I would explore as a kid. I had a bike that had a pouch on it, it was removable. Anytime I came across something that to me was new and had no clue what it was, I would put it in the pouch and go ask my parents. Explored through wooded areas, around the lake (did not ride my bike there, was taken by my parents to the lake), around the parks, down along the river, etc. Fast forward to now, or you know older. I still explore. Mainly now it is more like taking dirt roads just to see where they lead, taking pictures of various things along the way. I do not get lost in the country. Leave a highway, travel 6 miles south, turn left and go east about 3 miles, turn right and go south for about 10 miles, turn right and go west for 3 miles, then turn right and go north 16 miles and bam, right back on the highway. The only time I had ever used GPS locating, basically it didn't say Left turn ... blah, blah, blah. I simply went to a website, got the actual GPS coordinates of a location. Typed it into an app, held it like a compass and then drove along until the numbers came close to matching the ones I typed into it. Turns out that there was no lake there. Fenced off area and land that was obviously a lake at one time:
The Saline County State Fishing Lake, apparently, or at least what once was the lake. Located north of Salina in the country. It had an eerie feeling to it. Honestly, never seen anything like it.
Moving on. Some of the things I would take pictures off in the country or in towns or cities that I venture around are abandoned buildings and houses. They all decay, but they decay differently and give a different look. If only the structures could tell you what they have seen. In many cases, yes I do believe that to be a dangerous request because of the pain and suffering that could have been witnessed. Though at the same time, historical purposes the events these structures could tell us about. Especially the structures that have survived 100+ years. Many abandoned structures all have an unusually neat look to them.
Located in a small town (if you can still call it a town) along a road from Ellsworth to Salina.
Was located (meaning it had been torn down within the past 9 years) on a dirt road 2 miles south of HWY-54. That is 2 miles south of 54 in Kiowa County.
A building I took a picture of in Boyd. I have personally driven as far West as Meade, KS (going along HWY54) and Sharon Springs, KS (driving away, I should say and that's I-70/old HWY-40). As far North I have personally driven is between Hays, KS and Plainsville, KS (along HWY-183), Marysville, KS (do not remember the highway). The farthest East I have gone is Topeka, KS and Wichita, KS. Finally the farthest South I have gone is Attica, KS and Protection, KS. I am sure I may have been farther when I was a kid, but do not remember all the names of the places I have been as a kid. At the time, things were different. Economy was different and we were able to afford traveling around and seeing new things. Guess that is one thing I try to still do every so often. I once knew a way to Salina, KS from Greensburg, KS traveling mainly/mostly/majority on dirt road. Only pulled that off once though.
This is either a structure that was still standing on the north side of Greensburg, or it is the building that I think still stands in Welsford. Sometimes it is hard for me to place the exact location, I do know it is from Kiowa County. Go figure. ^_^
Often times when I am driving through the country on dirt roads, I do forget to count my miles to keep track of how far I am from a highway or a black-top county road. So often times I end up in a different county and not realize it. So then the location of a structure I am unable to tell until I go back to a highway and get near a town again. Luckily Kiowa County is roughly a square and Greensburg is approximately 15 miles from the county lines on all sides. With that being said, that does not mean the dirt roads will be the same. Traveling highway is sometimes different then traveling dirt roads in that way, or at least to me that is how it feels or seems.
Like this home, I came across it in either northern Pratt County or southern Stafford County. Might have even been in the south-western part of Edwards County. A lot of people think that Kansas is boring, but honestly it isn't to me. Maybe it is because I am weird and like wildflowers, abandoned structures, just exploring and seeing what all I can find while seeing where dirt roads lead too. It is pretty interesting at what you will come across in the middle of the country or out in the middle of a field.
Some structures I find seem perfectly fine, like a renovation and they would be good to go. Others, they seem so outta line that it is amazing they have not just toppled over yet.
Granted they are all different, different way of aging and decaying, they all have one thing in common: They Are The Abandoned.
