Category Archives: Urbex

All posts on this website.

Is this website abandoned?

It’s been at least two years since the last post. What’s going on? Is this website abandoned? Can it be urbexed too?

Well… yes and no.

I’ve had to take time to focus on other things in life more important than documenting abandoned buildings. Make no mistake though that I still love the danger of urban exploration, the photography aesthetic, and the people I’ve met along the way. I’ve just been focussing on the upcoming shows for Hamilton because I felt that I had a lot to unwind for the past couple months.

I do miss the writing and sharing part. The podcast was an excellent experiment that helped land me the perfect job. The American Urbex Flickr Group continually grows with excellent images from explorers all over the map. I’m proud of what American Urbex became and continues to be.

There have been numerous pleasant surprises along the way. A few times I’ve been pitched for reality TV shows about urbex that I knew wouldn’t get off the ground. I’ve made a few dollars in prints to subsidize the camera gear that has broken in the course of exploration. But most importantly I’ve had the satisfaction of connecting with other people, most of whom have been friendly.

If you follow me on instagram, Twitter (American Urbex or my personal one), or the sometimes updated Facebeook page you can see that I’m still exploring. Everything else goes to my Flickr account. This year I finally made it to Berlin, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and other awesome places. Urbex continues to get me out of the house.

Some day I may find the inspiration to pour more effort into American Urbex. For now it will remain as-is. It’s something I can point to with the satisfaction of knowing, hey, I made this. I accomplished something good that people randomly find on the internet and hopefully take enjoyment from.

If you’ve been along with me the whole time, thank you. Come with me as I venture to new places in the future.

If you’re finding American Urbex for the first time, welcome.

Ken Fager

Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company

Photo (source): Postcard of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company as it appeared circa 1908.

With the colloquial Brew City nickname and a baseball team called the Brewers, Milwaukee is synonymous with beer. Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company was once the largest in the United States and its slogan boasted that it was “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.” However the intoxicating prestige would not last as the brewer stumbled towards self-inflicted ruin.

For immigrants in the mid 1800s Wisconsin was a close analog to Germany. A temperate climate, ample farmland, untamed forests, and the abundant freshwater supply were a natural draw. These immigrants brought their affinity for beer in tow. The perfect brew of European social drinking norms, close proximity to farmland for grains, timber for barrel production, fresh water for brewing and ice, and proximity to major rail and water shipping lines made Milwaukee the perfect city for beer production.

In 1849 immigrant Georg Krug brewed his own supply of beer in the basement of his Kilbourntown home. The unrefrigerated 1.5 gallon per day yield was enough for Krug to sell in his restaurant. The following year Krug hired fellow German immigrant Joseph Schlitz to assist with the restaurant bookkeeping. The entrepreneurial Krug and bookkeeper Schlitz funneled profits back into the business in order to expand the production capacity by purchasing real estate, wagons, barrels, and brewing equipment. When Krug passed away in 1856, Schlitz partnered with his widow Anna to keep the business going. The pair would marry two years later and Schlitz rechristened the company.

Photo: A sign that once adorned the exterior of the malt house.

Schlitz established its present day location by acquiring the Rheude & Co. Brewery on 3rd and Walnut Street. In the following years the company would acquire the surrounding real estate as it sprawled in all directions. The brewery, bottling plant, garages, grain elevators, offices, railroad lines, stables, and stockhouses would eventually consume 46-acres of land.

The Schlitz name enjoyed recognition within Wisconsin, but the company was able to leverage a national tragedy in their favor to expand. Between October 8-11, 1871 the Great Chicago Fire destroyed 3.3 square miles of the city. The fire wiped out 11 of the 23 breweries concentrated in the downtown Chicago area. In response Schlitz floated free beer down the coast of Lake Michigan. This act of benevolence spread by word of mouth and Schlitz gained recognition in the most important distribution hub in the midwest. With the potential for a national market opened the company issued public stock in 1873.

Tragedy would again mark a turning point for Schlitz in 1875. While en route to Germany the S.S. Schiller collided with the Scilly Islands cliffs on the coast of England. Joseph Schlitz was among the drowned victims. His will stipulated that control of his eponymous brewery go to his wife Anna’s extended family. Alfred, August, Charles, Henry, Edward, and William Uihlein assumed the top management roles.

