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@warden.wanders

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Not all those who wander are lost
Finding the Beauty in the Broken

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4am mission on my third day without sleep. This was the largest abandoned bank lobby in the world. These majestic halls unfortunately fell victim to distasteful graffiti and fire extinguisher dust.
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#urbanexplorers #urbanexploration #urbexphotography #abandonedporn #trespassingforart

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Views of the arch atop the now demolished Millennium Hotel. Some of the best exploring nights were spent here.

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Helena’s House | Forgotten House of Vaudeville, USA 2022/2023

history:
This Theatre opened in 1910, later rebuilt on August 2nd, 1924. The theatre was named after Helena, a famous Polish actress who became known for her Shakespearean performances. When it opened in 1910, the theatre quickly became an important part of the city’s Polish community and a popular place for movies, live performances, and neighborhood events. The Saxe Theatre chain demolished the original building and opened a grand 2,000-seat movie palace designed by architects C.W. and George Rapp.
Rapp & Rapp designed the theatre in a Classical revival / traditional movie palace motifs with a more modest, budget-conscious design compared to the firm's grander, highly ornate theaters
For generations, people came through its doors to watch films, see performers, meet up with friends, and spend an evening out. The theater was more than just a place to sit and watch a show. It was part of the neighborhood’s everyday life — a place where families made memories and where Milwaukee’s Polish heritage could be seen and felt.
The building itself still carries that old theater charm. Its detailed exterior, large marquee, and classic design reflect a time when theaters were built to stand out and make going to the movies feel like a special occasion.
Like many historic theaters, the theatre eventually faced the changes of time, firstly closing in 1989. Attempting to reopen between 1991-2010 as a youth company for live acts, it shortly closed in March of 2010.
Even closed, the Modjeska doesn’t feel forgotten, because of the vast civic gatherings, Polish historic importance and remarkable architecture ( inside and
out).

#abandoned #architecturephotography #chicagophotographer #abandonedworld #abandonedphotography

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Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 | Rusted House of Industry & Manufacturing | KC Star Building - Kansas City, Kansas USA 2023

History:
The Kansas City Star’s Press Pavilion opened in 2006 after a roughly $200 Million investment deal. The building stretched across two city blocks and was built around four huge, state-of-the-art printing presses. This wasn’t just an office building — this was where the actual newspapers were produced, packaged, and sent out.
And The Star wasn’t the only paper being printed here. The presses also produced newspapers like USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Wichita Eagle, and local publications. For years, this place was running on deadlines — tons of paper, machinery, trucks coming and going, and newspapers heading out across the region.
In 2018, employees from The Star’s historic headquarters moved into the McGee Street building. But the newspaper business was changing fast. More people were getting their news online, printing costs were becoming harder to justify, and The Star eventually decided to move its printing operations elsewhere.
The building was sold in 2019 for $30.1 Million, although The Star continued using it under a lease-back agreement. A building that was designed to represent the future of newspaper printing ended up becoming a reminder of how quickly the newspaper industry itself changed.
Today, the story is taking another turn. The former Star building is being transformed into a technology & A.I data center with plans to reuse the massive structure rather than tear it down. Some of the old Star machinery and reminders of its newspaper history are expected to remain part of the building.
From printing thousands of newspapers to potentially powering the next generation of technology. The printing presses have become silent, but the building is doesn’t making history just yet.

#abandoned #architecturephotography #chicagophotographer #abandonedworld #abandonedphotography

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EDS headquarters building, or the “God Pod”. 1.6 million square feet. Personally, I think the exterior reminds one of the temple on Epstein island. Sue me for forgetting to grab a shot, each of the times we left we had to run from someone. Workers, police, security… pre-dawned this one on a Saturday when we thought the demolition work would be at a halt. Wrong.
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#abandonedworld #urbex #urbanexplorers #urbexphotography #abandoned

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Skeletal Skylights | Lost House of Worship, Milwaukee WI USA 2023 ~ #urbex_face_was_here

