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| bethlehem steel bethlehem, pa once the second biggest steel manufacturer in the united states, bethlehem steel was one of the world's largest shipbuilders, provider of the steel that fueled the skyscraper boom, and a proud icon of american industrial might. this was their flagship plant, with furnaces dating as far back as 1861. bethlehem steel was driven to bankruptcy in 2001 when shifts in construction methods made their high grade steel obsolete. the property is now owned by a casino, and while some of the structures have been lost the national museum of industrial history will be housed in several of the buildings. added 8/10, 10/06 |
| baltimore gas and electric baltimore, md at one time the largest reinforced concrete power plant in the world, baltimore gas and electric's westport plant supplied baltimore with energy for years after it was built in 1906. high above the rest of the building, a suspension railway system dumped coal into the furnaces below. westport was demolished in 2008 to make way for a waterfront housing development that has yet to materialize. added 11/06 |
| portside power plant built in 1915 and opened in 1925, portside power plant is a neoclassical cathedral to the might of industry. the vaulted, crumbling roof of the main turbine hall soars 130 feet over what were once the largest turbines in the world. this coal burning power plant has festered in its own corrosive chemical stew since 1985, the year it was abandoned. nonetheless, it is perhaps the most amazing and awe-inspiring building i have ever seen. added 1/10, 1/07 |
| billmeyer limestone quarry bainbridge, pa nestled into the side of a hill near a flooded quarry pit, this series of spacious industrial buildings filled with massive pipes and furnaces was slowly being overtaken by vines and brambles. little of its history remains except that is was used for processing limestone. though the flooded quarry is still used for scuba training, the industrial buildings were demolished in 2007-2008. added 2/07 |
| hollely bros. children's clothing factory it is extremely rare to find a site that has been untouched for over a decade. hollely bros. once was an economic tentpole of its region, employing 800-1000 people, until cheaper labor to the south forced it out of business. with the workers' personal items still up and their projects still in their workstations, pigeons are the only visitors this site has had since it closed. added 7/07 |
| crawford power station middletown, pa demolished in early 2009, crawford power station was an imposing, polluted mess of mercury, PCBs, lead paint, and other industrial contaminants. while the turbine hall was underwhelming, an intriguing basement that had been submerged in filthy water for years was recently revealed when it was pumped during the asbestos abatement process. added 4/08 |
| dannelston steel the original forge that would become dannelston steel was built in 1740 and provided pig iron for the revolutionary war, armaments used in the war of 1812, and the plowshares used to settle the midwest. later it would produce iron used by the union in the civil war and the railroads that crossed the country. in the end, an extended strike and rising steel imports shut dannelston for good in 1988. currently being used as a car graveyard, dannelston steel was being torn down while i was photographing it - a sad end to such an important historical site. added 8/08 |
| marigold mills fine textile company founded in the late 1890's, marigold mills fine textile company was once one of the premier producers of a variety of textiles ranging from tablecloths, napkins, yarn, lace, and many others. in addition, during world war two they provided parachutes and camouflage netting to the allies. marigold mills is an enormous complex that once employed 1,400 people and boasted its own gym, barbershop, theater, four lane bowling alley, and infirmary for its employees. risky investments led to a slow decline and marigold's eventual closure in 2002. added 11/08 |
| the carrie furnaces rankin, pa the carrie furnaces were built in 1881 as part of u.s. steel's homestead works, a sprawling 400-acre complex that spanned both sides of the monogahela river. they produced up to 1,250 tons of steel a day until 1978 when they were closed. while the majority of the site was razed for developments that never materialized, the 100-foot high furnaces still stand; now they are an extremely rare example of pre-WWII ironmaking technology. the furnaces were designated as a national historic landmark in 2006 but their future remains uncertain. added 2/09 |
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| the s.s. united states philadelphia, pa though she was only in use for 17 years (1952-1969), 'the big u' has the distinction of being fastest cruise ship ever built. reported to have been capable of speeds of over 40 knots (45 mph), her top speed is classified as she was an experimental ship to be used as a troop transport in times of war. weighing 53,329 tons and stretching 990 feet, a little over 100 more than the titanic, she also is the largest ship built entirely on american soil. while she is the last existing example of her era of liners, preservation attempts have thus far been unsuccessful, and it is rumored that she will be removed from her current location and scrapped in 2009. added 5/09 |
| the lee plaza hotel detroit, mi created as a luxury residential hotel in 1928, the lee plaza consisted of 15 floors and 220 apartments, a lobby, dining rooms, lounges, and a ballroom. despite being a masterpiece of art deco and mediterranean design, the hotel began its decline as living in hotels became less fashionable. in an attempt to retain functionality it was converted to an assisted living facility for senior citizens but was seized by the city of detroit for unpaid property taxes. it has since been systematically stripped of all adornments, from the terracotta lions torn from the facade to the green copper roof, which was removed in broad daylight. vandalism and the elements have done the rest; there is little left to save. added 1/10 |
