THE ARCHITECTURE WHICH DEFINES OUR LANDSCAPE IS A TANGIBLE PART OF OUR COLLECTIVE HISTORY. WHEN HISTORIC STRUCTURES ARE DEMOLISHED, A PART OF OURSELVES IS RELEGATED TO MEMORY AND CONDEMNED TO BE FORGOTTEN. IN THE REDISCOVERY OF OUR ABANDONED, OFF-LIMITS, OR OTHERWISE HIDDEN ENVIRONMENTS, I DOCUMENT THEIR EXISTENCE AS WELL AS OUR OWN THROUGH THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE ADVENTURES PRESENTED HERE
I have revisited this location since these photos were taken. For the latest photos, including historical information, please see my latest visit, here.
The air was stale and moldy inside, as you'd expect. But something felt different about it. Faint sounds buzzed from somewhere down the long vacant hallways as we approached. The lights seemed to be on, but there was no way anyone still worked in here. In the back of your mind, though, there's always room for doubt. Entering the main switch room felt like stepping back in time. Not only was the electricity still on, but it seemed like it had been left on for years. Decades even. The last remaining fluorescent lights were yellowed from age and buzzing loudly. Everything was motionless, the thick air did not seem to stir at all. Time itself hung suspended in the air. You could just feel how long the lights had been on and everything had just been left sitting there.. A coffee cup sat undisturbed on the edge of one of the switchboards, likely from the last person to have packed up and left here however many years ago. Apparently someone forgot to tell them to shut off the lights when they left that day. Even time itself, it seems, forgot about this place.
This blog is dedicated to the pursuit of adventure and features urban exploration in Saint Louis, Missouri and beyond.
1. With the exception of historical photos, all of the photographs here are copyrighted and not to be used for any purpose without my consent. The historical imagery is courtesy of the Historical Society or as otherwise noted.
2. "Don't try this at home." I absolutely will not be held responsible for anyone else's stupidity. I do not recommend anyone try visiting any of these locations. Sometimes I am granted access to the things you see here and attempting to follow in my footsteps may get you arrested, hurt or killed.
3. I do not condone or tolerate: vandalism, theft, littering or any other disrespectful activity in any of these locations. I have the utmost respect for the history of these locations and for the history of my city, Saint Louis. "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints."
4. Do not ask me for (or post) specific location information. If identifying information is not provided in the post, there's usually a good reason for that. Any information will be provided either at the time of posting, or updated years later, at my discretion.
5. Any reference to "I/me, we/us" anywhere on this blog is probably just a metaphor. Metaphors are oten employed to simplify complex technical details when storytelling. As such, they can never be considered as admission, nor proof, of guilt; They do not provide sufficient evidence as to who (or what) actually took any of the photos shown here. I/we may or may not actually exist.
