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  #41  
Old Posted Apr 20, 2017, 6:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Private Dick View Post
It's akin to ISIS destroying ancient religious temples and cultural artifacts in the middle east. Just not out of spite and ignorance, rather out of indifference and ignorance.
Not that it is an excuse, because we should be better than that, but how much of that would you say is because of the relative young history of the country? How many generations until something is truly historic? Did people in the late 19th century care about preservation? Or were the buildings just utilitarian until they became historic? Makes you wonder what historic gems would still be around, but disappeared before anyone had the ability to truly capture it.

I'd also say that along with indifference, some of it comes down to priorities. I think everyone would prefer to keep the historic integrity of their communities, if it was zero-sum. But when you have dying mill towns in Appalachia that are never going to recover, have inflated unemployment and vast under-education for an economy that has made generational trades/skill obsolete and are swept up in heroin addictions, it's probably tough to galvanize the communities to save structures that will be historic 70 years after their kids overdose.

Not saying I agree with that mentality, and that is probably one of the reasons neighborhoods fail to begin with, but I understand how it gets to that point.
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  #42  
Old Posted Apr 21, 2017, 12:48 AM
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The only churches which stand a fighting chance into the future when Christianity, especially Catholicism and Orthodoxy largely dies out in America are the most beautiful cathedrals and churches located in big cities. Unfortunately, even if a church is preserved and used for something else the Catholic Church usually takes out all the artwork and stained glass windows, so they lose all their majesty even if the exteriors are preserved. It's been projected that Christianity will largely be non existent in America by 2100, hopefully by then they wisen up and preserve these places. I'm hoping that eventually production of materials becomes so cheap via printing that these places can be recreated or easily preserved once humanity ascends into some Star Trek like future where money no longer exists, and society is largely freed from work. For the time being, more and more history will be lost in America and there's not much we can do about it, except take photos before they are lost.
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  #43  
Old Posted Apr 21, 2017, 1:47 AM
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A couple more photos from the Erie churches from last week.

AF5_0050 by photolitherland, on Flickr

AF5_0033 by photolitherland, on Flickr

AF5_1564-2 by photolitherland, on Flickr
And then the abandoned St. Stephens Catholic Church in the town of McKeesport southeast of Pittsburgh from just a few hours ago. McKeesport is a former steel mill town thats been decimated. This church has been abandoned since the early 90s or so after it became briefly an African American Baptist Church. Theres a black Jesus painted on the back of the church. About a year ago a lot the historic pews with Polish names written on them got ripped out and the stained glass windows were broken apart and probably stolen, as well as about 10 rows of pews in the back. The churches floors have began to quickly deteriorate and collapse into the basement. Theres also massive holes in the roof. Its only a matter of time before the roof collapses.
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Last edited by photoLith; Apr 21, 2017 at 1:57 AM.
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  #44  
Old Posted Apr 25, 2017, 7:08 PM
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Just got back from a trip to Bedford and Blaire County, PA today.

AF5_2062 by photolitherland, on Flickr
This is the Messiah Lutheran Church just north of Bedford.

AF5_2241 by photolitherland, on Flickr
An abandoned church, what looks like would have been a Lutheran church as well in Jennerstown, Somerset County.

AF5_2003 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Friends Cove United Church of Christ just south of Bedford, the 1833 church is on the left and the church building on the right was built in 1888.

AF5_1987 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Another photo of the above church

AF5_1751 by photolitherland, on Flickr
St. John's the Baptist Catholic Church in the tiny town of New Baltimore, Somerset County. This church is huge for such a small town, probably about 175 people in the town. All the stained glass windows are Tiffany glass. The town's founder, a wealthy Baltimore merchant named Michael Riddlemoser, envisioned New Baltimore as a safe haven for Catholics when he settled there in 1829. The current church and monastery was built in 1888. Its very unique in that the interior is all wood, of which I haven't seen in a church of its large size.

AF5_1767 by photolitherland, on Flickr
An exterior photo of the above church and the 1879 New Baltimore Covered Bridge.
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Last edited by photoLith; Apr 25, 2017 at 7:59 PM.
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  #45  
Old Posted Apr 26, 2017, 11:16 PM
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  #46  
Old Posted May 4, 2017, 3:58 AM
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Photo from today of the 1925 United Brethren in Christ Church in the depopulated town of McKeesport, an old steel town southeast of Pittsburgh.

AF5_2476 by photolitherland, on Flickr
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  #47  
Old Posted May 7, 2017, 9:17 PM
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AF5_2678 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Calgary United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh's Allegheny West neighborhood. The church was completed in 1895 and has an incredible selection of Tiffany Stained Glass windows.

AF5_2535 by photolitherland, on Flickr

AF5_2546 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Some of the Tiffany glass in the above church.

AF5_2563 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, which sits the next block up from the previous church. This church is a National Historic Landmark and was Henry Hobson Richardsons last completed work before he died; it was completed in 1886. This church also contains three Tiffany windows, although they aren't in this picture.

AF5_2569 by photolitherland, on Flickr
This church is the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church located in McKees Rocks, just downtown of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. The church was completed in 1917.
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Last edited by photoLith; May 8, 2017 at 10:06 PM.
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  #48  
Old Posted May 8, 2017, 10:05 PM
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AF5_2628 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh's Shadyside neighborhood. This is a very impressive church and one of the best examples of a Richardsonian Romanesque Church around. It was completed in 1889. This church has one Tiffany window inside.

