I, too, find myself drawn to certain structures or locations because of proximity or simple fascination. I don't think I can ever photograph Detroit's Michigan Central Station or the old, 7-foot tall "Laughing Sal" figure from a funhouse that hangs in a coffeeshop I used to work in.
Beautiful building, even after decades in disrepair.
And meet Sal. Come to think of it, I should make this an icon.
The owner of the coffeeshop and theatre near my undergrad college had connections to Hershey Park and in fact worked there for years before going on to teach at the Milton Hershey school. He bought perhaps the last Laughing Sal ever made in the 1980s and placed it in a cage in the coffeehouse. Still works with the original laugh track burned to CD (though every once in a while, I'd put in another CD, particularly Harry Chapin's Laugh Man just for giggles). Old folks in the area that had been to Hershey Park as kids remember Laughing Sal fondly. Others, like myself, are just frightened by the thing's convulsions.
You should have seen the owner's stock room. There were a few carnival rides in pieces, more than a few mannequins, and an antique "jug band" carnival group. Creeped me out to no end to go back there at night.
I didn't realize there was more than one Laughing Sal. The one here used to live at the amuseument park beside the ocean, before that was torn down. She moved to the basement of the Cliff House, where she terrorized children for decades. Now she's at the latest incarnation of the Musee Mechanique, on Fisherman's Wharf. That building has no soul.
Personally, I'm frightened of her convulsions, too.
I am, too. When they remodeled the Cliff House, there was a lot of talk about just closing the museum down. At a quarter per game, it couldn't afford a lot for rent. The new location is a huge empty warehouse, but it overlooks the bay. Hopefully, they get more foot traffic than the old location. I love the old arcade games, especially the fortune-telling wizards.
Btw, I love your night photos of that building too. Particularly the one with the explosion of light.
My favorite things were the moving dioramas, stuff like "the drunkard's repentance" or whatever, where little devil puppets would come out and torment the drunkard on his bed. Oh! and the moving picture stereographs! Awesome stuff.
There is a barn down the road from here that I can't get enough of. I have no idea why (I mean aside from my un/natural love of old barns) this one has so much pull for me, but it does. Hmmm.. photo...
... well that took a while.. but it's still a nice barn!
I've been wanting to stop and ask the people if I could... maybe in the spring. It's got a long piece which goes off the back too, it would be so fun to explore.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 03:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 05:56 pm (UTC)Beautiful building, even after decades in disrepair.
And meet Sal. Come to think of it, I should make this an icon.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 06:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 06:36 pm (UTC)You should have seen the owner's stock room. There were a few carnival rides in pieces, more than a few mannequins, and an antique "jug band" carnival group. Creeped me out to no end to go back there at night.
Fascinated
Date: 2007-01-19 09:20 pm (UTC)Personally, I'm frightened of her convulsions, too.
Re: Fascinated
Date: 2007-01-19 09:37 pm (UTC)Re: Fascinated
Date: 2007-01-19 11:02 pm (UTC)Btw, I love your night photos of that building too. Particularly the one with the explosion of light.
Re: Fascinated
Date: 2007-01-20 12:07 am (UTC)My favorite things were the moving dioramas, stuff like "the drunkard's repentance" or whatever, where little devil puppets would come out and torment the drunkard on his bed. Oh! and the moving picture stereographs! Awesome stuff.
Re: Fascinated
Date: 2007-01-20 02:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 04:47 am (UTC)... well that took a while.. but it's still a nice barn!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 12:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-22 04:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-21 01:48 am (UTC)