Grandpa and door that kept unlocking

True story.  Way back in the hills of West Virginia, up a holler, there was an old house.  An old homestead, that my Great, great Grandparents lived in.  My grandfather used to spend a lot of time there, after all it was his grandparents house.  Who doesn't love staying with their grandparents?
Now back in the day, there was a lot of ghost stories shared, and people would hear and see things that were not there.  Not much different then today.  I remember setting on my grandparents back porch, at night, with only the warm light from the kitchen, shining dimly, though the window.  I would listen to the croaking of the tree frogs, and crickets in between the stories, that my grandparents shared.  My grandpa would be stretched out on the swing and my grandma was sitting in a wooden rocker beside my mom.  Dad would usually set on the edge of the porch.  This was where we shared so much.  Sad to say I don't do this much anymore.  I do miss it.  It was a special time.
Well, back to my story.  Not a long story.  This is mainly written down, so that my girls, will be able to be part of the stories of the past.  Their past!
My Grandpa said this had happened many times.  Not just once. 
There was a wooden door, for his bedroom, that would lock with a skeleton key.  You know those pretty keys that you always see in horror movies?  Well, that is the one.  He said he would go to bed at night and lock the door.  Grandpa would go over, and lie down.  He would be there a short time and the door would unlock.  He said, he would here....Click.  Then the door would unlock.  He would go back over and lock it again.  Click and it opened again.  Now I feel the need to tell you, no one was on the other side unlocking it.  All were in bed.  So this wasn't a scared child being toyed with.  Grandpa said he would even jiggle the knob to make sure it was locked.  It would be.  He would go back to bed and it would unlock again. 
This happened, time and time again.  Not just once.  Now tell me what do you think this was all about?  I wish I could have stayed there.  Just once, and been able to experience what my papaw did.

Abandoned but oh, the cost.

Found a beautiful mansion, back in September, of last year.  It was a magnificent stone house that stood 3 stories, plus a full basement.  It was one of the most beautiful, single family, abandoned homes that I have seen.  As I stood in front of the house, admiring her beauty, I could tell she was an old, one.   Doors set in 2 feet or so. This one was built to last.  I walked up the stone steps, over to a broken window, to the right of the doors, and had a peek inside.  There was a lovely mantle with a magnificent, mirror above it.  It looked as if it was green marble.  There were velvet chairs and a gold velvet couch.  There had been some invasion but it didn't seem to be, too bad.  A few things were strewn about.  Didn't look terrible.
   I walked around the beautiful home and it was amazing how big it was.  On the back side of the house it stood 4 floors.  There was also a garage and it was all locked up.  No way to enter from the back side.  Then on around to the other side.  There was an open door, on what looked to be a sun porch.   It was so far up, that you would need a ladder.  So far, the only way in was the window, at the front porch.  The two front doors, by the broken window, which were side by side, were boarded up.  On the side of the house toward the road.  There was a balcony.  Probably  6 feet or so.  It had wooden rails and spindles, and a door to enter the living room area underneath.  It too, was locked.  It was too elegant, to be abandoned.  But here it stood.  Empty for God knows how long.
    I was just glad it hadn't fell to the destruction of vandals.  It had some damage but was still savable. A miracle.  I didn't enter the premises just took pics of the outside and through the broken widow.  That was how I left it,back in September.  It was hidden among the foliage, unable to be seen from the road.  Safe for now.
   On the drive home my heart longed to visit again.  I was so afraid, it would be torn down, or destroyed!
My biggest fear is that wild ones and thieves would ruin this beauty.  It happens way too often.  So many mansions and beautiful farmhouses, are ruined at the hands of these people.
    For days, for weeks and months, I thought of this place.  Wondering how to get back there, and get another chance to shoot the gorgeous lady.  The stone facade, against the blue sky, with a roaring river, rushing close by.  I had determination to find this home.

