver, Northwestern & Pacific Railway to Steamboat Springs. The community subscribed about $15,000, although this had to be resubscribed two years later owing to construction delays. Nonetheless, the railroad laid rail to Steamboat Springs in 1908, and Frank E. Edbrooke, a noted Denver architect, was commissioned to design a depot. He did this, and the structure was completed in July 1909, a few months after the first trains rolled into town. From that time forward until passenger service was abandoned in 1968, the depot served as the nexus of rail transportation into and out of Steamboat Springs. In 1970 the newly formed Steamboat

Wagon Wheel Gap Railroad Station, Creede Colorado

Wagon Wheel Gap Railroad Station, Creede Colorado

Wagon Wheel Gap, its name associated by early day travelers with a mysterious cluster of abandoned wagon wheels, is located in an area that remained unsettled during Colorado's hectic mining rushes. Only the occasional forays of explorers, hunters, and a few prospectors penetrated the Ute-Indian held lands lying to the west of the lightly settled Spanish land grants in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. But, mineral finds in the mountains forming and flanking the Continental Divide created an irresistible tide that brought the Indian lands into the hands of the eastern newcomers. The newcomers brought more than their picks and shovels, for with them came the whole paraphernalia of the life styles and transportation methods to which they were accustomed.

Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Depot, Crested Butte Colorado

Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Depot, Crested Butte Colorado

The Crested Butte branch line was a part of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad's Third Division. The narrow gauge railroad was organized in 1870. The D&RG was originally projected as a north-south line linking Denver with El Paso, Texas, and points in Mexico. As new mining discoveries were made in the Colorado mountains, the D&RG's focus turned westward toward new sources of mineral wealth, building to Leadville, Gunnison, Aspen, Durango, and, eventually, Salt Lake City, Utah. The D&RG arrived in Gunnison in early August 1881, nearly thirteen months before the arrival of its competitor, the Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railway. The DSP&P built a branch line northward to Baldwin, but did not compete in completing track to Crested Butte.

Edward Wren Company Building - McAdams Building, Springfield Ohio

Edward Wren Company Building - McAdams Building, Springfield Ohio

In 1877, Edward Wren joined the Kinnanes (his father-in-law and three brothers-in-law) in establishing a dry goods business. Called the Kinnane, Wren and Co., it was located at 19 S. Limestone, in the Commercial Building. Constructed in 1875, the Commercial Building was considered the most modern building in Springfield at the time and became the principal office building of the town … In this building Kinnane & Wren first opened up their dry goods store. The business was dissolved in 1883, with the three brothers restarting as the Kinnane Brothers. They moved to the newly completed Bushnell Building, while Edward Wren continued to operate in the original storefront, under the name Edward Wren Company. In 1903, Edward Wren moved the store

Book Title Abandoned America: The Age of Consequences (Jonglez photo books)

Abandoned America: The Age of Consequences (Jonglez photo books)

Book Title Abandoned America: Dismantling The Dream

Abandoned America: Dismantling The Dream

Book Title Abandoned Malls of America: Crumbling Commerce Left Behind

Abandoned Malls of America: Crumbling Commerce Left Behind

Book Title Abandoned Places: A Photographic Exploration of More Than 100 Worlds We Have Left Behind

Abandoned Places: A Photographic Exploration of More Than 100 Worlds We Have Left Behind

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