Dispatches From Kansas: Kenyon Hall, Emporia

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Kenyon Hall, Emporia

7 comments:

Le Grand Lapin said...: Spectacular and eerie. I have seen images online of Kenyon Hall by Dave Leiker. I suppose it's a testament to civic inertia that the building hasn't been razed. Here in the city, we bulldoze first and ask questions later.; 9:08 AM
tom said...: I believe from what I've read that the building will eventually get razed, but until then groups are clamoring for its restoration. Anybody got a few mil they don't need?
After spending four or so hours in the building, I swore I'd never go back. However, I think I'm ready for a return trip.; 10:16 AM
Carol said...: Dang spooky, Tom.; 11:15 AM
tom said...: We should try it some night, around midnight, say, with a full moon scudding behind clouds...; 11:23 AM
Anonymous said...: Had it not been so badly neglected for so many years, it would be a cheap restoration.

It seems people want it to deteriorate and be torn down. No doubt it will be replaced with cheap, panel-board high-density housing. Go Emporia...; 4:48 PM
pat said...: It's true what "Anonymous" said. If it wasn't neglected, it'd be a relatively cheap fix.

I actually spent the majority of my teenage years in the building attending church there. Us kids knew that place inside and out. We spent quite abit of our free time fixing the place up and sustaining it. I mean, seriously - free reign of a 100 year old building, plus being able to say you touched a bit of history - Maybe I was a history nerd but I wouldn't trade those days for anything.

The biggest problem we had was the roof. Every year the small struggling church had enough money to retar the roof. We also had bucket and kiddie pools in the attic that we continually had to empty. It honestly isn't that big of a chore. With 2 people it took 30 to 45 minutes, once a week.

5 years after we left the building and this is the result. It pains me, after the part I played towards the building, to see the pictures and to walk the destroyed halls. Shame on the new owners for their lack of respect for the building that prevented them from lifting a finger.

10 years ago it would have costed 250,000 dollars to repair the roof. Now, what is there to save?

The pictures Tom, that you and Dave posted are absolutely tragically beautiful! I don't know if it could be documented better. God bless you guys; 6:30 PM
tom said...: Pat -- Thanks so much for your thoughts and kind words. The building still possesses a beauty that newer structures can never match, even in its terrible disrepair. Those silent halls, the graffiti, the play of shadows and light, the echoing footfalls. And so we toss aside our history in favor or new, better, cheaper, uglier, more tawdry.; 10:05 PM