Under Uihlein leadership the Schlitz brand prospered tremendously. Within a few years Schlitz beer was shipped throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America and Brazil. To secure a foothold in major cities the company purchased corner real estate to push saloon competition to the fringe. The Uihlein family further insured their interests by working in key banking and railroad sectors. Internal investment in advertising, bottle manufacturing, steam engines, refrigeration, and quality controls pushed the company past chief rival Pabst in 1902.

Photo: A view from the top floor of the brewhouse. Notice the ample skylight.

During Prohibition the company relied upon its impressive real estate portfolio to stay financially solvent. The rebranded “Joseph Schlitz Beverage Company” reorganized during this period to produce electrodes, timber products, baking supplies, candies, and sodas. The company weathered the 14 year dry spell and reclaimed the brewery title throughout the 1940’s and 1950’s.

Schlitz’ fortunes shifted dramatically in the following years. A strike in 1952 set production back so much that Anheuser-Busch usurped the brewing crown. The two brewing behemoths continued to swap top-tier status intermittently, with Schlitz gaining short-lived competitive edges through innovation and advertising. Despite its efforts Schlitz was ultimately outmatched by Anheuser-Busch in terms of production volume.

Photo: An ornate stairwell near the entrance of the brewhouse.

During the 1970’s a series of strategic missteps irreparably tarnished the Schlitz name. To cut costs the company implemented an “accelerated-batch fermentation” process that cut total brewing time by 20%. There were also allegations that the company supplanted premium barley and hops with inferior substitutes and corn syrup. With this move Schlitz achieved one of the most efficient production capacities in the entire brewing industry, but did so at the expense of its brand reputation.

Competition in the burgeoning light beer market also diminished the Schlitz name. The company responded to Miller Lite in 1976 with Schlitz Light. Consumers wary of Schlitz’ quality doomed the product to immediate failure. The light beer market continued to expand throughout the 1970’s with Schlitz being unable to compete.

Further compounding Schlitz’ quality issues was a looming Food and Drug Administration regulation that would require brewers to list ingredients in their products. The truncated brewing processes employed at Schlitz required the addition of silica gel as an anti-hazing agent. This unpalatable addition was quietly substituted with an agent called Chill-garde. This compound was filtered out before packaging and under the guidelines would not have to be included on the ingredients label. Unfortunately the use of Chill-garde had adverse chemical interactions with the foam-stabilizing ingredient, Kelcoloid. If Schlitz containers sat on the shelf in the right conditions small protein flakes would form. Management refused to publicly acknowledge the quality issues for months as brewmasters struggled with the to find the root cause. Due to persistent consumer complaints the company initiated a quiet recall of 10 million bottles.

With profits already swirling the drain Schlitz was hit with another devastating blow. In 1976 president and board chairman Robert Uihlein was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away within a matter of weeks. Robert’s death thus ended a century of direct Uihlein stewardship of Schlitz. Under new leadership the company changed course and returned to its original brewing processes. Despite improvements in quality control Schlitz was unable to recapture all but a fraction of their former glory.

Photo: Film photo scan of one of the massive brass brew kettles. Date & photographer unknown.

The brewery that made Milwaukee famous ground to a halt on May 31, 1981 when 720 hourly workers staged a strike. By July management countered with an announcement that the 6.8 million barrel production capacity at the Milwaukee brewery was no longer needed and would officially close on September 30. The entire company would limp along producing beer at other domestic facilities until it ultimately went up for sale.

Heileman and Pabst placed competing bids in the area of $500 million for what remained of Schlitz, but were vetoed by the Justice Department on anti-trust grounds. The following year the Justice Department approved a $325 million sale of Schlitz to the Detroit based Stroh Brewery Company. Heileman had little interest in producing the iconic Schlitz beer and instead focused heavily on promoting their own Old Milwaukee brand as a substitute. Acquiring Schlitz, and their heavy debt burdens, contributed to the eventual sale of Stroh’s owned properties in 1999. In an ironic twist of fate Pabst ended up acquiring the Schlitz brand, but held off on brewing anything under the Schlitz label.

