Years ago when the US economy started to tank, the automobile industry was hit hard. And it wasn’t just a little hit. The hit took out entire cities, forcing people to leave their lives as they knew it behind, and find work and a new home elsewhere. This is most apparent in the Midwest from Indiana to Pennsylvania. Anywhere there were cars being manufactured really got knocked down. Some cities have adjusted, while others haven’t. These pictures tell a story about what it used to be like and how it is now. Some of these pictures of abandoned buildings brought a tear to my eye when I realized what used to be. These photos were taken by Seph Lawless as he visited different areas of the Rust Belt.
Abandoned Amusement Park – Canton, Ohio
Abandoned Apartment – Chicago, Illinois
Abandoned Asylum – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Abandoned Asylum – Scranton, Pennsylvania
Abandoned Automobile Plant – Detroit, Michigan
Abandoned Building – Flint, Michigan
Abandoned Building – Augusta, Maine
Abandoned Building – Flint, Michigan
Abandoned Building – Racine, Wisconsin
Abandoned Prison Church – Cincinnati, Ohio
Abandoned Church – Cleveland, Ohio
Abandoned Church – Gary, Indiana
Abandoned Factory – Cleveland, Ohio
Abandoned Factory – Detroit, Michigan
Abandoned Building – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Abandoned Factory – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Abandoned Hospital – Toledo, Ohio
Abandoned Hotel – Baltimore, Maryland
Abandoned House – East Cleveland, Ohio
Abandoned House – Albany, New York
Abandoned House – Baltimore, Maryland
Abandoned House – Bedford, Kentucky
Abandoned House – East Cleveland, Ohio
Abandoned House – South Bend, Indiana
Abandoned House – Wheeling, West Virginia
Abandoned Mansion – Chester, Pennsylvania
Abandoned Mansion – Dayton, Ohio
Abandoned Police Station – Chicago, Illinois
Abandoned Theater – Gary, Indiana
Abandoned Theater – Youngstown, Ohio
More info: Seph Lawless
As you can see the devastation of the economy hit a lot harder in some areas of the US than it did in others. These pictures are absolutely heartbreaking. Auto manufacturing has made a come back in many areas of the rust belt after several years.