Abandoned Homes - Death Watch

Taken  Oct 2011

Have you ever walked/driven past a home that is abandoned that you cannot get out of your head? I have reserved this post for when I snap a photo of this place that is in Fond du Lac (Fond du Lac Cty). This home is on Cty Hwy K off of Hwy 23 east out of Fondy (abbrv.), which incidentally is on the way to Rienzi Cemetery.

Sadly, the town/city has been developing the land around it and it stands defiantly, daring to even think about touching the property.

This home has been abandoned for at least 25+ years. I will contact the local historical/geneology group and see what I can find out. It may take awhile as they are moving their offices, so worst case I will head down and research it myself when/if I have time. I am guessing that the owners are not local members of the community.

Photo taken in 2001

I am absolutely entranced by this house, and I can't say that I really want to know why it was left to rot. Standing next to an abandoned home there is a sense of waiting, a substantive lack of spirit and.....something else that I cannot put my finger on at the moment. You know you are trespassing on someone's property and in normal circumstances it would be an act of voyeurism, but at an abandoned home there is no such confrontation. You are just peeping into a shell of a home. It is the oddest sensation.

**Update**
Sally from the Fond du Lac Historical Society sent me a letter with an article regarding this house, and she was willing to dig this out for me even in the midst of a huge move to a new location. The 1910 article was about the Ledge Homestead regarding the restoration of the old farmhouse and newspapers dated 1885 were found under a rug. This is actually a long standing carpetlaying tradition, my husband informed me. Always the front page, left under one of the corners. How else can these craftsmen stamp their mark in history? I found the practice fascinating and am curious to know if it is still being used and if this is purely an American trait or was this passed from our English settlers.

***Update***

The photo above was taken the last Saturday of March,2008 and from that trip I created my own Flickr account and placed those photos in a set called Death Watch. When I first saw this home I believed there was still hope for this house, and that was eight years already. Now when I visit this home I grieve that it is still standing while the city of Fond du Lac grows around it. At some point this old homestead will be taken down, and I am interested to know if the city has held off from taking it due to it's historical value (which is what I suspect), or if the current owners are still paying the taxes on the property. Sadly I probably won't know until I pass by one afternoon to find it gone. Will the elders of Fond du Lac swoop down to take the eaves and pick through the carcass for historical souvenirs?

The final chapter of this home is not quite ready to be told.

***Update***

Photo taken 2010!

As of 04/08/2015, this house still stands.  Here is a more recent picture. As I have time, I'll be updating the photos with newer versions. This house has provided me with the most satisfying experience in photography. With each picture I hope to show a different perspective.

Celebrating First Real Snow in 2016

I can see from my window that a proper Wisconsin winter has finally arrived.  It's easy for me to pick an appropriate photo which is from my Death Watch collection Winter Ledge Homestead.   The sound track for this post was from Skyrim.  As mentioned in my Facebook post, if God needed a soundtrack for creation I would have recommended this.   At the bottom of this post is the video for your listening pleasure.  You are most welcome.

Yesterday (Saturday) I passed a couple walking with their ski poles.  It was somewhat kooky looking but knew that it was all in preparation for today's treat of gliding on skis whether on a trail or just across town to get a coffee or cocoa.    I recall a glorious evening when I strolled through Main Street in West Bend one wintery evening with a friend. No cars in sight, just a ghostly ribbon of road only visible by the amber colored streetlights.   From the top of Barton Road one could have probably skied to downtown.  

As I am writing this I'm cognizant that this is probably the best chance I'll have to get some fresh winter photos and really I don't have to go far if I don't want to.  So Gentle Reader I'm weighing this decision as I'm still in my pajamas and resting quite comfortably in a warm home to watch the snow fall and consider baking Christmas cookies.   But some of my best photographic memories are ones where I'm surrounded in the worst weather. So you know my conundrum.

In fact, the snow fall is very much like what I encountered when taking Winter Ledge.  Usually I listen to classical when driving in snow but the Skyrim soundtrack is also perfect considering the game's environment includes snow covered mountainous regions. I could probably do a full essay on Skyrim's soundtrack but perhaps another time.


The snow is still falling and I have a decision to make.