Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Photo Gallery: Abandoned Americana
The old America is all around us. Americans used to be farmers. They used to go to drive-in movies. They used to think Route 66 was the greatest highway in the world. Some still do.
If you drive out of the city and leave the strip malls and cookie-cutter suburban homes behind, you'll find it soon enough. Head down a county road and you'll pass dilapidated farmhouses and overgrown gardens, the handiwork of people from our grandparents' or great-grandparents' generation. Like this old farm in Clay County, Missouri, near the Jesse James farm. I was with a couple of friends on a Jesse James road trip and we drove many of the back roads of western Missouri, places where Jesse committed his crimes and hid out from the law.
Everywhere we went we found this old Americana. On the outskirts of Kansas City we found a drive-in movie theater unchanged since the 1960s, and still open for half the year. To the west of Lexington we followed a potholed country road that led to a tributary of the Missouri River. Half a century ago there was a ferry at the end, popular enough that this road was lined with gas stations, hotels, and nice homes. The ferry disappeared when I-70 was built, and one by one the homes and businesses were abandoned.
Then there's route 66, half ghost highway and half tourist trap. And old boom-and-bust mining towns like Bodie, California, now a State Historic Park. Not to mention all the failed businesses, the empty big box stores and bankrupt shopping malls that are creating the new ghost towns of the U.S. Much of industrial Detroit looks like an archaeological site.
Next time you go on a road trip in the U.S., get off the Interstate and take a county road. drive slow and look around. You'll find the old America that hasn't quite left us.
Gallery: Adandoned Americana
Filed under: History, Learning, Photos, North America, United States
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Toemailer Oct 20th 2011 5:04PM
Wonderful post, guess I am going to have to rethink that fantasy drive along Route 66.
Shirley Oct 22nd 2011 2:15PM
I'm 76. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some some serious health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired.
I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.
I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honour"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to.
I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia, New Zealand, UK, America and Canada, while no one from these countries are allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance..
Maybe this has been around but thought it was worth a read.
I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.
I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?
I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.
I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20's bedeck them selves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.
Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 76.. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter and her children.
jack Oct 22nd 2011 3:49PM
Great article. Everything you say is true.
Joanne Oct 22nd 2011 7:04PM
Shirley,
I could not have said it better. You are one thousand per cent correct in your opinions and everything you wrote.
wvcorgi Oct 22nd 2011 10:25PM
Shirley, you jest.
Deb Oct 25th 2011 11:35AM
EXCELLENT comments. I agree on all counts.
Why aren't our politicians voicing all these truths?
Disgusting cowards.
Bob Oct 25th 2011 11:35AM
Well thought out and said. I concur.
Christine Oct 25th 2011 11:35AM
The only thing I will never get tired is reading your great post. I'm forwarding it to everyone Iknow. Keep telling it like it is. i'm not quite your age but I feel 100% the way you do, tired of this nonsense. We pamper and facilitate the worst of society i.e. criminals, drug addicts, who CHOOSE to destroy all that is good and send the best, healthiest and brightest off to war to die for the no good losers. Neuter and spay drug addicts and criminals and take them out of the gene pool.
DODA Oct 25th 2011 11:36AM
Do your self a favor don't rethink it go do it you should really check it out. there is a lot of route 66 I haven't been on yet. the history the site's before the interstates its amazeing. I have been a over the road truck driver for the last thirty seven years twenty nine of those years a independent I would travel the back roads coast to coast most of the time. I could never understand why anyone would leave the States for a Vacation. I'm retired now and bought a RV
cjg Oct 25th 2011 12:36PM
Great comments! I agree with everything that you said. To bad we can't all get together and do something about this mess that our country is in. From body piercings to kids having kids and all of us that work for a living supporting them! I keep looking at all the young kids with babies, not married, not working, and wonder where they will end up in life. Also so many kids have no respect for anyone else. Is this where we have come to with the "don't disiplne your child". Kids need to have some fear to keep them out of trouble. When I was young there was things I would't have dare do, because if my dad found out I would be in trouble. Did it hurt me, no way! And it wasn't abuse either! Kids need some of this today! Going on and on isn't going to solve anything..again,thanks for the great comments
Amanda Oct 25th 2011 1:07PM
And Shirley, what does your comment have to do with the aricle or anything else on this page? I must have missed that part.....
Richard Oct 25th 2011 2:03PM
I've been down Route 66 --- a waste land now; a waste land then --- dry, boring, no man's land ---- we relegated the Indians we defeated to part of it. Why would anyone reminsce about old, broken down buildings. The future is what we should worry about, not the past.
talkinturtles Oct 25th 2011 1:39PM
i would still love to go! i think you could find all kinds of cool places to see along the route. if you can get past all the new targets, walmarts and new housing. i bet there is a lot of nostalgic stuff to see if you look hard enough for the beauty in the past!
