Can blight be beautiful?

File this under the "I love old, broken down, inanimate stuff" category. These go along with a column I have coming in the paper next week.
I've had the idea of doing a photo series of blight-ridden stuff that has been left behind by people. And this week ended up being the week I got around to it. Above is an old sign for a country dance place up in Ocean Park. I'm assuming it used to rotate in the wind, giving the illusion of a dancing couple. These days the sign is overgrown by willows, and the lady is missing her head.

See more after the jump below




When I moved here more than 8 years ago there was a gas station in the middle of town that also doubled as the home of the "Crossway Ministries," this evangelical family whose father actually ran for mayor at one point. I can't remember if the giant murals depicting the life of Jesus were there when I got here or if they came later. Within two years of my move the place closed up and I think the family moved away. To give you some insight as to just how long ago this was, the old mechanical pumps are still set at $1.69 a gallon. Anyway, over the last few years these fuel tanks have given to rust, adding a new realism.


When I drove by this old motel/apartment building I first saw the red doors. Then I saw the lacy curtains.


Now this one on the other hand is something that has bothered me since the first time I drove in to town. This small field located right along the highway is the final resting place of a several dozen disused propane tanks. More get added now and again. You can still catch a whiff of natural gas if you walk through it.


I've wondered about this place for awhile. Up in Oysterville there is a piece of property along Oysterville Rd. and this old ramshackle house sits in the middle of a pasture that is also home to old, overturned claw foot bathtubs and old cars.


And finally, this was a bit of a surprise. This is an old McCormick Farmall 230 "tricycle" tractor made in the late 1950s that I saw hidden behind some brush in Ocean Park. The bright red paint is still visually grabbing, even with the rust. I couldn't be sure, but I thought I heard a faint voice say "oil can, oil can..."

-DKM