After nearly a decade hiatus the beer that made Milwaukee famous was resurrected under two of Schlitz’ former competitors names. Beginning in 2008 Miller Brewing Company contracted Pabst Brewing Company to produce the 1960’s Schlitz formula. Production proved to be a challenge as brewmaster Bob Newman had to interview retired Schlitz employees to rediscover missing elements of the original recipe brewing process. The revitalized Schlitz beer appears to have enjoyed a certain degree of success in the midwest.

Photo: The exterior of the brewhouse slated for demolition.

Stroh’s placed the former massive 2.3 million square foot Schlitz facility on the market to recoup acquisition costs. The real estate was sold in 1983 to Brewery Works, Inc. While some of the original structures were demolished, others were repurposed into lucrative commercial spaces managed by Schlitz Park. From 1983 to 2013, however, the brewhouse that put Milwaukee on the map remained undeveloped. After 30 years of decay the very heart of the former Schlitz empire will be demolished. Clearing away the brewhouse will create a one-acre park and spur renovations to the former stockhouse. Crews have already begun tearing the iconic brewhouse down.

Exploring this location was quite a memorable experience. A late afternoon tip from a fellow explorer granted access to the cavernous brewhouse. As the sun was setting on a bitterly cold Wisconsin day I scrambled to capture as much as I could before losing all natural light. The sheer magnitude and architectural beauty of the brewhouse was difficult to comprehend in such a short amount of time. After spending a rousing evening complete with Schlitz beer in downtown Milwaukee, I returned to the location the next morning. While nursing an intense hangover I managed to lose track of my location within the more modern brewhouse addition and spent an hour retracing my steps. The freezing winds coming off of Lake Michigan were certainly no respite. Bitterly cold and exhausted I managed to only concentrate enough to add a few paltry shots to my meager collection. Although it pains me to see this historic landmark face the wrecking ball, it personally pains me even more to have been not properly prepared to explore it in depth. As such one of my favorite explores chronicled here on American Urbex is a cautionary tale.

Resources:

Beer Connoisseur – Article on the decline of Schlitz.

Beer History – Beer volume statistics from 1950 – 1980.

BizTimes – A brief outline for renovations on the former Schlitz property.

FOHC – PDF describing Schlitz bottling and efforts during Prohibition.

Google Books – A Spirited History of Milwaukee Brews & Booze by Martin Hintz with a chapter on Schlitz.

Google Books – Breweries of Wisconsin by Jerold W. Apps with a chapter on Schlitz.

Google Books – Brewing Battles: A History of American Beer by Amy Mittelman mentions Schlitz.

Google Books – The US Brewing Indsutry: Data and Economic Analysis by Victor J. Tremblay & Carol Horton Tremblay examines Schlitz as a failed brewery.

Google News – 1981 Milwaukee Journal article on the Schlitz downfall.

Google News – 1981 Milwaukee Journal article on Schlitz cessation of Milwaukee operations.

Google News – 1981 Toledo Blade article on the attempted Schlitz acquisition by Heileman and Pabst.

Google News – 1985 Milwaukee Journal article on the brewhouse shortly after closing.

JSOnline – 2009 article on renewed Schlitz brewing at MillerCoors.

JSOnline – 2012 article on the demolition of the brewhouse.

New York Times – 1982 article on the Stroh acquisition.

On Milwaukee – Bob Newman resurrects the 1960’s Schlitz recipe.

Schlitz Park – Brief history of the Schlitz Brewery property.

SLAHS – Thorough history of Schlitz.

UW Milwaukee – Postcards showing the Schlitz Brewery.

Wikipedia – Entry for Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company.

Wisconsin History – Collection of historic photos of Schlitz ephemera.

Bush Stadium

Photo (source): A postcard of the stadium in its prime.

Photo (source): Bush Stadium after years of decay.

Social conditions in early 1900’s America saw a massive shift in the way the working class lived. Electricity, automobiles, health and safety laws, worker’s rights legislation, improved public education, and government funded infrastructure afforded the working class the opportunity to thrive. Progress meant that the American public gained more time for leisure activity. Many Americans sought to occupy their free time devoted to baseball.

Baseball was a package ripe for entrepreneurs to capitalize upon. The drama of the game had its winners and losers, heroes and villains, its loyal followers, and content perfect for radio and print media transmission. The stadium became a cathedral where the faithful throngs could worship the game whilst owners reaped the economic rewards. A team worthy of reverence is, therefore, deserving of a stadium demonstrative of its glory.

