The Church of the Holy Redeemer*
The sanctuary of this abandoned church was still beautiful despite the ravages of time.
Updated July 23, 2019 | By Matthew Christopher
As I was finishing my exterior photos of this church, a pastor who lived next door approached me. He told me what a nuisance this old church was to the neighborhood, how the sidewalk had needed to be blocked off because chunks of bricks were falling off the facade with such force that they were bouncing across the road. He kept describing it as 'a deathtrap waiting to happen', complaining about the wild animals and scrappers that were constantly in it and his fear that one day a child would be hit by falling bricks or lured into the building by a sexual predator.
I don't like to see places go. I understand that they can drag down a community and that there are threats posed to people who live around them. It struck me as sort of sad that even a pastor was urging that the church should be demolished. He is right that the building is a deathtrap. The stairs we had to navigate to enter it were some of the worst I've ever been on, and the floors and stairs in other areas were equally terrible, to the point where I can't even imagine the sanctuary being accessible for much longer.
When we were done talking, the pastor said, "God bless you," and I replied, "May he bless you as well!". He had asked me to get my pictures out so someone can do something about the situation. I told him I'd do the best I could, but that these places are everywhere. While more and more buildings are falling into disrepair and abandonment, tearing one down doesn't really solve the problem overall. If you live near a place like this it lessens the chance that the steeple will collapse onto your house, and in the short term that may be enough.
Please note that the true name of this location has not been disclosed to prevent theft, vandalism, and arson. Abandoned buildings are vulnerable and I do not want my work contributing to their decline.
Join us on Patreon for high quality photos, exclusive content, and book previews
Read the Abandoned America book series: Buy it on Amazon or get signed copies here
Subscribe to our mailing list for news and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|