As I am sure most of those out there reading this know I spend a significant amount of my life these days in a state I once so desperately tried to escape. It seems as though despite the best laid plans one might still end up in Texas. One thing Texas does have in common with the rest of this country is Walmart, and no where are this plague's symptoms more pronounced than in the spiraling economic demise of the small town's traditional economy that once dominated the main streets and down towns of our rural communities. The first half of this blog is predominately from in and around Amarillo, TX and I think this first shot will be familiar to most of you all ready.
route 66
the view from my motel, not bad eh?
an alley in downtown
a dilapidated warehouse downtown
stacked concrete highway dividers
what must be the only gay bar in the texas panhandle: a whole 'nother story
These next few shots I took one night while out on a stroll on the outskirts of town and I stumbled across an old abandoned helium plant that I thought might be fun to explore. The buildings must have been abandoned some time in the sixties based on the remaining office decor. Not surprisingly, in the years without human interference, nature had reclaimed this creepy place and wildlife scampered all about as I made my way through the buildings.
barbed wire i had to jump
some of the structures
some empty shelves
abandoned shop tools
beautiful but neglected leaded glass
a janitors nightmare
A trip to Amarillo would not be complete without a picture of the ant Farm's most famous and constantly changing installation.
cadillac ranch
The rest of these photos come from a series of trips I made to a plant called Limestone in Central Texas. The first six are from an old abandoned liquor store. I have never seen a more filthy place. Obviously a popular dumping grounds the interior contained enough half empty containers of illegal pesticides and herbicides that this could have been a superfund site. The floor was covered by a two inch think layer of swollen insulation that had fallen from the rafters, mixed with rain water, and sprouted myriad colored colonies of algae. Murky, dark, and damp inside: this was the stuff of horror movies.
the wet spot
northern profile
someone's unfortunate bedroom
interior 1
interior 2
interior 3
Below another small town store gone forever.
These next couple are from the power plant. Very industrial.
a corridor
number 7 of 2,348
This last one is from the skytrain at DFW international on my way out Texas. I used to ride this train as a kid with my parents, but I don't think I ever appreciated the awesome terminal stations.