     
    
  We left early one morning, and headed out to a route that I had written down.  We set our GPS, only to find out, that route didn't exist.  I had written down the wrong road. It was a long way, from where we reside, so we had quite a day ahead of us.   We would just have to hit the road and try to find it.
  That is what we did.  We headed out in the direction, I had remembered the house to be.  All I knew is we had to try to find it.  We drove for two hours.  When we arrived in the area, that I thought, it was at.  We started checking out all the side roads.  I knew it set along a river, so I kept watching for bridges.  Finally!! There it was!  To my amazement, the place was cleaned up.  The weeds had been cut and the grass had been mowed.  The house stood there naked against the blueness, of the sky.  Still as beautiful as I remembered.
    This time we were not alone. When we pulled up, there was a small, white pickup there.  Still running and a tarp on the back.  There was a coal sticker, and I believe coal plates.  I didn't think much about this.  I thought maybe it was the owner.  I went ahead and took some pics from the road, waiting to see, if they would return to the truck.  Hoping to meet the owner.  Well, no one returned, as we waited and waited.  Deciding to go on to the house, and try to talk to someone, we headed down the hill, toward the house, passing by an old well on the way.
     Well, no one came out and I was afraid to go in, not knowing who was in there.  We always try to be careful when exploring.  You never know what you will run in to.  Finally my hubby hollered to get their attention.  First time, there was no reply.  The second time, a teen came out of the front door and a grown man came out of the basement.  I let them know, I was just wanting to take some pics.  The older gentleman, told us they were doing the same.  Informing us about the great detail of the old house.  I went up to the porch.  The once boarded up door was now kicked in, opened up into a messy room, full of someones memories, scattered all over the floor.  I find this sad.  I hope when we are gone, that my family will take my stuff and keep it, or sell it.  I don't want my years of memories, scattered about, the house and walked upon.
    It was terrible, inside.  The beds were torn apart, mattresses stripped, and thrown to the side.  The floor, in what I think was the dining room was unstable.  It would not take much to fall into the basement.  There was an old serving table, the drawers pulled out,and thrown, who knows where.  That was the only furniture, that I saw, in the dining area.

   My heart broke when I spotted an old B&W picture on the floor.  The woman in the picture looked fairly young, and dressed in clothes from 50's or so.  She looked elegant and like a well groomed,  lady.  Sad to see it there :(
   There were cards and letters, ripped open and strewn about.  Birthday, Mothers day, thank you cards and more.  Some dated back to the 50's.
    I just took a few pictures and held a silent vigil for the person or people who had once lived here and enjoyed a happy life.  Not having a clue who they were, but knowing they had, to have loved it here.  I know I would have.  Big porches to sit on and an upstairs balcony to go out on, watch the sunrise and enjoy a morning cup of coffee.
    I always try to connect with the people, who have called these places home.  I look around and see what had meant the most, to them to them. I look at the clothes they had worn, trying to guess which was their fave.  Wondering what their favorite color was, were they married, was there children?  Just a few things I ask myself, as I walk through.  I respect these places and the life the people led.  I take nothing and leave only footprints in the dust.
     Well, this is not always the case.  There are people out there, that will take anything that is not tied down. And on this day, we ran into some that were doing just that.  Unknown to me for quite sometime, because I was taking pics and connecting to the home.  But there were people removing items and hauling them off.  Old vacuum cleaners, and many antiques.  I am completely against this!  This makes me mad!  They had taken stuff out, while I was elsewhere .  It is terrible to see this going on. Breaks my heart!
     I had connected to this place and had a love for it.  I am afraid it won't be around long and people will totally destroy it.  But I will keep it in my heart.
     When I got home, I loaded my pics onto my computer.  This took a while.  I knew I would have to wait until later, to see how they turned out.  I also, wanted to research the family, and see if I could find out who had lived here.  On Monday I did just that.  I did find out who lived there, when they died, and a little history.  Not much.  But to me it was something important.  It aloud me to put a face with the house.  May they RIP.  Glad they had the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful country home on the river.

The old Tatum Springs Hotel

I LOVED YOU ONCE ©Tammy Sullivan Poem and Photo

The Tatum Springs hotel was once a thriving vacation spot.  It catered to the elite and wealthy patrons.  I had a neighbor, who told me that, when she was a child, they would travel by horse and carriage to the hotel and spring.  The springs were told to  have healing waters.  That is why In its heyday they would have thousands of visitors.