Photo: The main gate turnstiles at the abandoned stadium.

During the golden age of baseball stadiums were erected as a testament to the game. In 1931 the Art Deco stylized stadium Perry Field opened its gates to fans of the minor league Indianapolis Indians. The name held until World War II when the field was rechristened to the patriotic Victory Field. Once the field was sold to the city of Indianapolis in 1967 it was renamed to its current namesake Bush Stadium.

In its prime Bush Stadium was the template for what other baseball stadiums should aspire to. The red brick lined outfield was covered in ivy. During gameplay the scoreboard had to be manually changed to reflect current statistics. Unobstructed views meant that there was not a single bad seat in the house. The venue played host to American Association, Pacific Coast League, International League, and Negro League games.

Photo: Cold empty seats without the warm presence of adoring fans.

Baseball games continued at the park until 1996 when the Indianapolis Indians moved to the more modern Victory Field. For two years the stadium had an identity crisis as the infield was ripped out to make a dirt racing track known as the 16th Street Speedway. For nearly a decade the stadium fell into disrepair. For a time the once beloved venue became a graveyard for vehicles traded in for the government “cash for clunkers” incentive program.

Once the cars were cleared away Indianapolis began to stoke development interest in the neglected property. The stadium is currently being renovated into an apartment complex that will preserve much of the aesthetics of the original field. The project is part of a larger urban renewal plan to reinvigorate the area into one that fuels America’s new leisurely pastime: consumerism.

Video (source): Plans for the apartment complex built upon the ruins of Bush Stadium.

Resources:

Abandoned USA – Photos of the stadium

Ballpark Digest – Report that the stadium is being converted to apartments

Develop Indy (PDF) – Synthesis Incorporated rendering of the stadium renovation

Develop Indy (PDF) – Press release signaling the start of the renovation

Ecolaborative – Seats from the stadium are being reused as bus stop seats.

Historic Indianapolis – Photos of the stadium.

Indy Star – Gallery with photos of the stadium in its prime.

Jalopnik – Article on the stadium being used in the Cash for Clunkers program

Minor League Parks – Entry for Bush Stadium

Queen City Discovery – Extensive walkthrough and photos.

Steve Hardin – Photos from the 16th Street Speedway.

Wikipedia – Entry for Bush Stadium.

Wikipedia – Entry for the stadium’s current namesake Donie Bush.

WTHR13 – States that demolition has begun.

YouTube – WISH-TV report on the apartment complex development.

Stonewall Jackson School

Photo: Cannon Memorial Hall is one of many individual structures that make up the school.

On the fringes where rural meets urban outside of Concord, NC is a stone arched bridge that hangs over one of the roads. Ivy has all but covered the exterior of this bridge, but the rusting words “Stonewall Jackson School” are still clearly visible to northbound drivers passing underneath. From the furrow of the road beneath the hedgerow and natural hills can be seen the tops of red brick structures that are common in this part of the state. For those with trained eyes, however, the telltale signs of abandonment are there. Unkept grounds, boarded windows, and a notable lack of human presence permeate throughout this urbex location. This is the site of the Stonewall Jackson Manual Training and Industrial School.

The initial inspiration for the school drew from an astonishingly cruel court case witnessed by James P. Cook. In a 1921 article Cook chronicled the unfortunate turn of events for a 13 year-old boy. The boy had been born to an uneducated couple who lived in the Piedmont hills. Disease took his parents and had left him an orphan. With no one else to care for him the boy was taken in by more affluent distant relatives. No effort was made by the boy’s caretakers to improve his lot in life outside of feed and clothe him. One Sunday the boy’s caretakers left him to watch over the property. In their absence the boy went exploring about the house and came upon $1.30 in bureau, which he thusly pocketed. Later that day the man of the house returned to find the money missing. The next morning the boy was arrested and placed in the county jail.

Cook noted the exceptional callousness of the court proceedings for the impoverished orphan boy.

There was none to speak for the boy. The court devoured him. The solicitor’s prayer for sentence upon this white boy, who made no defense – no appeal for mercy, or even humane justice – was the meanest, coldest utterance ever spoken in the state…

[The judge] coldly, easily, and quickly sentenced that small thirteen year-old boy to a county ‘chain gang for three years and six months, at hard labor’. And this was the treatment meted out to a child in North Carolina Superior Court in 1890.