AF5_2638 by photolitherland, on Flickr
The Tiffany Window located in the above church.

AF5_2651 by photolitherland, on Flickr
This is the Third Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh's Shadyside neighborhood. This church has 6 Tiffany Glass windows. After doing research, it seems that out of any region, Western PA has the most amount of buildings with Tiffany glass, there are 7 churches in Pittsburgh and about 25 other buildings in Western PA with Tiffany windows. For comparison, NYC only has two buildings with Tiffany glass.

AF5_2655 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Tiffany window in the above church.

AF5_2658 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Another beautiful Tiffany window in said church.

AF5_2665 by photolitherland, on Flickr
The other main Tiffany window in the Presbyterian Church. It seems that through my research it was mainly Presbyterian churches that used Tiffany windows. I haven't seen any Catholic or Orthodox churches which have Tiffany windows yet, although Im sure there has to be some.
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Last edited by photoLith; May 9, 2017 at 4:37 AM.
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  #49  
Old Posted May 9, 2017, 12:16 AM
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holy crap those last two are amazing
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  #50  
Old Posted May 14, 2017, 6:10 PM
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Just checking in on this thread. I'm enjoying it, immensely.
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  #51  
Old Posted May 14, 2017, 10:36 PM
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AF5_3755 by photolitherland, on Flickr

This is St. Aldabert Catholic Church in Pittsburgh's SouthSide neighborhood, it was completed in 1890 and was originally mostly a Polish congregation.
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  #52  
Old Posted May 21, 2017, 10:07 PM
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AF5_4290 by photolitherland, on Flickr

This is the Smithfield Church of Christ in downtown Pittsburgh, it was built in 1927 by Henry Hornbostel and was originally a German parish. There is still German above the chancel and back choir of the church, which is pretty rare. It's also the only church Ive seen in Western PA that has fan vaulting in the ceiling.It also has one of the only all aluminum steeples in the US. Henry Hornbostel also designed the Williamsburg Bridge in NYC.
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  #53  
Old Posted May 25, 2017, 9:10 PM
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These "fractal stained glass windows" that look like modern Electric Sheep style visual screen savers push me to believe the theory that religion may have started from ceremonial entheogens, aka - magic mushrooms and the like. They feature what some people say is sacred geometry that is seen while tripping on psychedelics and may have inspired early minds to create elaborate stories to try to explain the meaning of life or the afterlife. Most people were poor and would never be able to dream up such beauty unaided hundreds of years ago.

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  #54  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2017, 8:44 PM
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AF5_3836 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Polish Hill, Pittsburgh

AF5_4687 by photolitherland, on Flickr
St. Mary of the Mount, Mount Washington, Pittsburgh

AF5_5346 by photolitherland, on Flickr
St. John the Devine Orthodox Church, Monesson

AF5_5361 by photolitherland, on Flickr
St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, Monesson

AF5_5380 by photolitherland, on Flickr
Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, Charleroi

AF5_5409 by photolitherland, on Flickr
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Donora.
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Last edited by photoLith; Jun 4, 2017 at 9:41 PM.
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  #55  
Old Posted Oct 1, 2017, 11:51 PM
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Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Pittsburgh's Polish Hill hood.

AF5_5633-2 by photolitherland, on Flickr

Union Church in Liberty, PA from this past weekend, it lies within one of the darkest night sky areas on the East Coast.

AF5_2576 by photolitherland, on Flickr
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  #56  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2017, 2:26 AM
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Originally Posted by photoLith View Post
Union Church in Liberty, PA from this past weekend, it lies within one of the darkest night sky areas on the East Coast.
Nice! I drive through Liberty all the time to/from Buffalo. I've driven through at night many times, but never stopped to let my eyes set to the night sky. I figured it wouldn't be as good as it is out in Coudersport (which I've never been to at night), so there was no point in even bothering. Now I'll have to stop.

One thing very impressive to me, from one drive through the Northern Tier at night, was the fracking going on. I remember driving on Route 15 somewhere near Blossburg and seeing all this light on the horizon. I figured it was Williamsport and the Susquehanna Valley way off in the distance. Then I reached some of the lights, I could tell it was frackers working 24/7 up on the mountaintops.
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  #57  
Old Posted Oct 16, 2017, 1:41 PM
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The First United Methodist Church in the small town of Ohiopyle located in Ohiopyle State Park, the church was built in 1893.

AF5_6165 by photolitherland, on Flickr
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  #58  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2017, 1:10 AM
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This photo thread was excellent. I will buy your book when it is out.

The architecture, the stained glass, the art work, the chandeliers and sconces, lighting, all of it was captured perfect.
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  #59  
Old Posted Oct 24, 2017, 10:42 PM
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AF5_6309 by photolitherland, on Flickr

St. Bernards Church in Mt. Lebanon, a suburb of Pittsburgh. Surprisingly, this not very modern looking church was finished in the 1970's.
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  #60  
Old Posted Nov 15, 2017, 7:40 PM
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Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona.

AF5_6987-2 by photolitherland, on Flickr

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Altoona, PA
AF5_7015-2 by photolitherland, on Flickr

The "famous" leaning wall of Emanuel Episcopal Church in the Allegheny East hood of Pittsburgh, this was one of the last buildings designed by Henry Hobson Richardson before his death in 1886.
AF5_6425-2 by photolitherland, on Flickr

Inside St. Bernards Catholic Church in Mt. Lebanon, PA
AF5_6333 by photolitherland, on Flickr
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