The places documented in this website represent more than singular forgotten structures. These structures are prevalent and are material evidence of a growing indifference to our past. Many of these places have an obvious historic significance. They are the places where our parents and grandparents lived, worked and worshipped. It seems the trend has been to direct our resources to furthering the growth of sprawl, entirely ignoring these structures in the process.
Have we not realized our manifest destiny?
The attitude of our culture reflected in decay…
When government chooses to no longer listen to the visionaries, when it’s own health becomes the main priority, this is when the seeds of decay are planted.
Our cities have found themselves at a crossroads. Our downtowns, the beating hearts of these cities, are slowly dying. Our community and its leaders are faced with some far reaching decisions. Unless these choices are made with a great deal more foresight, the lights will continue to disappear from our cities. The light of decay will continue to grow.
A society’s quality and durability can best be measured by the respect and care given its elderly citizens.
-Albert Toynbee, historian
If it is true that a measure of society can be found in how it cares for its elderly, then it would be analogous to say that society could also be judged by how it treats the structures those same citizens built.