The gross miscarriage of justice left an indelible mark upon Cook. He raised the issue in the court of public opinion by editorializing in newspapers about the dire need for a reformatory. Over the next 17 years Cook’s advocacy steadily changed the hearts and minds of North Carolina’s citizens.

In 1907 the matter came before the General Assembly, which at the time hosted a number of former Confederate soldiers. At the last minute It was suggested to the bill’s authors that the school be named in honor of Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson in order to curry their favor. On March 2, 1907 the bill authorizing the creation of the Stonewall Jackson Manual Training and Industrial School passed with all Confederate members voting in favor.

Photo: A silent piano sits the living room area of Cannon Memorial Hall.

On the outset the foundation of the school teetered on the precipice of failure. The General Assembly only allocated a meager $10,000 to the project over a two year period. Unable to purchase a parcel of land adequate for the school, the Board of Trustees reached out to North Carolina communities. Citizens of Concord became interested in the project and raised another $10,000 to purchase a 288 acre tract of land in Cabarrus County. A generous $5,000 donation from the King’s Daughters and North Carolina Federation of Women’s Clubs enabled the construction of two cottages on the property. Construction costs for the first cottage exhausted funds to the point where it could not be properly outfitted. James Cook’s wife took it upon herself to rally local businesses and charitable individuals to donate furnishings and amenities. On January 12, 1909 the school housed its first students and staff in the newly completed King’s Daughters Cottage.

Photo (source): Exterior plan of one of the colonial revival style cottages.

Within a relatively short span of time the school was able to overcome its foundational hardships. Word spread throughout the state that the school had positive outcomes in turning the lives of boys around. As a result the campus rapidly expanded over the next three decades. State funds, support from surrounding counties, and private donations supported the construction of a total of 17 colonial revival style cottages. In 1922 the administration was thoroughly destroyed in a fire. In its stead rose the Cannon Memorial Memorial Hall on the north side of the property. By the 1940’s additional buildings included a gymnasium, pool, infirmary, bakery, laundry, print shop, and other smaller structures.

The school also maintained a 984 acre farm to provide both food and financial support. Crops raised on the farm included tomatoes, cabbage, beans, corn and potatoes. A herd of Hereford cows and Berkshire hogs produced an ample supply of meat.

Photo (source): Students assembled in front of Cannon Hall.

Development for boys at the school included a healthy mixture of academics and labor. For half of the day students were expected to work in some capacity on the premises. After a period of general adjustment, each student was assigned to learn a trade befitting his aptitude. Those not inclined to farm work were participated in industrial programs that taught shoemaking, barbering, textiles, and a mechanics. Some students also learned the print industry by producing a magazine called The Uplift. The other half of the day was spent in school, which operated year-round. On Sundays all were expected to participate in Christian religious activities in the chapel.

In the evening the boys returned to their respective cottages to their “father” and “mother.” The father was expected to oversee the boys at play, provide discipline, and counsel them as needed. The mother prepared meals, kept the cottage clean, and insured that the boys minded their manners. Although up to 30 boys occupied an individual cottage at any given time, the intentional family-like structure was meant to foster positive emotional and social development.

Photo: The chapel was renovated in 1997 after a 15-year period of neglect, only to once again fall into disuse a few years later.

At its apex in the 1920’s the school provided education services to over 500 students. Although students were committed there by the judicial system school administrators saw fit to not erect fences. Every year a certain percentage of the student population who were so inclined to leave were able to “make good their escape.“

Over the years the population dwindled as welfare programs expanded and social attitudes towards minor delinquency shifted. As enrollment fell the school ceased its untenable farming operations. Unoccupied cottages were sealed up and left to the elements. The makeup of the student population also changed, as the facility took in minors with more serious criminal offenses. A barb-wired fence now cordons off a 60 acre partition to prevent escape.

Video (source): Historical Moments – Stonewall Jackson produced by Cabarrus County.

Although the site is in the National Register of Historic Places database, there is little public interest in preserving any of the buildings. As long as a portion of the site remains a correctional facility, the prospect that anyone would buy a refurbished cottage as a home is bleak. There are also not enough businesses in the local area to support commercial development. For the foreseeable future the school, once teeming with life, will continue to succumb to unrelenting natural forces of decay.

