The Bleachery

This essay examines the remains of a long-abandoned bleachery.

A bleachery was a component of the textile industry. As you might guess from the name, they made bleach, and bleached textiles on an industrial scale. When the textile mills left this part of the country, and eventually the entire country, the bleacheries left with them.

A little bit of research revealed that this particular bleachery operated from 1900 to 1972. Many of the buildings that comprised this complex have totally collapsed, but some remained in remarkable shape considering how long they have been left abandoned. All in all, I'm just amazed this site even continues to exist. Enjoy!

UPDATE: This place is demolished.

The Bleachery
Bleachery 4Just a shot from an early morning trip to the local abandoned bleachery.
Bleachery 15Found scattered among the wreckage.
Bleachery 14
Bleachery 12There were tools scattered around - all too rusted to be of any use. Still, most of these kinds of places get picked over fairly quickly so I'm always amazed when I find big expensive tools like this.
Bleachery 11
Bleachery 10
Bleachery 9Plenty of rust here for the rust fetishistas.
Bleachery 7I'm sure this room once reeked of industrial bleaching agents, but after being abandoned for 37 years it had only the aroma of damp rotting wood and mud. Roll your mouse over this image and you will see several ferns making their way up through the debris.
Bleachery 6
Bleachery 8I have yet to find an old abandoned factory that didn't have several of these spiral staircases. I think its their combination of vertebrae/DNA-helix like shape that makes them so skeletal, so organic - like the bones of some long dead creature.
Bleachery 5This exhaust fan once hung - in much this same position - in the ceiling above. But the elements spent years convincing it that it belonged elsewhere, and the elements can be very persuasive.
Bleachery 13After being abandoned for 37 years, many of the older sections of the bleachery had totally collapsed. Still, i was surprised by the amount of machinery and equipment that remained even in these sections.
Bleachery 3Behold the bleachery. I thought this place would have little if anything to offer, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Bleachery 2
Bleachery 1this complex was made up of several buildings - some of which date back to 1900. others, such as these, were added on in later decades.
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