An Industrial Relic in West Virginia
By Julia Solis (with Joe Ford)
96 pages / 105 photos
From America Through Time
Available at Indiebound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
What can a mostly abandoned town offer its curious visitors? A collection of unusual sights and experiences, especially if it’s the scenic coal-mining town of Iaeger, West Virginia. Part travelogue, part reflection, this book examines the rise and fall of a once-thriving community in the broader context of Appalachian history and American ghost towns.
Over 100 photos of vacant houses, storefronts, banks and civic buildings offer portholes into stories of advancing entropy and decomposition, adorned with the fantastical botanies of decaying plastic flowers, sculptures of debris and peeling paint. More than documentation of a vanishing small town, the book aims to inspire creative perspectives on decaying historic architecture and its potential for art, science, and play.