Resources:

Cabarrus County (PDF) – 2008 Central Area Plan detailing possible development.

Chasing Carolina – A blog entry of a photographer’s exploration experience.

Facebook – Group where people who attended the school share memories.

Google Books – Has a photo of the cottages along with brief description of the school.

Google Books – Discusses the influential roll women’s groups played in founding the school.

Google Books – Description of the school’s role in educating troubled youth.

HMdb.org – Historical marker information.

Independent Tribune – 2009 article on the centennial celebration of the school.

Internet Archive – Full Text of History of the Stonewall Jackson Manual Training and Industrial School (1946).

Internet Archive – Full Text copies of The Uplift produced by the school.

Journal Now – Article on the forced sterilization of six students.

National Park Service – National Register of Historic Places entry.

NCPedia – 2006 article on the beginning history of the school.

NCSU Digital Library – Photos and floor plans of school structures.

NC Dept. of Cultural Resources – Summarized history of the location.

NC Dept. of Public Safety – Describes early juvenile justice environment which created the school.

Sterling E. Stevens – A blog entry of a photographer’s exploration experience.

YouTube – Video highlighting the history of the school.

Wikipedia – Article on Stonewall Jackson Youth Development Center.

Wikipedia – Article on Stonewall Jackson.

On the Horizon for American Urbex

The American Urbex Podcast will take a brief hiatus during the month of July. Don’t worry, it’ll be back come August. There are three legitimate reasons why this break is necessary.

1. Marriage

You may not know my significant other, but they are perhaps American Urbex’s most ardent supporter. We’re getting married this week.

2. Master’s

I am putting the finishing touches on my master’s thesis. This is a very labor intensive process that will demand my attention until the end of the month.

3. Moving

I will be moving to the eastern portion of the United States at the end of July. I am looking forward to getting a chance explore new locations. The real thrill is going to be meeting new urbex photographers.

You may recall that American Urbex was able to raise funds earlier this year. Those funds are going to be put to use in August. If you are an urban explorer in the American southeast and wish to explore, by all means email americanurbex@gmail.com. Let’s meet up.

Thank you for your ongoing support,
Ken Fager
American Urbex

American Urbex: Southern Slide

American Urbex is getting back into the saddle and heading south.

Thanks to the support of American Urbex contributors this site has been able to document wonderful urbex locations with rich histories. With the help of IndieGoGo, American Urbex was able raise enough to fund trips during the past two summers. The first took us to Gary, Indiana and the second to Cleveland, Ohio.

This summer American Urbex would like to break out of the upper midwest. Cities like Atlanta, New Orleans, Montgomery, Memphis, St. Louis and the small rural communities along the way have urbex locations with histories just waiting to be told. Your contribution to American Urbex will help document those under appreciated and neglected places.

Contributor funding goes directly to offset the cost of gas, lodging, and food. Whatever remains is poured back into donor fulfillment and administrative costs for online services. Want proof? Here is how American Urbex spent its funds in 2011.

No amount is insignificant. Everything is appreciated. Head on over to the American Urbex: Southern Slide page on IndieGoGo to make your donation.

Donate Now to American Urbex: Southern Slide

You can show your support in other ways, too.:

Purchase an American Urbex Print on Etsy.
Subscribe to the American Urbex Podcast on iTunes or YouTube.
Follow @AmericanUrbex on Twitter.
Like American Urbex on Facebook.
Join the American Urbex Group on Flickr.
Email americanurbex /at /gmail /dot /com with your questions.

Thank you,
Ken Fager
American Urbex

UPDATES:

01/18/2012 – Thank you to Matt N. and an anonymous donor who have contributed to the American Urbex: Southern Slide fundraising effort. You guys won’t be disappointed if the $500 goal is attained.

01/26/2012 – Thanks are in order for David Smith, Kyle Taylor, and another anonymous donor for their support. The goal is in sight!

02/01/2012 – Special thanks to John Sagehorn and Ariel Powers-Schaub for their direct contributions.

