Wow these control rooms are crazy! I really thought such complex control panels were simply a figment of sci-fi movies!
Neat angle here.

*pushes big red button*

CRASH BANG BOOM

...whoops

Seriously, "asshat" is a new word in my vocabulary thanks to you! But I don't mind, I needed some new words! Oh yes, Jude did not lose Johnny, he was with ME the whole time! harharhar

oh yes...I think someone's jealous...(not you Ed, although you may be lol)

Insulting Johnny Depp? *le gasp* Oh, the blasphemy! Actually, what happened was he was misquoted...he did not "bash" the US, he simply said that it is like a "young puppy" compared to many other countries...which is entirely true. He even personally contacted some people that were angry and explained the mistake and they understood. Yes, obviously I am a big fan, but I've read many different articles on this!

Matrix-ed...hehehe new word!

Wow! Very nice.

Yikes, I'm really scared of elevators, I'm always waiting for them to plummit when I'm in one...and I start freaking out when they don't open right away.

Aaaahh! I'm a little late! If Johnny Depp is at the pirate party I will be there before you can say his name! *We now interupt the regularly scheduled program to apologize for this fangirl moment*
So mad I couldn't make it to the AFI tribute Friday...

Its so interesting and sad to think that, even if this place wasn't being demolished, no one will ever reach those cabinets again.

You know what, ~Me, I think you're on to something...it could have been for patients that couldn't talk and stuff because they didn't have those electronic buttons that you press nowadays to call a nurse.

OMG Grifspop I saw that episode! LOL, sorry I couldn't resist, I've only seen about 2 or 3 episodes...if I had my car on 'Pimp My Ride' I'd prefer they leave out useless frills and upgrade me to a Maybach or a Rolls or something - just scrap my old junker completely.

Oh god disgusting! Yet another thing I must watch out for if I go exploring these places! Bad enough stepping in dog crap, but geez!

Jennifer - yes you can email Motts at motts at opacity.us
Sorry, Motts, I hope you don't mind me answering this question 8-)

I'm totally with you on that one, Tony. I completely avoid those grated sections on city sidewalks...just like I try to avoid those open-back stairs *shiver*

What strikes me here is the simplicity of the writing, its gentle sweeping...and then the star on the end. Whatever it was meant for, it is beautiful.

Yay!!!! *gets out Christmas list*

Alexandra P.Clarke, Yes, there is an archive for Bennett and I would be happy to share my info if you'd like to email me: wrddreamer@comcast.net
Your pictures sound amazing and I too would love to see them. I grew up less then a mile from Bennett and have always loved this place. It defies description. My mom worked there in the late 60's-early 70's and I am an avid collector of Bennett memorabilia. This is the first time I've seen inside this awesome building however, so much appreciation to Mr.Mott for the incredible collection of pix.

I second researcher here. I find it disrespectful not only to the current owner of the property, but also to the many that lived and worked here, and to the building itself. It is said, "Let sleeping dogs lie." I am not saying there aren't exceptions however, such as in the case of Radical Ed's buttons. There was a mass quantity of them lying about, and it certainly didn't deplete the stock. Of course, if everyone took a few they would eventually be gone, but Radical Ed spends so much time there he should be able to take something like that. Taking a chair or something would be going too far.

I give props to all those that are restoring these structures, I've seen the main website and seen some of the transformations which is really cool. I never went to the Enchanted Forest but I did go somewhere like it about the same time this place closed - it was in Wisconsin Dells and was probably called something like "Storybook Land." They had a lot of similar things, so its really neat to see that this is being restored.

AAARGGHH!! So now this has turned into my English class, eh? LOL no I don't mind, its just eerily reminiscent...

XD ;-)

Yup, I had one of those in my crib. I actually distinctly remember playing with it - the noise would wake up my parents and tell them to come get me out of my crib lol.

I want one of those old-fashioned phones! I want one of the really old ones, like from the '20's (sort of candlestick style). They sell ones like that nowadays, but their touch-tone. I want the old-fashioned dial. I would guess this particular phone is from the '70's?

I don't know where this came from - I really can't tell what the discarded cloth scraps are...but to each their own. ;-)

I was thinking...how old do you think this coffin is? I mean, its been awhile since they've been made of pine like that, hasn't it? For some reason, hearing the word "pine box" always reminds me of the Civil War era. This certainly can't be that old, but it certainly doesn't seem recent, either.

Motts, what kind of survival rations were down there? Sounds interesting.