Later the hotel became a 4-H camp.  Also churches would have church camp here, for the children..  There was a lot of  laughing and playing.  If you listen real close you can still here the laughter ringing out.

Time would take its toll on the old hotel.  The flood waters from the Chaplin river, would invade the structure many times.  The destruction left behind was unimaginable.  The owners no longer, wanted to spend the money to repair this old, historic site.  I guess you could say it became a money pit.  The skeleton of it, set beside the river for quite some time, after the flooding.  On foggy nights she looked like a ghost from the past.  Surrounded by the mist.  It was a little eerie, on these foggy nights. I loved her. 

When I first saw what was left of, the once famous Hotel and spring, It reminded me of a place right out of a western movie.  I could picture women standing on the balcony’s, yelling to the men below.  It could have been a brothel, right out of any John Wayne movie. The gingerbread trim in the eves, and the porches wrapping around the face of the hotel.

I made many trips, to this spot.  Taking pictures and connecting with it’s originality and beauty.  I had never seen a place, as beautiful as here.  I had a connection to it , and its old fashion charm.  The first time that I saw her, it touched my soul.  It was as if, I had been here before. I felt like, I had spent some time here.  I cannot explain why this was, but I was connected.  I always felt like the people from many years ago, were here with me.  The ones who had come by horse and buggy, to visit the healing spas.  I felt them, heard their chatter.  Maybe not literally but I could feel their presence all around me.   I was not afraid of them.  I longed to connect with them. 

 I longed to see the hotel restored.  I loved her.  And I was heart broken when I heard it had burned to the ground.  Rumors had it, that arson, had taken it from us. The only thing that remains now, are the chimneys.  It is so sad to loose this beautiful peace of history.
photo of the winding staircase inside the hotel.
 ©Tammy Sullivan photo

I loved you once © TammySullivan
I LOVED YOU ONCE ©Tammy Sullivan
(I wrote this about Tatum Springs hotel. The pic was taken, inside the hotel around 1989)
I loved you once, a long time ago.
What has happened since? I don’t know.
I was in a trance, captured by your spell.
The most breathtaking, haunting, magnificent hotel.
You stood like a ghostly, spirit in the evening haze.
Leaving me consumed, excited and dazed.
This is where it all started, My love for the abandon.
It started with you my, wonderful, mansion.
The porches were crumbling, the windows were gone.
I was dreaming of the times and things forgone.
Taking a peek inside, a wonder I saw.
The winding staircase that was about to fall.
Inside this secluded, lonely château.
The connection I felt, that no one would know.
©Tammy Sullivan 2015

House on the hill

When the icy fingers of  winter, start moving in.   Things that have been hidden, behind the leaves of summer, start to reveal themselves.  The leaves fall from the trees and bushes, like clothing falling to the floor.  Showing the nakedness of the abandoned houses and barns.  Bringing into light, that which was once hidden.
It was on one of my adventures, that I spotted, one of those hidden places.  I had been in this area many times but had not seen this treasure, that sat upon the hill, behind a grove of trees.  She stood there poised against the blue and white sky, like a skeleton.  The siding had started falling off, and there were places, that you could see all the way through the house.  Just like bones. A ghost of what once stood here.
I made my way through the high weeds and briers, that towered,  above me, drawing closer to the farmhouse.  Scratches scared my hands as I pushed forward.  With every cautious step, that I took, more of her beauty came into view. I could make out a bit of yellow paint that had once covered the wooden siding.  It was a two-floor, wooden, farmhouse.  The front porch, had fell upon itself, scattered and  broken in pieces, at my feet.  I could not even make out where the front door was, due to the large, splinters of wood blocking it.
I moved away from the front of the house and made my way to the back , looking for a back door, or another way to get inside.  All the while, I was watching for open cisterns and  wells, or dangerous openings, which I have stumbled upon many times.
Oh, my!  It was amazing!  The back of the house was made in the shape of an L.  What was so fascinating, was that the original house had once been a one room, single story house, made of field stone.  There was a large stone chimney, to the right side, of the stone house.  This was beautiful, to see. The perfect workmanship that had went into this place.  There was also, an open back door, so I ventured in.  The door was short and wide.  Different from what we have today.  It was painted yellow, to match the house siding.  I stepped through the door, into the open space, a fireplace, to my right, and another short, yellow door, matching the one, that I just came  through, in front of me.  The floor was wooden slats, that were still in good shape. As a matter of fact, this part of the house could be saved, and would make a beautiful home.
To the left, was a doorway, that led into the newer part of the house.  The doorway was average size, unlike the one I had just entered.  This part of the house, was still very old.  I could tell by the lattice strips that had once been covered by plaster.  This room that I had walked into, had  been the kitchen, where only the top, cabinets remained.
From this room , I went straight through , into another room.  Most likely the living-room area.  This is where you could see, the decay this place has fell into.  The front of the house was gone.  That was where the porch had been.  Ceilings were sagging, as well as the floors.  This part of the house was very, unsafe.  A fireplace was to the right, and a shelf and window, as well as holes in the wall, opening to the outside.  Not much left to see. There was a door to the left.  I walked carefully, over to it, floor sagging , with each step that I took.  I made it safely.  This was once the foyer, where there were steps leading upstairs.  It was so unsafe that I didn’t attempt to climb them. But peeked into the room on the other side of the stairs. There was a fireplace  there also.
This concluded my inside adventure.  There was a screened in porch off of the living room but It was taken over by nature.  Didn’t go there either.
It was a beautiful place, once.  Sitting here, overlooking the creek below,  away from the hustle and bustle.  Like a guardian.  Glad I got to see her and connect with a bit of the past.  Keep watching over the creek, as well as the land at your feet.  You are a beauty.