03/01/2012 – It took three years but we finally were able to make the set fundraising goal on IndieGoGo! Many thanks to Greg Valiga for putting American Urbex over the top. Belated thanks are also due for Rick Drew and another anonymous donor. The effort isn’t over though. There is still plenty of time to make this the most urbexenist (sorry) summer ever.

03/25/2012 – Thanks are in order for my extended family for the Quaker Oats container with a mysterious sum of cash. I had no idea any of you actually followed any of what I do.

05/06/2012 – THANK YOU!

The grand total for the fundraising effort is $735.61! This is the first time in three attempts that the goal on IndieGoGo has been met. $505 came through that channel. Another $230.61 came from direct contributions. Funders can expect something nice in their mailboxes later this year.

So what happens now? The money will be used to fund a trip sometime this summer around July or August. The exact itinerary is still up in the air, but hopefully that will lead to more spur of the moment explorations. The important thing is that whatever is found along the way will be shared with others.

Thank you again. I can’t wait to create something dirty/beautiful.

American Urbex E.12 – Richman Brothers

The Richman Brothers took great pride in both the quality of their product and the workplace in which it was manufactured.

Subscribe to the American Urbex Podcast on iTunes.

American Urbex article on the Richman Brothers.

American Urbex Group on Flickr

American Urbex on Facebook

American Urbex on Twitter

Your Feedback is Appreciated

American Urbex started as a proof-of-concept graduate school program demonstrating how free online resources could be used to create rich education content. It is a project that has taken on a life of its own beyond the classroom. As American Urbex grows it has gained attention outside of the urbex community. Fortunately most of it has been positive. That’s something I’d like to continue moving forward into the future.

If you have any feedback for American Urbex please leave a comment. I will address it as best I can.

Thanks for your continued support,
Ken

PS: There are more podcasts coming.

Ravenswood Hospital

Photo (source): Ravenswood Hospital as it appeared in 1945.

The American healthcare system is for profit. American citizens’ health, safety, and well-being are managed by large companies looking to stay in the black. The other democracies and various forms of government in industrialized nations have recognized the danger that this poses to general public. While private medical care still thrives in these countries, there is at least a public healthcare plan to insure that all citizens have a safety net. The United States is the only country where citizens decide between health and crushing debt, even if they have insurance. These medical bills often go unpaid as patients hover around bankruptcy or simply do not have the means to pay them. Despite the inability of patients to pay, healthcare providers are required by federal law to treat patients. To stay financially competitive healthcare providers seek to mitigate their risk and cut costs wherever possible.

For one Chicago youth those risk-averse penny-pinching measures hastened his untimely death.

Photo: The Adler Pavilion portion of Ravenswood Hospital.

While playing basketball on North Wolcott Avenue, Christopher Sercye, age 15, was shot twice in the abdomen by gang members on Saturday May 16, 1998 around 6pm. His panic-stricken friends dragged Christopher about 100 yards to the ramp outside the emergency room of the nearby privately-owned Ravenswood Hospital before collapsing. Some reports say the injured teen was within 30 feet of the door, while others say he was 50 feet. In any case the teen was well within view of hospital staff. The first of five separate phone calls to emergency services came in at 6:15pm.

One friend ran inside the hospital and got two police officers to rush to Christopher’s aid. The officers and witnesses begged hospital staff to assist, but they demurred citing hospital policy that forbid them to exit the building. The officers on scene were also bound by protocol to not move injured people and wait for paramedics. At 6:23pm a request for an ambulance went out over police radio. Ignoring protocol one of the officers finally commandeered a wheelchair and rushed Christopher into the emergency room with a barely detectable pulse.

Photo: EKG readings from a patient file left in the hospital.

An ambulance finally arrived on scene at 6:29pm, but left after seeing Christopher being wheeled into the hospital. Emergency Room staff began administering treatment immediately. Two minutes later Christopher suffered cardiac arrest. Doctors discovered that the bullets punctured Christopher’s aorta, mesenteric vein, and colon. Christopher was pronounced dead at 7:33pm.

Prime suspect Aureliano Fajardo was arrested the next day. Two other accomplices, Salvador Aguilar and Lionel Duran, were also arrested in connection with the murder. Fajardo and Aguilar were kept on $1 million bond, while Duran was kept on $500,000 while charged with first-degree murder.

