Abandoned Baton Rouge

Quiz Time!

What creature was this?

It was spotted in the empty store next to Mitiello's , which is filled with strewn-about garbage, just as I was thinking, I wonder why I don't see any critters in there.

Lincoln Theatre complex

This compound is an abandoned and semi-abandoned downtown treasure. (I think it's in the downtown? Or near it? It's hard to tell where downtown starts or ends when nobody's around.)

Today's subject: The onetime sight of the Lincoln Theatre, Pharmacy, Barber Shop, and Wash-In (I think that's what the last phrase says? Is a "wash-in" a Laundromat?)

Abandoned Baton Rouge Roadshow

I just got back from a road trip from Philadelphia down through the South, and spotted a lot of abandonment along the way. The real pay dirt was in Jackson, Mississippi, a capital city with a downtown as eerily abandoned as Baton Rouge's. Anyone ever see the early '70s movie The Omega Man, starring Charlton Heston? I recommend it during this fine Halloween season, and driving through empty Jackson was like Heston driving through empty L.A. in that movie.

But first, how about a nice burned-out motel? [Click to enlarge]

Triple A Cleaners, plus empty houses...or not?

(I know: again with the AAA-naming business! Have a little confidence, Baton Rouge businesses!)

AAA Cleaners is another place with that Night of the Comet feel...as if people just vaporized, leaving their everyday items.

But this time...they left enough clues that even from outside, I know when this place closed down.

Takin' care of buisness...

...of the non-abandoned kind. Sorry I've been away, but sometimes the paying jobs take precedent over the abandoned documentation job. Also I haven't had use of a car or the good camera. However, in about three weeks I will have my beloved wheels back in my possession, and because of that, I will have much more access to the good camera.

Since my last post I made two trips to New Orleans, and the first one took me to an area I had never seen, one which had so many abandoned businesses and homes that I nearly drove off the road a few times gawking at them.

Driving past the still-prominent damage from Katrina (including another abandoned Winn Dixie with weeds coming up throughout the parking lot) while listening to the people on the radio discuss the nooses that were recently hung across the state in Jena was enough to give me the hair-standing-on-end shiver I used to get whenever I got near the Ground Zero site in lower Manhattan. Time to change the channel or I'll cry. I don't feel qualified to even go there in New Orleans, not to mention that (to make another Big Apple comparison), the crime rate there is comparable to New York in the '70s, I'm told. No wandering around down there for me, although that is a fascinating project just waiting to happen, photographers!

But here's an article about how homeless people have taken over some of the abandoned buildings in New Orleans.

Also, remember the Lincoln Hotel? I couldn't find anything about it when I first shot photos of it a few weeks ago, but I just read this article in The Advocate mentioning that Aretha Franklin stayed there! So, probably, did James Brown, B.B. King, and Nat King Cole. The article is about the barbershop next door but mentions that all of those cats had their hair did there, so I assume they were also staying at the Lincoln Hotel. Very cool. What's not so cool is my hypothesis that they stayed at this rather plain hotel becuase they were not welcome at the elegant downtown hotel that's now the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center Hotel. That's pure speculation on my part, of course.

I really want to go in there.

Purpera Building, Romano's Pack & Save, Mason lodge, and more

I had usage of a car today, so I was able to expand my territory, but sadly I was forced back to the Old Blue Eye camera. No matter, because I shall make it up to you with a cavalcade of sites...and my first confrontation.

This is the Purpera Building, as proudly announced on the crown of the building. You'd think there'd be some mention of it somewhere on the world wide Interwebs, right?

Pace's hair Styling: the patriotic salon that time never forgot

This low-profile, enigmatic hair salon had escaped my notice on my first sweep through this stretch of Government.

I like how uncertain the lettering looks. It reflects my experience at the place. What is its deal?! I grew even more confused after looking inside.

The bleakest day (hopefully) of abandoned exploration

I know I promised no more blue-tinted photos, and I did finally get to borrow a better camera, but before that happened, I took a walk on Government Street heading toward the Old Miss and got these shots. On this day's expedition, I was as lonely as this cute elephant.

This was most recently called something like People's Car Parts, Inc., according to the faded lettering on the exterior. But originally, I think this building looks more like maybe an old movie theater. Or maybe it was just a big store with big display windows. At any rate, it is now difficult to imagine this area when this was new and nice.

This place was about where I started officially feeling out of my league, just very conspicuous taking photos, to those at the car wash across the street.

LoBianco's Gro. & Beer, Unknown car joint, Winn Dixie

Last Friday was an epic photo-gathering expedition for me. I was out nearly three hours in the midday sun, covering five abandoned sites, also stopping for excellent Lebanese food at Arzi's and narrowly avoiding heat stroke. Problem is, this is a photo blog and my g-damn digital camera won't stop washing everything in blue. So I've decided to post the remaining three sites I shot that day all in one post, before switching over to use my bf's fancier camera. After this post, say goodbye to the blues!

Here we have LoBianco's Gro. & Beer at Government Street and Steele, in the classic Old South style that I have actually never seen outside of movies and TV.

Could this sun-faded promotional Stroh's poster be sadder right now? Not really.

A-Ace Insurance/ Able Insurance

One of the exciting aspects of urban exploration is that often, places that initially looked dull can hold a surprise or two. Take this boring old insurance agency. They took the lame Yellow Pages alphabetical tactic of starting the business name with a bunch of A's. Like, way to have confidence in your services, Ace.

Only they couldn't decide which "A" name they wanted. This one doesn't exactly instill more confidence in their services.

Eh, they're just able. No wonder they went out of business. But I soon learned this place hasn't been completely abandoned...