A real ghost town

I am at the point in my life, where the crowded towns and lots of people, bustling about, is less desirable than before.  I would rather take a quiet walk in the woods or on a quiet beach and become one with nature.  I like having time to think and meditate on things that are more important.  It is getting harder and harder to find these quiet places.  Our country is growing fast and quiet spots are being swallowed up.
I was out driving the back roads one day when I stumbled upon a real, ghost town.  It was down some narrow lanes, nestled in the hills.  Hidden from most people, who live in the bigger towns.  The first thing that I spotted was an abandoned log cabin.  Looked to be a one or two room cabin.  It was very small.  Then there was an old abandoned church, sitting alongside, a crystal blue creek, glistening in the sunlight.  This was picture perfect.  I very seldom see a church that sits by a creek. Words can’t describe how perfect it was.  Just ahead of me was a country store, with abandoned cars and tractors parked along side of it, a glider chair on its porch.  I was so glad, to see all these abandoned buildings, untouched by vandals.   There was no graffiti.  Out from the country store was a large farm.  The farm house was three stories, with a wrap around porch.  I can only imagine how great it would be, to sit here, in the evening, as the sun was setting, sipping on a cup of coffee and watching the evening colors coat the sky.  It would be so peaceful and beautiful.  I am sure there are lots of wildlife that cross through here also.  I could embrace this lifestyle.  But believe it or not.  There is more.   a one room school house, back a lane.  Windows were boarded up but the door was unlocked.  Walking inside, I entered a coat room.  There was a row of hooks, which I am sure, at one time held many coats, on cool days.  From the coat room it opened up into a large room, where the classes were held.  The blackboard was gone and there were no desks to be seen.  The school was in excellent shape.  It was very dark inside, even with my flashlight. I didn’t see any water damage, missing floor boards or a damaged roof .  It was great!   From here I went up to the farm house which still held many treasures inside.  There were cabinets, tea sets, dish wares and much more.  Left as if someone had just walked away.  There were broken windows.  I don’t know if it was from weather and time or from humans.  There still wasn’t any signs of vandals.  Good!   Things were not broken and scattered about. It looked untouched.  I was not going to disturb this place either.  Along the road there were many other abandoned homes, some in descent shape, some not so much.  But the sun was setting so it was time to move on to another adventure on another day.

Welcome to my blog

I am starting a new blog.  I am hoping to be able to share with you my adventures.  I enjoy traveling the back roads, searching for abandoned or beautiful places.  We are losing our past and I try to capture them with my camera.   These places touch my heart in many ways.  I have visited abandoned plantation homes as well as small farms.  They are all an important part of our history.  So follow me as I travel forward.