This little cabin is in a clearing with most of the view to and from the road blocked by trees. The driveway is at an angle so you will only glimpse a flash of it as you drive by at 60mph. That’s why for about a year and a half I never noticed it. Then one day I did and I hustled over to shoot it a few days later. It was March so the absence of leaves on that screen of trees is what let me finally notice it. And I’m glad I did. From what I can tell in those drive-by flashes, it has crumbled almost completely. Probably another tree has done it in. Wind events are the biggest movers and shapers with abandoned buildings.
You might notice that this is a vertical log cabin - a thing fairly common here in the Northwoods. It had no basement, but had electricity and running water. There are no other structures nearby that I could see. From what I could tell, the entire contents of the house were left behind - from beds and dressers, to tables and chairs, dishes and coffee cans. We will forever wonder why.
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I can’t go back and shoot it again unless you want to see piles of rubble, but I can tweak the shots I have. Fire away.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Handheld
Processed in Lr to maintain a cheerful and inviting look despite the relatively grim state of the place. As I recall it was warm and the snow was melting even though it was still over my ankles.
@Kris_Smith , this set of images is really appealing. Another old abandoned house here on NPN, and I never tire of seeing them.
I usually feel sad when I see them. Abandonment and isolation and loneliness, and also the loss of what was…Human life and activity.
Yet somehow your images are not bringing forth these same feelings. It might be the sense of embrace from all the trees. Or maybe the details you’ve included. I love the doorbell especially, also the teapot. And your warm processing I’m sure contributes!
Thanks for stopping to capture this before it fell to the ground.
What a cool find, Kris. Especially being able to get up close to it. It looks like some of the windows were still in place? Kind of surprised that local kids hadn’t broken them out. All the images are appealing in differing ways. The first one is a really nice portrait of a house. I love the fallen tree on the left. The second image is terrific with the shadows of trees in the foreground on the snow leading my eye up to the house. I didn’t realize the third was the doorbell until Mark mentioned it. Love the ancient feel to it. And the final one, the abandoned teacup or pot really gives me a sense of loss.
A wonderful find! I love the second view as it feels more dynamic, but why that would be a plus for an abandoned building I’m not sure. Maybe it just feels more integrated into the woods. Amazing that it was just abandoned with things still in it. Maybe the resident froze to death?
Hopefully not that, @Diane_Miller ! It had a decent stove and wasn’t big and timber is our biggest crop so I can’t believe they were cold. Who knows though.
Thanks @Mark_Muller & @David_Bostock for your responses. These kinds of places always draw me to them. It used to be cemeteries when I lived in NH, but now it’s abandonment. I don’t always process them with a bleak or hopeless aspect, but I sometimes do. I’ll put some up.
. I still love it!!