Old Schools

The age of modern times and new schools have left these old schools to sit abandoned falling down and boarded up as a reminder of the times past

With communities trying to save taxpayer money, schools merge and yet, somehow, the taxes still increase.  But now residents of towns have to pay for the new buildings.

Larger class rooms make it more difficult for those students needing extra help.  Was the old way bad?  Probably not, as many of us who grew up in smaller, more personal, schools will tell you, we still feel we were given a much better education.  We will miss you, old schools!

The following pictures I took on some of my travels across the state.

#1 This one was taken in the town of Salamanca,NY.
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#2 This one was taken in the town of Bradford,PA.
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My old high school,KLONDIKE HIGH,  W. Lafayette,Indiana
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Best SMALL town in America

Hammondsport,NY was voted the best little small town in America  for 2012

If you want to visit a gorgeous little village in a beautiful setting, without the crowds, this town is for you.  The town is situated on the southern end of Keuka Lake.

The old Railroad Depot is now the town offices and Police Dept.

Looking across the Lake from the Depot.

Hammondsport is a lively little town with lots of things to do and enjoy there are many little Restaurants and shops to explore, hiking trails,bike trails, by night enjoy the live music at the local pub.  or visit the  the Glenn Curtis Museum.

Glenn Curtis was a pioneer in Aviation, he became the fastest man in the world on his Curtis motorcycle with an airplane engine.

Hammondsport is the beginning of the Keuka Lake wine trail where you can tour the wineries and sample the fine wines.

There is a lot to be said for small town living and small town retirement.  No big hustle and bustle of the big cities and a whole lot less crime.  Come enjoy the Finger Lakes and what they have to offer.

The Arcade Railroad

The Arcade Railroad is located in the town of Arcade,NY the railroad was founded in 1807. You can take a nostalgic train ride on the old steam engine through the country side.

Pick up your tickets in the old depot and browse the old railroad displays inside while waiting on the train.

Board the train take a seat and enjoy the ride with live music to entertain you on the ride.

It's about a half hour ride to the end of the track where the train stops to turn around, there is a snack bar  here where you can get a drink to wash down all the coal dust & smoke that you breathed in..

The old number 22 sits and the end of the line where the kids can climb on board.

The railroad has had an active freight service record, transporting grain, milk, cheese, gasoline, cows, coal and mail.  When Arcade's Borden plant was in operation, the railroad transported Cremora all across the nation. The 1930's were the boom years for the Arcade Railroad. 

 The Arcade Railroad in it's glory days..............

AJ's Motel

The word Motel was coined in 1925 and referred to a type of hotel consisting of a single building of connected rooms whose doors faced a parking lot, aka. motor inn,motor courts. As the U.S. highway system began to develop in the mid 20’s long distance travel became more common and the need for inexpensive, easily accessible overnight accommodation close to the main routs led to the growth of the motel concept.  Motels peaked in the 1960’s with rising car travel only to decline with coming of the new chain hotels. Today few of these old motels exist any longer.  Here is one example of such a motel that has  been sitting vacant since the early 80’s called AJ's Motel, it sits along a stretch of highway 16 in the town of Hinsdle,NY as a remembrance of times past……….

Old Motel DeSoto

The old De Soto Motel sets on the outskirts of Olean,NY, in its days it was a grand little Motel with swimming pool in the center courtyard. I stayed here many times in my travels across the state. The Motel was built in the 1940's and closed in 2008 due to all the new fancy Motels that were built in the area. Now it just sits abandoned to time growing up in weeds.......

The Old Farm

This once thriving farm like so many across New York state has been abandoned  so now this big old barn just sets lost to another era and time. It's such a shame to see these beautiful old barns rotting to the ground today and the fields all grown up with weeds.

Old Erie Railroad Station

The old Erie Railroad Station located in the town of Salamanca,NY was built in 1904 and served many people through the years before being abandoned in the 1980's. It now sits rotting to the ground like so many others across the country. Our past history is slowly slipping away......