Abandoned
It’s a dying little Town.
There once was a boom town. People left the hills and hollers, and the povery of Eastern Kentucky to make a living at the Army Ammunition Powder Plant.
And Life was good.
Schools went up. They put in Government Housing Duplexes that housed 3000 new workers. These Duplexes that were built in the 40s are still there and are referred to by the locals as “the Old Project” and yes on top of the Hill is the New Project built in 70s for Section 8 housing.
But it was a Company Town. And the Army Ammunition Plant closed.
Everyone in town worked at the Army Ammunition Plant. Or they were part of the community providing services to the People that worked at the plant and their families.
Well the KFC closed. And the Bars in Town. The Shamrock and 4 seasons Package liquor store closed. And then, IGA…
It was the early 80s and the town was dying.
Poverty and Unemployment was rampant. Unemployment at higher than depression levels. Drugs, desperation and violence.
In the mid 90s a small band from this town produced an Album. The Days of the New.
On the back cover they are standing in front of a Strip Mall with all the stores closed and boarded over. My apologies for not being able to find the Image.
Days of the New “The Down Town”
http://landmarkhunter.com/197484-indiana-army-ammunition-plant/
http://encyclopedia.mitrasites.com/imgs/indiana-army-ammunition-plant.html
http://www.abandonedonline.net/2009/08/18/indiana-army-ammunition-plant-and-world-war-ii/
http://grunge1990.blogspot.com/2011/05/days-of-new-historia.html#.TyRQfIGywfc



Excellent blog about a not so excellent subject Roscoe…..seems this is happening to small hamlets to big cities all over now of days…..
It hardly ever just happens all at once…
It’s an over time kinda thing….
Suddenly you look around and it’s all gone…. 🙁
Sad….really…really sad.
Sad but a lovely tribute. I often wish we were a hunter gatherer society again and not dependent on “jobs” whatever that means.
I see places like this just about in every city where I go. But when it happens to small town that depended on a factory for jobs…that’s just devastating indeed!
And last one…John Mellencamp is a brilliant talented activist who knew his music could be used for the voice of everyday people just like Willie Nelson too!
I went back to Ohio,
but my city was gone.
There was no train station.
There was no downtown.