BHarrison Oct 25th 2011 2:37PM
Shirley, at 66 y/o, your sentiments reflect my sentiments 100%. People's lack of any sense of personal responsibility for their lives, and the government's "redistribution of the "wealth" of the middle class is going to be the ruination of the USA. But t is the younger generations who will suffer most the impact of all of that. I'm not quite as old or as tired as you are; but I am sure that I will get to your point in life. You described it all very succiently.
quiltchase Oct 25th 2011 2:37PM
Shirley, did I miss it, or are you plagiarizing Bill Cosby? Or is he plagiarizing you?
Old Guy Oct 25th 2011 3:12PM
Shirley, I just wrote to my family this morning on this very thing. You have said the way I feel also. Here is what I wrote this morning to my family:
Will we have to go back to multifamily dwellings like there was in the 50's and during the depression? It seems that with job losses, lot's of people losing their homes, rental property prices skyrocketing and becoming scarce, food and gas prices going up and not coming down, farmers losing their crops and everything else we may only survive in group communities. From some older guys I have talked to, yup older than me, they say this looks much like it did in the depression and afterward. I think things got better in the 50's and continued on but now it all seems to be regressing to that era. What's the answer for families like our's and our grandkids? I won't say I'm real worried about it due to the our families nature of survival but everyday it get's a little scarier out there on the streets. I am seeing more families down and out hanging out at our McDonalds in our town and using the bathroom everyday just to get clean. I am seeing families at street corners with buckets asking for money. When it reaches a bedroom community like ours it show's how serious this is getting. There are kids my grandkids ages that are with Mom and Dad begging for money to eat or for gas to get to their distant relatives. There are 2 senior mobile home parks here that they are either raising the rent on where seniors can't afford it or are tearing them down for condo's. Looks like my brother has the right idea up in the hills. Of course his place rivals any Army camp out there. Guess I'm just letting off steam about the world we are passing on.
AL Oct 28th 2011 11:37AM
I agree 100% with everything you have written. Good luck to all of us that age. God Bless
Rockstar Oct 25th 2011 4:08PM
Here's a reference you might understand, Shirley: Holy irrelevance, Batman! Your whining has NOTHING to do with the article. Frankly, I don't care what you are "tired of." I'm tired of hearing people like you whine and cry because you are scared and don't understand how the world works now-a-days and just unhappy with your life (despite your attempts to convince yourself otherwise). It's also laughable for someone drawing a government check to whine about "spreading the wealth" when it's most likely my wealth being spread to you. All I REALLY got out of your rant, aside from your apparent fear and lack of understanding, is that you are feebly trying to rationalize your anti-Islam, as well as other, bigotry. It's sad to see that even with your life's experience, you are still focusing on negativity, looking for things to complain about, NOT being thankful for what you have and living in perpetual fear. No wonder you fail to see enjoyment in your reminisces rather than simply using them as a basis for your negativity, anger and fear.
Anyway, back to the piece... This past summer, I took backroads through Kentucky to avoid construction on I-65. I initially didn't like the idea of having to add a couple of hours to my trip, which was long as it were, but after driving an hour on the backroads, any apprehensions I had were gone as I saw exactly what is depicted in the pictures. It's somewhat sad to think that these communities are gone as they once existed, but it was equally neat to think of how these communities once were and the fact that they still exist to some degree as a sort of artifact, a lens into history. It was definitely an experience that I would not have had if I had stayed on the interstate. The off-interstate travel is something I definitely plan to work into my travel plans in the future. But I suppose that one can only have this kind of enjoyment if you aren't constantly focused on negativity and everything that makes you afraid.
Rick O. Oct 25th 2011 5:07PM
Very Well Put!!! The only thing I possibly could add, is that I'm tired on Federal, State and Local goverments not being fiscally responsible with their spending of taxpayer dollars.......
Susan Oct 25th 2011 8:52PM
Shirley .... Like you, I worked since I was 16 or 17 years old. I never called in sick unless I was truly sick. I remember my parents telling me that if you needed unemployment, you had to do "SOMETHING" before receiving a check. That means you swept the streets or whatever task or assignment was given to you. People complained it was demeaning and it stopped. Really? Just like when prisoners actually had to work while imprisoned, rather than have use of fancy gym equipment, more TV channels than I can afford and healthcare, which many working Americans don't have.
The same goes for tolerance of other cultures. While I am respectful of everyone, we certainly don't have to fund other countries when so many here continue to suffer. And while I'm on this subject .... if you're here, SPEAK ENGLISH! And those who believe in this should stop buying things with things written in Spanish on the packaging. I was so ticked off recently while food shopping. I came across frozen vegetables that not only showed the picture of the vegetable, but it also showed what the vegetable was in English AND Spanish. This is America, right? Learn the language!
As far as the drug addicts go, I'm all for treating them. I'd like to treat them all to ONE LAST HURRAH.... the ULTIMATE HIGH.... give them all an overdose and be done with them. No one made them try it to begin with so there's no sympathy here.
Athletes, entertainers, CEO's, and certainly politicians all make way too much money! Enough said.
With regard to those who think tattoos, piercings and my favorite ... the huge holes in the ears, are a form of art and feel the need to display it on their bodies, don't expect to accomplish great things in the corporate world. I just can't imagine anyone showing you any kind of respect when you can't even respect your own body.
Anyway, great article, Shirley!