by Architectural Observer | Nov 29, 2016 | Blog, Observations
What a difference 48 years can make – especially in terms of style or fashion. The photos below demonstrate not just a change in stylistic preferences, but also in jail design. Already out of fashion when completed in 1907, this crenelated example of the...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 25, 2016 | Blog, Observations
The soft brick used to construct the back wall of an 1890’s commercial building has provided the perfect medium for generations of young graffiti artists to leave their mark. It may not be as colorful or loud as the work of spray paint artists, but is still...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 24, 2016 | Blog, Observations
The practice known as “nuisance abatement” – using municipal ordinances to justify the destruction of neglected or abandoned properties – continues to take a toll on overlooked resources across the country. The process can be especially...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 23, 2016 | Blog, Observations
When I ran across a commemorative plate in a second hand store recently, I noticed that it showed two versions of the same church building. I found a third, and more recent, version in a photograph online. The three images nicely show the evolution of a simple...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 22, 2016 | Blog, Observations
It’s Sunday morning in a small Midwestern town; the mood is slightly surreal. The few people who are out are gathered at an auction house; a cluster of vehicles surrounds it. Loudspeakers along the main street fill the air with a woman’s voice intoning a...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 21, 2016 | Blog, Observations
It’s a common sight in small-town America – vacant or underutilized storefronts lining the heart of town. Declining populations and a struggling economy have both taken their toll and it shows. How communities deal with these growing vacancies varies from...