Two days after the shooting Ravenswood president and CEO John E. Blair rescinded the policy preventing hospital staff from exiting the building. In response to Christopher’s death Blair stated, “Above all, I want to make sure that if a tragedy like this ever occurs again, we have a different result. Media reports of the tragedy of Christopher’s death garnered national outrage. President Clinton threatened to revoke the $59 million annual Medicare funding for the hospital, but was later overruled by the Health Care Financing Administration.

Those who remember 8th grader Christopher Sercye described him as a leader with sense of humor. His family filed a lawsuit against Ravenswood Hospital later that year. In 2003 the courts ruled in favor of the family and awarded them $12.5 million for the wrongful death. That same year the “250 Yard Rule” was amended to the EMTALA law. The rule states that healthcare providers are required to respond to any “presentation” warranting medical assistance within 250 yards of the main hospital campus building.

Photo: A hospital bed takes up a majority of floorspace in this cramped patient room.

Ravenswood Hospital had long been a pillar of the north side Chicago community before being embroiled in controversy. The original hospital was built in 1907, but by the 1990s had expanded to meet community demands. The hospital had just under one thousand beds at its apex. It also included ambulatory care, a psychiatric unit, rehabilitation, oncology, coronary care, trauma ward, nursing school and student residence on site the 7.5 acre site.

The hospital fell on hard times during the 1990’s as HMOs, insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid began cutting costs wherever they could. Advocate Health Care purchased the flailing hospital in 1998 much to the chagrin of community members and hospital staff. Blair, the hospital president and CEO who had weathered the Christopher Sercye debacle, said “In the weeks to come we hope everyone will agree that this move has great potential for employees and will enhance our ability to serve the community.” Almost immediately Advocate began consolidating medical services with other are hospitals it owned. Despite the drastic cuts the hospital managed to operate at a $35 million loss in 2001 alone. Ravenswood’s closing could not have come at a worse time as a number of historic Chicago area hospitals, such as Edgewater, were closing their doors. When Advocate finally sold the hospital they salted the earth by including a non-compete clause forbidding new owners to operate a medical facilty.

Photo: An X-Ray machine on the top floor scorched by fire.

A majority of the hospital was closed off while other parts were rented to various tenants. Ravenswood may limp along until its ultimate demise, but its death makes way for new life. Private school Lycée Français de Chicago plans on demolishing the entire complex in 2013 to make way for a new building. If the school is able to raise the necessary funds they will occupy their new home by 2015.

There are currently 50 million Americans who do not have health insurance coverage. Even those who are insured risk being dropped by insurance companies should they incur medical bills. As Americans we pay not only a financial cost, but also a social cost (PDF) when profit is placed over health and well-being.

Resources:

Ain’t No Way To Go – Article on Christopher Sercye’s tragic death.

Answers – Discusses the hospital closure in 2002.

Center Square Journal – Lycee Francais de Chicago will demolish the site in 2013.

Chicago Reader – Controversy over the Ravenswood Hospital closing.

Chicago Reader – Controversy over Advocate Health Care’s takeover of the hospital

Chicago Talks – Financial stress ultimately leads to the hospital closing.

Chicago Tribune – 1998 article on Medicare funding for the hospital.

Chicago Tribune – 1998 report of the crime and subsequent arrests.

Chicago Tribune – 1998 article mentions Christopher Sercye’s funeral.

Chicago Tribune – 2001 article about Fajardo committing murder behind bars.

Curbed Chicago – Architect mockup of what the Lycee Francais de Chicago building would look like.

emtala.org – Explains the EMTALA 250 Yard Rule.

Flickr – Nitram242’s Chicago Hospital Closure set.

Google Books – Jet article states that Christopher Sercye was shot in the heart.

Hospital Data – Statistics for the facility.

New York Times – Mentions Christopher Sercye being dragged “within 30 feet” of the hospital.

Power Rogers & Smith – Lists the 2003 $12.5 million settlement for Christopher Sercye’s wrongful death.

Scribd – Lycee Francais site survey from 2007.

Slate – Opinion piece about the policies that led to Christopher Sercye’s death.

Sun-Sentinel – 1998 article on Christopher Sercye’s death.

USA Today – Settlement announcement for Christopher Sercye’s death.

Wikipedia – Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act

YouTube – Video shot in the hallways.

YouTube – Hospital closing reaction video.