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Front door to Joe's

Joes, in whole. 

If you live in Brimfield then chances are you've driven past the old and decaying "Joe's Package Store and Deli". There is an extreme lack of information and history on this building. By word of mouth from my father, the reason it closed was that the owner, Joe Jackson, passed away. His Son, Joe Jackson Jr., is still alive. His son played NHL football and his website can be found here. Joe Jackson Sr. passed away on March 21, 2001, at age 78. He was a sergeant in the U.S military and fought in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. When he retired from the military, he opened up Joe's. While searching for information about Joe, I met a lady who knew him. The lady, who wished to remain nameless, says, "Joe was one of those guys who looked tough but was sweet on the inside. He was friendly to me and I went to school with his brother. A very hardworking man, may he rest in peace." Now he and his deli lay to rest.

Place of the week #6

Paris, France is the city of romance. Blessed with exquisite cuisine and art at ever corner. Paris is a place most hope to travel to on their honeymoon. Alike many popular cities, Paris has it's secrets. Translated to "The Little Belt" La Petite Ceinture is a railway system that is more or less a circle. Built in 1862, this railway system was a great way to get around. It also provided a new perspective while view Paris, seeing that ever few hundred yards or so it would peek over boulevards and into the small yards behind to apartment buildings.


More than 155 years later, the railroad is now colorfully decorated by hundreds of flowers and graffiti. Although it is hidden, this spot is popular to lovers looking for a romantic walk along the tracks. Taking in the beautiful summer weather and dreaming up whatever one does while in Paris, France.

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Place of the week #5

The  common stereotype for Detroit doesn't paint a pretty picture. It's a decaying city riddled with drugs and criminals. Well..at least that statement is partially true. Detroit has hundreds of abandoned buildings. Ranging from hotels, houses, diners, and even schools. One of the most photographed abandoned places is called the Lee Plaza Hotel.

Ralph T. Lee was the owner of this magnificent hotel. He entered the real-estate business and by 1935, Lee had built more than 30 hotels and apartment buildings. Including the Lee Crest; the Wager Terrace; the Orpha Mae Apartments — named after his wife; the Bohr Apartments in Highland Park; the Lee Manor, and many others.

But the market was at an all time low. Lee sold the Plaza and the buyer did nothing with it. it closed down and has yet to be opened again. However, there is hope. A Detroit native has a plan to turn the Lee into luxury, environmentally-friendly housing, telling the Free Press in 2016 that his $51 million plan will “bring it back to being an iconic landmark, with first-class of everything.” So far, this is all talk.

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Horror to me ears.

This post will be a bit different then my last few.

When I go to these places, lately it's been getting harder, I like to listen to music or something. Most recently I've found it thrilling to listen to scary stories. It's a huge money maker on YouTube. People like Lazy Masquerade and Corpse Husband make videos that cover you in chills. They have deep, eerie voices that match perfectly with the chilling tales they tell. Although listen with caution, some stories can get incredibly graphic.

 My absolute favorite video of this sort is titled Horrifying Search and Rescue Stories. A man who used to work as a park ranger tells encounters that he had in the woods. Stairs appearing out of no where, lost children found miles from where they were last found but clean and without a scratch, hikers who wandered off the winter trails and whose bodies aren't found until spring, and many more. If you are craving a creepy video to listen to while drawing or walking, this is the one.

Enjoy!

Place of the week #4

Screams of fear mixed with enjoyment, the smell of overpriced greasy food, and a tired mom being dragged by the hand to go stand in line for a ride that will last a few minutes. Amusement parks are a place some look forward to going to every summer. Anyone who has worked at one knows that a "quite day" is something only dreamed about. Or maybe not. What is all the commotion and energy of the park was just gone? This brings up to our places of the week: The Six Flags of New Orleans.

Along with homes, lives, dreams, and entire towns, Hurricane Katrina also took the life and sprit of the Six Flags in New Orleans. As seen in image A, the hurricane drowned the entire park for days. Flooded and wrecked, the park never reopened.

A

Now the park serves an entirely new purpose. Instead of drawing the attention of families and kids, it now sucks in the souls of explores and photographers. The park is illegal to visit, as it is "dangerous" although that subject has been debated plenty of times. Enjoy a few of the pictures taken by those who took the risk in order to feed others adventurous minds.

Where food and drinks were sold.

Souvenir stand.

View from the top of the highest hill. Makes the stomach of those with a fear of height churn just looking at it.

The park has been left to the roaches....

Killer clown was killed.

So, anyone fancy a day trip? 

More information and pictures found here.

Abandon Houses play a huge part in movies

MAMA, Cabin in the Woods, Texas Chainsaw and countless others have one very important thing in common. Abandoned places! They add a creepy vibe to the movies, a sense of wonder and horror fills the movie theater with the ever so infamous creek of that old weathered door opening. But why do we find those places so creepy and mysterious? Well ask science.

Fear is a chain reaction in the brain that starts with a stressful stimulus and ends with the release of chemicals that cause a racing heart, fast breathing and energized muscles, also known as the fight-or-flight response. Of course the stimulants can be anything that makes you scared- spiders, the dark, and clowns to name a few. An abandoned houses set in the middle of the woods with creepy music playing in the background is the perfect stimulant. It creates the fear of the unknown. In your brain, there is a part called the sensory cortex, this is where the creepy music comes into play. The sensory cortex interprets sensory data, meaning that the dangerous looking building along with the scary music begins to send red flags to the brain- this is the Thalamus's job. Another part, called the Hypothalamus, creates the "red flags" and engages a fight or flight response. 

So next time a woman with sunken in black eyes lunges at you from the depth of a dark corner in a cabin abandoned in the middle of the woods while you're watching a movie, don't worry if you jump. This just means that your brain is working how its supposed to! 

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Place of the week #3

One of life's best moments is finding money you've lost. You put on those sweat pants you haven't worn since last year and- bam! You've just gotten $22.58 richer! This is the same sensation I get when I stumble upon a new building, car, or thing that has been abandoned.

Now lets talk airplanes. Amazing pieces of technology that can take you into the clouds. Some are terrified of crashing and others enjoy the thrill of being 25,000 feet away from everyone's problems. Like anything else, they can be abandoned. This brings us to our place of the week- the abandoned Pegasus Field Airport.

Not much more than an airstrip and a few planes, this airport Serves McMurdo Station. The white-ice runway is designed to accept aircraft year-round. All of those are still functional. However, the airport is also home to an abandoned Lockheed Constellation plane. Partially buried in the snow, the US Navy words are barely visible on the side of the craft. This aircraft stands as a reminder that flying conditions in Antarctica may not always be favorable or safe.