The Abandoned: Heart in the Trees - Guest Heart Thursday

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Heart in the Trees - Guest Heart Thursday

Across the street from The Abandoned is my parent's home. In my Mother's garden I found this wondrous shining heart of rainbows. Sometimes the magic of The Abandoned spills over to the places surrounding it!

For more wonderful heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.

WARNING: Anyone wishing to visit The Abandoned, must have permission from the owners.

6 comments:

Clytie said...: I love this sun catcher. Mom found it (gotta love that Dollar Tree!!!) and gave it to me almost a year ago - and it's still as bright as ever! Thank you so much for sharing it on Guest Heart Thursday!; September 23, 2010 at 2:32 PM
Beth Niquette said...: Really? It's yours? Well, I'm not surprised, SissyDear! ((hugs)); September 23, 2010 at 2:41 PM
Dani said...: wow, sun catcher? never seen one (or heard), but I LOVE it. colorful beauty!!!

Hugs; September 23, 2010 at 4:39 PM
Laura said...: such a beauty this one!; September 23, 2010 at 6:16 PM
Lyneen said...: This is a wonderful colorful heart! TFS; September 23, 2010 at 8:54 PM
JayLeigh said...: Beautiful heart! It *does* look magical! :-); September 25, 2010 at 10:41 AM

The Abandoned

Years ago, I dedicated this blog to The Abandoned, a huge complex of abandoned buildings in rural Oregon.

Surrounded by wetlands and old growth timber, The Callahan Center was built in the 1970's by the State of Oregon as a rehabilitation center for people recovering from injuries on the job.

In 1992, the property was bought by a mega church. However, the Living Enrichment Center closed in 2004, amidst financial scandal and the property was abandoned.

The buildings stood empty for many years. Over that span the property was vandalized and looted. Yet the beauty of its rare architecture shone through the shambles of abuse and disrepair.

In the summer of 2013, the complex was completely demolished. We were all sad to see the buildings go, but because of trespassers and vandals, it was necessary to take them down.

The area where The Abandoned once stood is filled with $500,000 mushroom houses (homes built so fast they pop up like mushrooms) built on postage stamp lots. There are sidewalks and tall lamps where I once watched the foxes of the field leaping above the grass, hunting rodents.

The surrounding woodlands still survive. It is my prayer the wetlands and forests with their pristine creeks, native trees and flowers, as well as the wildlife which shelter there, will be protected.