Sure enough, there was a fence around the whole complex (above) – the elementary school portion as well as the former junior high part. The building has already been stripped of most of the windows.
So I poked my camera through the fence for some shots (below).
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It was a strange sight.
This "Exit Only" sign at the former entrance to the parking lot really drove home the point that times had changed in Lorain.
I'm pretty much emotionally detached from Lorain these days. The Lorain of my youth is long gone, never to return, and I just shrug my shoulders at school demolition sites while I take my pictures. But I have a lot of good memories of Masson, and I still have more in common with my Masson classmates than anyone I've met since those school days long ago.
This "Exit Only" sign at the former entrance to the parking lot really drove home the point that times had changed in Lorain.
Please try not to be "emotionally detached" from Lorain. This was such a sad statement. Consider all the possibilities for a new, re-juvinated lakefront. The wheels are in motion for major changes that will forever re-brand the core of this wonderful town. Lorain has been kicked around by bad-performers and terrible decisions for decades, yet look at all the many, many positives! Our beloved town probably hit bottom when Ford left. But since then we're seeing the amazing revival of Lakeview Park...the steel industries are coming back to life...big new quality housing developments...a new shopping plaza (Lighthouse Village)that continues to expand and draw out-of-towners to once again visit and spend money here. The Ford plant itself isn't just sitting idle...hundreds of jobs have been created there. The folks have recently voted-in higher taxes to improve roads and schools...these investments should pay dividends for years to come. Our young mayor seems to be keeping things on track. What city wouldn't be envious of our beautiful lighthouse, our great history, the Palace...and our friendly, out-going populace (with the usual riff-raff and losers any town harbors).
ReplyDeleteQuite a shame actually. Not that the Masson building is being torn down, but what "architecture" became in the middle years of the 20th century. How many steel buildings of today will be worth saving in 75 years? At one time city fathers took pride in designing and constructing public buildings. Case in point is the old downtown Post Office. They were always repairing the tar roof on Masson School. Not that I like seeing it go, I lived 4 houses down from it. Me and my neighborhood friends probably spent more time on the grounds than any other place.
ReplyDeletegood ol Masson, thanks for sharing Dan, long live the mustangs
ReplyDeleteI started at Masson in September of 1959 the day the school opened and my first day of kindergarten. The area that would in just a few years become the junior high school was covered with oak trees and we would collect the acorns during recess. The building will be torn down but the memories will live as long as I do.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement Dan.
ReplyDeleteThese buildings are the places that gave us all something in common with each other.More importantly they were truly a bridge between generations.Nothing against progress mind you,but at the expense of such an important piece of our fabric? Now that's what is sad!