Recycled Heritage

[Wicked Dark]

I grew up near Manchester NH...ManchVegas as we lovingly call it. Not necessarily an old New England city like Boston, but it has a certain history. Textile mills to be exact. At the height of operations the Amoskeag Mills was the largest mill complex in the world (Wiki Article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoskeag_Manufacturing_Company)). When the manufacturing went overseas, the buildings sat for a while, but over the decades have been reclaimed as offices, apartments, stores, spas, restaurants and even a university campus. I've started to photograph them lately. I'm a cityscape novice so I apologize in advance for any ham-fistedness.

http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Architecture/city/P1272908/775321256_74JrA-XL.jpg

I liked this next one for the new and the old elements side by side -
http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Architecture/city/PC222115/757970029_RiCCx-XL.jpg

These buildings litter the east side of the river. They were built to house the hundreds of mill workers and are still used as apartments and offices.
http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Architecture/city/P1272905/775323570_aZxAt-XL.jpg

This is the Merrimack river - the mill's power plant back in the day. There is still a hydroelectric dam in place and it was lowered a couple weeks ago to relieve overflow from a lot of rain and sudden melt. More mills across the way are now warehouses and I think some manufacturing.
http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Architecture/city/P1272918/775317809_wqimY-XL.jpg

And a funny sign behind one of the buildings. Funny until a chunk of ice brains you I suppose.
http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Architecture/city/P1272923/775322134_uBSvZ-XL.jpg

[kat]

Neat set. Love the composition in shot 1.

[Bambi]

thanks for sharing these shots of your city!

I love how the tracks lead you into the photo in shot one.
I like the juxtaposition of new on old in shot 2
the row houses reminds me of houses in older cities like Dublin.

that water looks cold in shot 2. it certainly captures the turbulence of the water.

we have those signs around here too. :)

[Mad Aussie]

Interesting set. And informative!

I think I like the 3rd best photographically.

[Wicked Dark]

Thanks guys. I had fun taking them.
Funny thing is that on the river shot I noticed that it looks like it runs left to right. It doesn't. It runs right to left.

[casil403]

I am kind of drawn to the BW version myself....I like the sign in the corner and am a sucker for the angle/perspective. I think that there is some significant lens distortion in #2 that my eye is having trouble getting past. :)

[Jason]

I love to see these old buidling being rehabbed. In Pittsburgh, where I grew up, and again in Florida where I lived for a couple of years most of that kind of stuff ultimately gets bulldozed for a Walmart.

Just one of many things I love about living in New England.

Very cool shots!