Miller, Kansas

There is not much left of Miller today.  It was founded as a Santa Fe railroad town northeast of Emporia back in the 1880s.  Named for a baseball player, Miller had high hopes of being more than just a railroad town.  During the next 50 years, the town boomed, but the depression years of the 1930's impacted the community.  Until recently, the town was a collection of impressive ruins.  Now even the ruins are disappearing at a rapid rate.  These pictures are all that are left.

Yazoo City, Mississippi: A Second Act

Yazoo City, Mississippi, located north of Jackson, is the gateway to the Mississippi Delta.  In addition, it's a town on a second act.  Fires, unemployment, and tornadoes have ravaged the community.  A particularly damaging fire in the first decade of the twentieth century destroyed most of downtown.  Buildings were rebuilt and a new life occurred.  The recent decades have not been kind.  Businesses left main street not to return.  Despite this, there is a resurgence, and hopes for a brighter future.  Businesses are coming back, main street is getting a new paint and a resurrection.  Everyone is hopeful.  These pictures paint a positive second act.  One of the best town promoters is K.K., an active member of the Yazoo City Chamber of Commerce.  I had a great one hour conversation about the history, dreams, and aspirations of the community.  Please visit, lots of great photos.

Linda Saul-Sena: city's demands killed Jackson House deal - FOX 13 News

Saving urban historic structures seems to be something that city government loves to stop...





Linda Saul-Sena: city's demands killed Jackson House deal - FOX 13 News

Saving Alex

Alexandria, Louisiana is NOT a ghost town by a long stretch, but the downtown business district is blighted and in ruins.  The once prestigious Bentley Hotel sits in questionable disarray.  The current owner has some exceptional ideas to bring back the grand lady by splitting the building into lofts and hotel space.  But reality is, that's a lot of money and the current building is nothing more than a hulk.  The former Weiss & Goldring Department Store sits boarded up with broken windows.  A great space, but nothing in it.  Behind the W&G store sits a rusty water tower.  As Neil Young sings, "Rust Never Sleeps."  This water tower definitely defines what Neil Young is saying.  Were it not for attorney offices and churches, there would be little activity happening in Alexandria with big, empty holes everywhere.   Outside of downtown, Alexandria and adjoining Pineville contains a series of strip malls and stores that appear to be thriving.  As you head into downtown, prosperity leaves.  There are a lot of things happening by various civic groups to change things, and downtown does hold promise.  Now is the time to act.  I took pictures of Alexandria late on a January afternoon.  The images came out pretty well.  Here are some of the best ones.

Neosho Falls, Kansas

I made Neosho Falls famous, though if it wasn't me, it would've been someone else.  I first visited Neosho Falls in 1978.  There were many more buildings than there are now, and they were all filled with stuff.  All types of antiques, old furniture, glassware, you name it.  I took a lot of pictures then.  Since then, things have mysteriously vanished.  Buildings are completely gone.  What was a ghost town in 1978 is an even greater ghost town now.  In 1878 President Rutherford B. Hayes visited Neosho Falls and was met by a cast of thousands.  I brought the rock band Kansas here in 1987 as they became ambitiously inspired to produce In the Spirit of Things, their last album with MCA.  Countless film crews have been lured to Neosho Falls since then.  Today, the place is still worth a visit.  Check out the cemetery, the abandoned school, the school grounds, and the old Township Hall.