History:
Summerfield United Methodist Church has been part of Milwaukee’s history for generations. The Church opened its doors on October, 1905 and Like many old churches in the city, it was more than just a place for Sunday services. It was a gathering place for families, weddings, funerals, community events, and everyday moments that brought people together. It was remarkable to imagine how much life once filled this church.
Gothic Revival being the building’s architecture gives you a sense of how important churches like this once were. The tall windows, detailed stonework, and traditional design were meant to last — and to make people stop and look. Inside, the sanctuary would have been filled with music, sermons, conversations, and the sound of people coming and going.
Over time, though, the neighborhood changed and the congregation faced the same challenges many older churches have experienced. Attendance declined, maintenance became more difficult, and keeping a large historic building open became harder to manage.
Eventually, the church closed, the final service was held on June 23rd 2023 leaving behind a quiet building that once played a major role in the lives of the people around it. The Church has sat abandoned for 4 years.

(update): As of 2025, the building that once served Summerfield United Methodist is now being transformed into residential housing by a Chicago based developer.
This sits as a reminder that the church that the church, even closed, will always have a presence still — a quiet piece of Milwaukee history will always be remembered.

#abandoned #architecturephotography #chicagophotographer #abandonedphotography

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An Insidious Incision | Ransacked House of Dental Care, Wisconsin USA 2023

Note: In honor of the new Insidious 6: out of the further (2026) dir. Jacob Chase, a @blumhouse production. this track genuinely freaks me out but it works out if you have seen the film!

#abandoned #architecturephotography #chicagophotographer #abandonedworld #abandonedphotography

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(Purple) Paradise Lost ~ set 2 | Forgotten House of Worship, Chicago IL 2021/2022

Note: I have so many SD cards and recently got access to my original Lightroom account so when checking on my Purple Church photos, I realized I had more to show with you all! Here’s a 2nd set. Enjoy!

#abandoned #architecturephotography #chicagophotographer #abandonedworld #abandonedphotography

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A Colorful Condemning | Deserted House of Education, USA 2023

#abandoned #architecturephotography #chicagophotographer #abandonedworld #abandonedphotography

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Dusty Dusty Lavender | Lost House of Worship, Chicago IL USA 2021/2022

Note: an iconic Chicago abandonment for many years if not more than decades. Despite its rather dangerous location, it displayed profound beauty within, both in the churches build/design and overall architecture. The purple is what really made this forgotten parish known to many as its deep purple color seemed it Chicago’s “Purple Church”. Unfortunately it met a somewhat demise at the hands of some tik-tok kids who allegedly live streamed lighting the place on fire, damaging the building but it remains standing 💜

#abandoned #architecturephotography #chicagophotographer #abandonedworld #abandonedphotography

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Vespers of Valor | Forgotten House of Performance, USA 2021/2024 ~ #urbex_face_was_here

History:
Tucked away on sacred US grounds, The Memorial Auditorium is one of those places that can be easy to overlook if you don’t know its history.
Built in 1932, the building was named in honor of General Nelson A. Miles Ward, a Civil War veteran and longtime supporter of Milwaukee’s veterans. It was built as a gathering place for the men who lived at the Soldiers Home, giving them somewhere to attend concerts, lectures, ceremonies, meetings, and other events.
At one time, this auditorium would have been filled with conversation, music, speeches, and the sound of veterans coming together. It wasn’t just a performance space. It was part of daily life at the Soldiers Home and a place where residents could relax, socialize, and stay connected to the community around them.
The Soldiers Home itself dates back to the years after the Civil War, when Milwaukee became home to one of the country’s earliest facilities for Union veterans.
The Memorial Hall became part of that larger mission — providing veterans with more than just housing, but also a sense of community and belonging.

The auditorium was used for many years, but it eventually fell out of regular use as the main campus changed and newer facilities took over many of its functions. The memorial hall went vacant roughly around the 1980s although an exact official closing date is difficult to confirm. By the late twentieth century, the building had largely been left unused and was showing signs of age and dilapidation .
Today, the auditorium stands much quieter than it once did. The empty rooms and aging details make it hard to picture the crowds that once gathered inside, but the building still carries the feeling of everything that happened there, despite the neglect.

Ward Memorial Hall is more than an old auditorium. It’s a reminder of the veterans who lived on these grounds, the people who cared for them, and the history of a place built to serve those returning from war.

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Dark Knights | Deserted House of Business, USA 2023

#abandoned #abandonedworld #abandonedphotography #architecture #architecturephotography

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