Sorry if part 1 was boring, and this may not be any better, but at least you'll get a flavor of the city.
Elmira (pop ~ 30,000, down from 50,000 in 1950) is the county seat of Chemung County (pop ~ 90,000 down from 100,000 in 1970).
Elmira was a transportation center (railroad and waterway) for the Southern Tier of Upstate New York, and a manufacturing stronghold. As the years past both of these economic engines slackened and the city has been in decline for a while. (My Brother got laid off when the Toshiba Factory in nearby Horseheads closed a few years back).
The city has been trying to get jump-started, but with limited success. For more info (and a couple of good pics) check here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmira,_New_York
I spent more time visiting the city (three hours) for this tour than I have any other time I've been there, except when I was a young kid and we went to Eldridge Park (
http://www.eldridgepark.us/).
Hope the comments won't drive you crazy, but wtf. Let's get started.
I'm starting on Clinton Street a just a couple of blocks north of the CBD.
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I didn't realize Elmira had any rows
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Not all urban, this is across the street from the last pic
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Finally some businesses
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9. Mark Twain married a gal from Elmira, lived there for a while, and was buried there, so the city kind of claims him.
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11. First Arena, home of the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL.
Right after I took the above pic, some young guy riding a bike right at me hopped off, dropped the bike and jumped onto a city bus. I walked toward the bus, but it took off. I checked out the bike and figured it must have been stolen (bad paint job). I asked a nearby coffee shop to call the police. I waited for a half an hour, but decided to move on since I knew my parking meter would expire and I'd probably get a ticket.
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When I returned to the same corner three kids were checking the bike out. One of them said it was his (he had the serial #) and said it had been stolen a couple of days previously. I told him I'd called the cops, and he said they never show up.
Don't ya just love little adventures like that.
Back to the walk-about
13. The old Mark Twain hotel, now assisted living apartments for seniors.
14. The old Izards Department store building (the local Elmira dept store)
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20. Railroad track viaduct bisects the city.
21. Looking north
22. Looking south
23. Downtown bus transportation station (and where was that cop when I needed him?)
24. Chemung County Courthouse (built in four sections over the years :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemung...thouse_Complex )
25. Hey, there's those three kids with the bike.
26. Next to the courthouse I heard a bunch of gals yelling and laughing. It was coming from this building.
27. I figured it must be the county detention center, and they were playing some basketball.
28. Arnot Art Museum, built in 1833
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30. City Hall
31. Some detail (and nearly noon)
32. Next to building in pic 29.
33. I wouldn't step out on the 3rd floor balcony to check the weather.
34. Not sure what's going on with the top floors.
The next two blocks were abandoned except for two buildings.
35. This bank......
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39. ....and this "adult entertainment center"
Here's some churches in the downtown area
40. St. Anthony / St. Patricks Catholic church
41. First Baptist Church
42. Lake Street Presbyterian
43. Trinity Episcopal
44. It had a cool roof.
45. Was Nursing school for St Joseph Hospital, now elderly housing. The building to the right is the hospital.
46. Health Center (but the two gals to the right of the tree were taking a smoke break.
47. More senior apartments
48. The Community Arts Center - the old Langdon Pratt Mansion originally built in the 1840s and restored in the 2000s (finished in 2007), a beauty.
49. The Center's next door neighbor.
50. Ernie Davis (great football player for thos unfamiliar) is a native son.
51. Little place all by its lonesome.
Some abandoned public haousing.
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Some pics of residential in the near west side.
58. Under renovation
59. Completed renovation
60. This one is in need of renovation.
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63. Back downtown
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Hope you enjoyed the tour.
Here's other stops on the trip:
Syracuse, NY
Watertown, NY
Oswego, NY
Oneida, NY
Utica, NY
Gloversville, NY
Elmira Part 1
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