Why I explored and why I want to start again

Abandoned buildings have always interested me.  The stories they tell, the history hidden within, and the things you can find are all fascinating.

Some of my favorite local places have been torn down or have suffered fires since I last visited and I haven't done much exploring for a couple years now.  A new career (among other things) has gotten in the way but I need to get back to it.

I'm especially glad I've been able to preserve some of the content from my old site.  I will be bringing back more as time goes by, but two of my favorite locations made it here in the initial migration and that was important:

More than anything, one of the reasons preserving those was so important to me was the community that popped up in response to those articles.  I realize I don't owe it to anyone but I never could have imagined the number of comments and the number of people who would reconnect over their past at these places.  It doesn't surprise me anymore, after all those people are a part of the history of those places and those places were a part of their lives, but it still has an effect on me that I can't describe.

Exploring Flintkote in Lockport NY

On August 2nd I joined a number of Rochester & Canadian explorers on a trip out to Lockport, NY to check out the abandoned Flintkote facility. This structure is not far from the center of Lockport and natural encroachment by new tree growth shows that this abandonment is roughly three decades old. Flintkote made a variety of products from asphalt shingles and road materials to various asbestos materials. Ultimately asbestos related claims, which this location produced, are what brought Flintkote down. Everything being damp didn't hurt but proper safety gear isn't a bad idea.

Unfortunately I didn't shoot terribly much at Flintkote. I wish I had brought more appropriate equipment to capture some of the rooms and features of the abandoned buildings but I decided to travel light instead. This is definitely a location I will revisit and I already know what equipment I will want to bring with me to capture it better if I return.

Note: this post lost a few comments in the migration.