in Urban Exploration |

Why I Like the Old Houses

I was asked to write why I like documenting the old, abandoned houses. I had different ideas in mind right away but none really fit. Since then other elements have come along and I’ve tried to build the full picture. Part of it the loneliness of the old place and yet their strength in standing, enduring.

Today, while watching a documentary about the geography under the Great Lakes I had another idea:

I like the old houses because they show our own history, the impact we have had on the land and at the same time the old places erode and become part of the physical geography, just another bump on the land of rocks, earth and water.

  2. I like old houses as well but don’t get to see many round here, well not deserted ones.

    There is a closed down deserted hospital not too far away and I would love to have a look around inside, to daydream about what it was like when busy and active.. but alas it’s all boarded up and secured.

  3. I don’t go inside very often. The places I like best are those really run down and weathered types. Too dangerous to go in them. You could get some photos from the outside. Just walk around and see what interesting photos you get.

  4. Reposting the lyrics for the song. It was kind of how I think about the old places.

    Band: Cake
    Album: Pressure Chief
    Song: Palm of Your Hand
    Lyrics: When the house was standing
    You’d never have believed it
    When the house was standing
    You’d never have believed
    The bricks and mortar
    Have all given way
    At first they resisted but then they began to sway
    How can you say forever is at your command
    How can you say the future’s in the palm
    In the palm of your hand
    When the house was standing
    You’d never have believed it
    When the house was standing
    You’d never have believed
    That gaping hole was once a foundation
    Where you stand now were tools in the basement
    How can you say forever is at your command
    How can you say the future
    Is in the palm
    The palm of your hand

  5. I too am fascinated by old houses–ever since I was a child.
    I’m also fascinated by the Great Lakes. I’d love to see that documentary that you refer to here.

    Lee
    A Faraway View
    An A to Z Co-host blog
    Twitter: @AprilA2Z
    #atozchallenge

  6. I don’t remember what channel it was on but it was a documentary looking at the bottom of all the Great Lakes. They used computer imagary to show how the Lakes would look if they were drained of water. Then they talked about how the Lakes were formed and other stuff. I forget a lot of it. But, it was very interesting. I watch a lot of the channels like History, National Geographic, OLN and Discovery.