Bombed Out?

Visiting the multi-building complex of the Packard Motor Company was a very strange experience. The complex spans multiple city blocks and is so wide open and accessible that there is a constant flow of tourists to the site. I don't mean urban explorers, I mean plain old tourists; families with their kids, that sort of thing. The site itself is quite barren after years of scrapping. More than anything, it reminds me of images of WWII-era bombed out Europe.

If These Stairs Could Talk...

Since 1926 these stairs were used by Detroit theatre-goers who were heading to take their balcony seats. Today, they sit unused while the rest of this theatre serves as a... parking lot. Is there any doubt as to what our priorities are? To say that this threatre as it stands today is surreal... is a vast understatement.

Remaining Rails

The railway in this building is one of the few remaining vestiges that remind you of the work that took place here.

Not So Silent

As much as urban exploration is a visual endeavour, I find the sounds associated with a place really set the tone for the experience. As you walk through this abandoned body plant you hear the echo of your footsteps, wind blowing through shattered windows, and the occasional drop of water falling to the ground. You then realize that your footsteps aside, what your hear is the sound of this place being reclaimed by nature.

Reflecting On The Past

Walking through this site you can't help but think back to what this place must have been like when workers were scurrying about doing body work on cars that were produced here. Today, the only sounds you hear are your own footsteps and the occasional acetylene torch of a scrapper working on freeing up some metal.

The Spirit of Exploration

I took this snapshot on a recent road trip with B Synowiec and CrimsonDesigns. I think it captures the human element of urban exploration. We are not content to simply view history through the pages of books (or Wikipedia); we wander to not only see but to feel the history that still remains.