About to trump you all.....
in my book at least. Just spent 3 days in a little town called Alexis in Illinois. Was taking photos of the facades of what used to be the old depot (when the train stopped way back when) and an old man, at least 80, came out and started a conversation with me. I was telling him how much I loved the woodwork, the ornate door handles (all engraved) and the cast iron steps with the foundry proudly cast in them and he mentioned that they definitely dont make them like they used to. I responded in agreement and told him that I wish everything was still made that way. We spoke for a little more and I told him that I was the fiance of one of the towns old residents and he then told me that he owned all of the building and lived just across the street. My fiance walked up and we started to speak some more and he began to talk about what the buildings used to be (before the town started to die out) and then mentioned that the second floor was an OPERA HOUSE (!!!!) that hasnt been used since the late 1920s/ early 30s when the fire code changed. He then asked if I would like to go up and take a look around. Well, hell yes I did and it was absolutely amazing. I just got back so I only have one photo right now to share. I dont edit any of them so itll only take me a couple hours to rotate them and get them up and I would love to share them all. The back drops were hand painted paper (still there) signed by the different classes and vaudeville performers that used them and were rigged up with blocks and pulleys and all maneuvered by one giant hand crank. The ceiling still had the hooks where they hung lit laterns to illuminate the stage (opera house dates from the 1850s) and audience area. When electricity came in, the place was rewired for electric lamps and the lines of wire separated by porcelain pieces ran all over the walls and ceilings. All original and all, completely untouched. You could smell the aged wood. It was absolutely amazing. Here is the only photo I have up right now. Its completely from the camera with no photo editing at all and its the first thing you see as you ascend the old steps before you turn to hit up the booth for your ticket.
