Revisiting A Delta Church

Over the last few years, I've been working on a project to document the architecture of the Arkansas Delta. Primarily, it has focused on abandoned structures, which are a valuable but fleeting record of the vibrant culture and troubled history of the Delta. Recently I've been wanting to revisit a certain old church that I got a few pictures of before, one that has stuck out in my mind ever since. I've been worried that the building has deteriorated, and might not be standing for too much longer. But getting a fisheye lens for Christmas provided the perfect excuse to drive over and check in on the church, and a chance to get a few more pictures.

The condition of the church hadn't changed much since my last visit. A good chunk of the roof is missing, but the damage is somehow contained to one side of the building. The result is a strange view where one half of the church is in ruin, and the other seems to still be in decent shape.



Oftentimes it's hard to find any information about some abandoned places, like this old church. I have searched but haven't found anything about what type of church it was, or when it was built, or who built it. The biggest mystery is what happened here. What caused the church to be in this condition?



There are two pianos that have been left behind. How long have they been sitting here? The keys are dirty with dirt and debris. How long has it been since they were used to play a song?









The church was probably once filled with people, who were there every week. Where did they go?





This just emphasizes the tragedy of abandoned places. People must have devoted untold years of their lives to this church. To help build it, to worship here weekly. To have attended countless weddings and funerals here. When this church is gone, all that time and effort is lost. There is a significant section of the church's roof that is missing. How long will it be before it finally succumbs to the slow drag of nature and gravity? And who will mourn it, once it is lost?



As I headed back towards home, I drove under a dark gray sky that seemed to press upon the flat landscape of the Delta.



I made a quick stop to get a few pictures of this old abandoned building, which looks like it was a home or maybe apartments at one time. Now it appears the only life in the building are the vines that are slowly taking over the structure.



Parked nearby was this old car. I guess I can't say it was "Found On Road Dead" since it was a GMC.



And one last shot - taken along a lonely stretch of road. This tree stood tall along the pavement, a passive witness to the occasional cars driving under it and the lazy clouds passing above it.

Scott

Just east of North Little Rock (if that makes sense), is the small town of Scott. Fewer than 100 people live in Scott now, but the little community contains a plethora of old and historic buildings. That includes this old church, which has long been abandoned. I've been wanting to get pictures here for while, but it is so overgrown in front that the building is almost impossible to see (let alone get close to) most of the year.



Just above the door is a sign that reads: "Mine House Shall Be Called An House of Prayer For All People."



The front door of the church was rusty, but open.



And the inside of the church. Tiles from the drop ceiling have fallen onto the scattered pews below, along with stray insulation and other random debris. Plastic flowers by the altar give a fake and fleeting glimpse of life inside the dust-covered interior of the sanctuary.



Heading south from Scott, you pass through "Pecan Alley," a road lined with century-old pecan trees.



And one more shot of the road, this time taken while using the new fisheye lens.



Since I was in the area, I decided to visit a few other abandoned churches that I've stopped at numerous times before in the past. The first church is still in decent condition, even if the bushes are overgrown and the open door allows wasps and critters free access to the interior of the church.



The other church is in worse condition. Unfortunately, it looks like the roof could imminently collapse (I wasn't brave enough to go inside).



The church was once called "Paradise Church."



And one last shot, of a set of metal silos that were reflected in the waters of a large rain puddle.

Fisheye Little Rock

I was able to get out last weekend to try to get a few pictures in downtown Little Rock with the new fisheye lens. This was Sunday afternoon, and the streets were empty and things were quiet. I didn't have to worry about finding parking by the Pulaski County Courthouse, even if the parking meters were all expired.



A few blocks away, just off of Capitol Avenue, was this reflected view. But wow, someone really needs to clean that window...



And then one last shot, of the old Little Rock Arsenal Building in MacArthur Park. Although it was the weekend, construction workers were busy with the rennovations of the Arkansas Arts Center next door.

Smyrna Church

Just outside of Searcy is the Smyrna Church - a quaint old wooden church that is actually the oldest church in Arkansas. The church was built in 1856, and is one of only five churches in the state that were built before the Civil War. The church is so old, that it's believed the lumber to build it came from trees that first started growing in the 1600s.



The church was built for a Methodist congregation, who worshipped in the church until the 1970s. The church has since undergone a massive restoration, and was been gifted to the city of Searcy. It's now a popular spot for weddings.

Bald Knob

Most people know Bald Knob since it's one of those amusingly-named Arkansas places (like Blue Ball, Toad Suck, Possum Grape and Weiner). Bald Knob was actually named after a bald knob - a large outcropping of stone that was a landmark back in the olden days. The town was founded in the 1870s, with development sparked by the rail lines passing through. Today, the town has a population of about 3,000. The center of town has a good collection of older buildings.



On the other side of the building is this old ghost sign, long obscured under a coat of paint but now being revealed as the paint chips away.



A few blocks away is this old movie theater, boarded up and abandoned...



And next to the old train station was this old hotel, which is also closed and abandoned. It's a shame that it's closed, since it appears it did once have fancy amenities like satellite TV.