Keeping Up with the Jonses (or The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall)

Abandoned and derelict mansions fascinate me. They are the perfect mix of beauty, tragedy, and mystery. Once majestic and regal, they were constructed as a proclamation of their owner's wealth, pride, and station in life. Eventually these homes were transformed into ruins, often becoming reflective of the owner's deteriorated wealth.

I am most absorbed with Wyndclyffe. Its destruction was not by fire or natural disaster, but merely neglect. Uninhabited since 1938, nature has nearly reclaimed this once glorious place. All of these structures hold a strange appeal for me. I can't help but imagine that at the time of inhabitance the owners must have felt invincible, as if the world had an insatiable desire for whatever gadget, widget, or service the family business was selling. Clearly, they were no more immune to the changing economy than those recently dethroned in today's recession.

As a child I remember Nonna describing this over-inflated sense of self-importance as having, "the world by the tail on a downhill pull." Hearing people brag about their possessions/experiences/accomplishments these days makes me pause my eyeroll just long enough to think that an abandoned McMansion isn't nearly as sublime as Wyndclyffe.

Enjoy these links...
100 Abandoned Houses
WebUrbanist
Illicitohio

...and these photos

 

 

ETA: Hey y'all...here's some more info about the deteriorating French chateau: Paris Parfait

Googling the terms "abandoned mansion" and "derelict mansion" yield very interesting results. Prepare to be enthralled. Detroit is fascinating and heartbreaking (the large photo on the bottom left of the collage is of the James Scott mansion). One really comical finding is the abandoned Mike Tyson mansion. It is the tackiest thing you've ever seen (and he didn't even abandon it...he sold it to a guy who made a lot of money producing Tae Bo infomercials and that guy abandoned it...anyway.)