Some new photos from Fort Wayne

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Polaroid photograph of an excavator with a demolition grapple tearing apart the back side of Saint Joseph Hospital on the corner of Broadway and Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. This side of the building faces Van Buren Street.

The hospital, a very tall building to demolish with excavators, is seemingly being dismantled from the group upward. This seems very dangerous to me, as the now top-heavy building looks like it could collapse on the demolition workers.

10-11-22

 

[Pál_K]

I have a distant and dim memory of wrecking balls being used to knock down upper walls of a building. Haven’t seen that for quite a while though.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I have a distant and dim memory of wrecking balls being used to knock down upper walls of a building. Haven’t seen that for quite a while though.

I've seen them used in history book and old movies and tv shows, but have never seen it during my lifetime.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

I've seen them used in history book and old movies and tv shows, but have never seen it during my lifetime.

Last time I saw one in use was 1968. Our new high school was built next to the old one that dated from the 1880's. We got to watch the ball slam into the old, much-hated building from our new digs; even the teachers cheered!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Last time I saw one in use was 1968. Our new high school was built next to the old one that dated from the 1880's. We got to watch the ball slam into the old, much-hated building from our new digs; even the teachers cheered!

My dad graduated from high school in 1968. Why did you hate the old building?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Polaroid photograph of an excavator atop a tall pile of rubble; tearing apart the back side of Saint Joseph Hospital on the corner of Broadway and Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. This side of the building, facing Van Buren Street, was demolished from the back. It was the south end of the building. All of that part has been torn down except a small part that projected out in front of the building, which is now a freestanding tower!

Founded in 1869, Saint Joseph Hospital was the oldest hospital in Fort Wayne. It closed in November, 2021 and demolition began in 2022.

Originally a Roman Catholic hospital, Saint Joseph was sold years ago to a big for-profit company that also owns Lutheran Hospital and Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne. The company built a new, much smaller hospital one block over on the corner of Main Street and Van Buren Street to replace the aging Saint Joseph Hospital. The Saint Joseph name was not kept; the new hospital is called "Lutheran Downtown."

10-11-22

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Polaroid photograph of the demolition of Saint Joseph Hospital on the corner of Broadway and Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. This end of the building was demolished from the back, leaving a small part that projected out from the front of the building as a precarious-looking freestanding tower. This is what remains of the hospital's southeast corner, facing Broadway.

Founded in 1869, Saint Joseph Hospital was the oldest hospital in Fort Wayne. It closed in November, 2021 and demolition began in 2022.

Originally a Roman Catholic hospital, Saint Joseph was sold years ago to a big for-profit company that also owns Lutheran Hospital and Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne. The company built a new, much smaller hospital one block over on the corner of Main Street and Van Buren Street to replace the aging Saint Joseph Hospital. The Saint Joseph name was not kept; the new hospital is called "Lutheran Downtown."

10-11-22

 

[Pál_K]

It seems that a stiff wiinter wind would knock that down.

Great documentary photos you have. Probably nobody else does it.

I like the contrast of the tree, autumn leaves, and building.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

My dad graduated from high school in 1968. Why did you hate the old building?

Overcrowded, a barely functioning heating system (in New England!), segregated boys' and girls' lunchrooms (in a public school!), rats everywhere, filthy... 'Nuff said?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Overcrowded, a barely functioning heating system (in New England!), segregated boys' and girls' lunchrooms (in a public school!), rats everywhere, filthy... 'Nuff said?

When I was teaching high school, we had cockroaches everywhere; even in the classrooms. The cafeteria had mice that sometimes got into the 1st floor classrooms. Some students told me they saw a rat walking down one of the halls once. This building was not old or rundown, but it sure was infested! Later, when I was a middle school librarian, I had a Beanie Baby spider named Hairy who sat on the counter and watched kids check out books. Hairy is very realistic, unlike the usual bright colors and cuteness of most beanie babies. He looks like he could just crawl right up the wall! The kids loved him. One day a student asked why I brought my spider to school. I told him it was to save money on spider food. If I kept him at home, I'd have to buy expensive insects and mice to feed him (yes, some very large spiders eat mice!). If I brought him to school, he could crawl next door to the school cafeteria and hunt food there. Since there were so many mice and roaches, he could eat enough to last all day!

It seems that a stiff wiinter wind would knock that down.

Great documentary photos you have. Probably nobody else does it.

I like the contrast of the tree, autumn leaves, and building.

Thanks. I think this is my favorite of the Saint Joseph Hospital pictures so far. I got an email today from a reporter at one of the local TV news shows; she wants to do a story about me and my Polaroids of the hospital! I'm excited about that.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Polaroid snapshot of a house decorated for Halloween on Washington Boulevard, between College Street and Nelson Street, in the West Central neighborhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It made me laugh to see a big green ghost, holding a giant black spider, standing under a Ghostbusters flag.

10-11-22

 

[Pál_K]

... I got an email today from a reporter at one of the local TV news shows; she wants to do a story about me and my Polaroids of the hospital! I'm excited about that.

W00t!!! That’s great. I hope she sees your other work as well.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

W00t!!! That’s great. I hope she sees your other work as well.

Agreed! Nice to see your work getting some of the recognition it deserves!

 

[tbhv55]

I got an email today from a reporter at one of the local TV news shows; she wants to do a story about me and my Polaroids of the hospital! I'm excited about that.

That's great news, Chris. Your work has been a continual source of interest on RFF for me, and - no doubt - for others on here. Wider recognition of your project is long overdue, and hopefully, this is the moment.

Keep up the good work.

 

[pixelated]

congratulations Chris!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

My 19th Polaroid photograph of the demolition of Saint Joseph Hospital on the corner of Broadway and Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. The south end of the building was demolished from the back, leaving a small part that projected out from the front of the building as a precarious-looking freestanding tower. This is the front side of the hospital, facing Broadway.

Founded in 1869, Saint Joseph Hospital was the oldest hospital in Fort Wayne. It closed in November, 2021 and demolition began in 2022.

Originally a Roman Catholic hospital, Saint Joseph was sold years ago to a big for-profit company that also owns Lutheran Hospital and Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne. The company built a new, much smaller hospital one block over on the corner of Main Street and Van Buren Street to replace the aging Saint Joseph Hospital. The Saint Joseph name was not kept; the new hospital is called "Lutheran Downtown."

10-11-22

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

W00t!!! That’s great. I hope she sees your other work as well.

Agreed! Nice to see your work getting some of the recognition it deserves!

That's great news, Chris. Your work has been a continual source of interest on RFF for me, and - no doubt - for others on here. Wider recognition of your project is long overdue, and hopefully, this is the moment.

Keep up the good work.

congratulations Chris!

Thanks, guys. I'm excited. I don't look my best in the interview; I've had bad allergies the last few days so my face is all red and icky from sneezing and blowing my nose too much, but it's still cool to get some publicity for my work. I'll post a link to it once the TV station puts the video on their website. Its going to air tonight

 

[Pál_K]

This is wonderful news - looking forward to it!

How did the reporter initially discover you?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

This is wonderful news - looking forward to it!

How did the reporter initially discover you?

She said a friend of hers saw my photos of the hospital demolition on social media and told her about my project. I put links to my photos on Facebook and Twitter.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Our house last Tuesday. The night before gave us the first snowfall of the season, so I photographed it first thing in the morning. We rarely get snow in October! It all melted the next day.