Benton Harbor hasn't really been mentioned yet. It is the town right beside St.Joseph, across the St.Joe river, and is where Whirlpool is situated. While St.Joseph is this very nice little vacation town by Lake Michigan, with neat touristy downtown and well maintained streets, Benton Harbor is the mini-Detroit. Two years ago before coming to Whirlpool for my internship, I read a book that a friend lent me. It's called "On the other side of the river", which talked about a African American teenage boy who went over the river to attend a party in downtown St.Joseph. Something happened, and he ended up dead in the river. It became the typical political and racial incident. Although I never finish reading the book to find out what exactly happened to the boy, it wasn't about what happened to the boy, but the disconnection between these two communities.
That was in the 70s. Does this disconnection still exist? I think so. Benton Harbor is far less developed and maintained than St.Joseph. It's like Detroit, only smaller and even less exciting. However, like a mini Detroit, much of its history is preserved in its unique ways.
The following series of photos were primarily taken in Benton Harbor downtown, connected to St Joseph downtown by the same road, just a mile away, but it's a difference of Heaven and Earth(hell will be too extreme).
Abandoned theater
Hotel
One of the main streets surrounded by closed businesses
I think it says a lot when grass grows between the laid bricks on a main street
Some interesting remains of businesses
So how long has this gas station been abandoned? Easy, just check the last gas purchase!
$15 for 50 gallons of premium gas..... I can't even find the record online! If anyone has the answer, please let me know!
This building is interesting, because it resembles Eero Saarinan's design for the US Embassy in London.
And here are some of the current businesses
Last but not the least, Benton Harbor's very own water tower
Be sure to check out a few more photos here
No comments:
Post a Comment