Exploring abandoned buildings and historical signs and architecture in the downtown Decatur Il area
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- I take a break from working on my classic camper in order to take a walking tour of downtown Decatur's abandoned factories and shops that sit in a level of decay. I view these old buildings as history and I enjoy looking at them and admiring the old signage, unique architectural features, and general glimpses into the past. A couple of these old buildings are in the process of being torn down so we get a glimpse of the inside of them as well as seeing just how far gone some of these structures are. If you are like me you appreciate just observing the "beauty in the Abandoned".
They made bread in that building. Mom used to buy day old bread there late ‘50s. Smell was great!
5;59 The water tower had advert on it for Aircall, an old pager service in the 70's I think.
The church nearby is St.Patrick's.
I just now came across your videos --thanks for posting. I was born and raised in Decatur (though I live far away now) and my family has deep roots there going back a long time. It's great to see you taking such an interest in the parts of town which have seen better days. You may already be aware, but this part of town was known as the Levee and it was quite a happening place at one time --residences, businesses, bars, and houses of "ill repute." Gangsters used to come down from Chicago and all over to hide from the law in this part of town. Sadly, as you have seen, it's mostly all gone. I appreciate your effort in documenting these buildings and the town, brings back memories.
I have pictures of the inside of the warehouse at the 9:00 mark. IIRC, it was built as the McClelland Grocery Company warehouse in 1920. I took them about a year and a half ago. Struck up a conversation with the young gentleman who had just purchased the building and was in the process of trying to get decades of broken windows sealed up. It’s sadly slated for demolition now as Tillamook has bought the old Prairie Farms dairy building, and as a condition of the purchase, they demanded the demolition of the warehouse.
They are packed full of furniture because John Belog owned them he also owned associated office furnishings and he used the old warehouse to store old furniture and antiques he sold everything but he owns most of those warehouse in that area and they are all packed full of furniture, antiques, music instruments, motorcycles. You name it he has it. Or had it I believe he has passed away he was old years ago when I worked there.
It’s wild when you think that something one man would love to have and restore may be sitting untouched for years and years in a warehouse down the road. The essence of one man’s trash is another’s treasure.
I love old buildings also, you should get a drone and then you can go upstairs or fly into one of those open buildings being torn down LOL I would be cool
Great video! Have grown up within an hour of Decatur and have visited multiple times over the years as have family there. Definitely has seen better days, but have always thought the same as you, very cool old buildings and architecture so much history there! Did have a question, you were very close to the abandoned building that the Wake the Dead cafe place used to be, and it has some cool looking architecture in a courtyard right next to it, have you ever had a chance to walk by it and take a closer look?
I don’t know where that is. I think I have heard of it at some point or another but I know nothing about it. I’m gonna have to look into it now.
Hi, just looked up the address for it if you ever get a chance to check that area out again, it was at 1210 E Eldorado, and would guess it isn't more than a few blocks at most from the old cd store you were at in the video :)
It was torn down recently.@@exec99
@@LakeRatDan Oh did not realize that guess it has been a few months since I went by that building...thanks for the update!
The building to the left just sold not too long ago.
My dad and uncle owned gbs Bob and Gary laskowski
My grandfather Fred Seifert had a drug store in downtown decatur and the hardware store there was black& Co hardware I do not know if it is still there been since the 78 since I last lived there
That building had a couple of those beautiful green arched doors. I wonder if someone was able to save those. I hope they didn't distroy them.