old churches – Jerry Winnett Creative

Allisonia, TN

Posted on August 12, 2016August 12, 2016 by jerrywinnett

I decided that today was just too damned nice to sit indoors. I started my day off at Starbucks then hit the back roads of Tennessee. I was on the hunt for abandoned places and then some in hopes to add to my Forgotten Tennessee travels. I drove down US Hwy 99 and hit Eagleville. From there I traveled down a road at random until I hit Hwy 31. Turning left onto 31 I spied an oldish cemetery that had a large stone fence and an entrance with a bronze legend upon it. I hopped out of my car crossed a road and began to shoot.

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As I wandered between the rows of graves stones I purposefully looked for the oldest stones. I didn’t have to look far. Old? No some of these were ancient. Some were so old that their faces were worn smooth and had little if any markings upon them. These oldest grave markers had a strange patina. They looked rusted. Yes, rusted. Later I may post some of the stones in color. But for now I feel Black and White is best. Finishing up my shoot I headed back to the car. I stopped at the entrance and read that the cemetery was a family plot belonging to a family named Riggs. the entire area had been founded on Rigg’s original land of about a 1000 acres.

I drove about 1/8 of a mile and came drove by a roadside general store/garage. I pulled over ran began to shoot the place. I aimed my camera at the sign hanging from a light pole which read Riggsby Bros Garage and Grocery. I had to wonder if there was a relation? Likely there was. I fell in love with this location. I’ve no idea how long it’d been closed down, or if perhaps the grocery was still open. From the sun washed and blistered state of the paint and the wood of the garage door and the style of the signage I guessed the place had gone under more than two decades ago. I spent about 45 mins shooting around and getting a feel of the place. As I said, I loved it.

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I hope you the reader enjoy these shots of Allisonia, TN Unincorporated as much as I enjoyed shooting them. As always if you’d like to purchase a print in this story or in any of my other stories contact me at jerry.winnett@gmail.com be sure to check out my Easy shop for prints as well https://www.etsy.com/shop/ForgottenTennessee

Reclaimed

Posted on May 10, 2016May 10, 2016 by jerrywinnett

Originally my plan today was to go to the Tennessee Renaissance Festival. I made it up to the Rutherford County line took one look at the traffic and decided to go shooting the backroads off I840. I got onto to 840 and drove for a bit and learned new cuss words, the car I was driving isn’t the fastest car in the world. I got off at Peytonsville and started to take back roads at random. As I drove down one curving road I passed a clump of trees and flora that was sporting massive rusted steel tracks and a domed roof. “Wait I told myself I had to go back for a better look. So I did so. I went by this Clump of flora several times before I could find a place to park my car and shoot.

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Grabbing up my Canon 1D Mark II I walked down the middle of culvert to get closer to the mysterious clump of greenery and metal. Drawing closer and bringing up my camera I could finally get a clear idea of what I’d been looking at. An old bulldozer. A very old, very rusted bulldozer. It’s been sitting in one place for so long that a tree, bushes and assorted flowers had grown in, around and through the steel hulk.

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I stood there panning my camera across the scene. What had once been a massive orange earth mover with a roof, tracks and mean looking blade was now a derelict hulk that the elements were slowly eroding away to nothing. I figured that the dozer had been sitting for at lest 3 decades maybe longer, it might take another 3 or more decades but it would eventually end up reclaimed by the earth.

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I stood there admiring the mixture of green and new life that would come and go, come and go eating away at the dozer. It was in my opinion quite beautiful. I shot for at least an hour, I hope you enjoy my efforts and find in them the beauty I do.

Forgotten Tennessee March 9, 2016

Posted on March 13, 2016March 13, 2016 by jerrywinnett

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Last Wednesday I grabbed my Cannon 1D Mark II, made sure my 17-40mm lens was attached and drove out of town looking for old buildings to photograph. My drive took me East out of Murfreesboro down a sunny two lane highway. I’ve learned over the years that these trips of mine are best taken in the mid morning when traffic is light. Other motorists can easily pass me, especially since I don’t think I got my car above 45.

About 45 mins into my trip I stopped off at a small roadside restaurant to get a feel of the area and gather info. I struck gold. A woman working at the eatery gave me directions to a location where her family had a Diary Barn I could shoot. Off I went.

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While I did take a shot or two of the barn, what I found of more interest was an old building who’s porch rook had collapsed. I hopped out and began to shoot.