My apologies for not putting up a substantial post tonight. Sucker that I am (cheers to you, KateSpace), I stayed very late at work tonight and do not have enough time to post something big. I did start and make some significant progress on a creative non-fiction piece about a run-in with the Law in my youth. The story is set in my hometown of North Versailles Township, Pennsylvania (about 10 miles outside Pittsburgh). As is what I often do when writing a story, I wasted some time on Google Maps. Tonight, I wandered around North Versailles. I wanted to check out the old mall I used to go to, Eastland. Back in the sixties, it was full blown mall, with a Gimbels and a Penney's and some other swank vendors.
When the mills left in the seventies, the place lost a lot of business, but still stayed afloat. In the early nineties, they turned Eastland into a Flea Market, which is what I remember most about it. Checking Google Maps tonight, I learned that it had been razed. Upon further investigation, I found that this happened in early 2007 -- near the start of my interest in infiltrating abandoned buildings. I wish I had ventured into the site after everything -- even the Flea Market -- had left in 2005. But I haven't been back to North Versailles in years, nor would I be able to convince someone to go with me to infiltrate an abandoned mall even it was still standing.
Such is life, I suppose.
I found these sites that mention Eastland:
http://www.newyinzer.com/archive/dec06/frame.html
http://www.deadmalls.com/malls/eastland_mall_pa.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastland_Mall_(North_Versailles,_Pennsylvania)
Not sure why I posted this. I'm tired.
3 comments:
After reading this post I spent a little time researching some places I lived when I was a missionary. Turns out I don't remember too much about how to get around in those towns. I remembered some street names and where a couple people lived but I couldn't remember how to find the apartments I stayed in, most of the time.
Google maps. Surreal.
so only suckers stay late at work? is that what you're saying? i'm sure there are people at work who stay late for other reasons - we should take a survey.
Kate, are you suggesting that some people stay late at work for the good of the company, and like it? How very petty bourgeois of you.
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