The Drive Up

I love before-and-afters. So eerie seeing what changes and how so much remains the same.

i just viewed the old postcard and other pics, wow totally awsome, the before and after shots make you think. I believe this is the best Kirkbride of them all.

Wow. Then and now. What stark contrast. Thanks for those old, and new, shots, Motts!

Great old pix - thanks!

I actually prefer the after shot better.

ITS AMAZING WHAT TIME DOES TO THINGS...

You oughta see what it's done to ME, JAVA.

Well, or maybe you hadn't, just to be safe. :-)

LYNNE, 28 IS NOT OLD.

Honey, I have shoes that are older than 28. :-)

But it's sweet that you somehow thought I was 28. Durned sweet!

Before and After shots are my favourites. :) I can't get over the change, it makes me so sad.

For me it's the vegetation that makes the difference. Incredible how Nature takes over.

And I guess it's fitting as the space belonged to her in the first place.....

The awnings on the old postcard are surprising, and change the character of the building.

its such a shame they knocked it down! it was such a nice building

I agree with you Ashley, the new generation of Americans have no respect or love for history anymore.

You can't say that about everyone. I'm 27, American, and I have a tremendous love and respect for history. It seems that many people tried very hard to save this site, but the courts ruled that outside parties have no say in the matter. I blame the judge who ruled on this case for this loss of history. He was probably bribed by city leadership so the WalMart could be built and the city/county make more cash through taxes.

I understand that the buildings are in irreparable condition and have become a public hazard, but as I stated before, I think something much better could be done with this site.

Sorry 'bout that man, but we have to blame those kids who grew up submerged in potato chips, Diet Cokes, and spend all their time in front of the tube.

Or spend all their time in front of some game console.

Rampant commercialism destroys everything beautiful in the end:(

No offense taken, Raymond. It's easy to over-generalize just about anything.

Anyone happen to know if there are any resources on the web that have a site map of the whole Dixmont complex? I think it would be really cool to see a visual representation of all the things that this facility was composed of. I know most info is focused on the Kirkbride, but the site was 407 acres in total and Reed Hall comprised only a fraction of one acre. There is so much to this site. There are also a lot of things that were part of the Dixmont complex that are on land that was not sold to WalMart and will still probably be there for quite some time even after the WalMart is built. It would be nice to know where some of this stuff is.

There should also be more on the cemetery. I've seen websites where people have been asking questions about it because they have loved ones buried there and they are concerned what will happen to the graves. I know the 1 acre cemetery still belongs to the State and won't be harmed by the construction, but these people have the right to more information about their relatives that are buried there.

I should add that my friend used Google Earth to explore the Dixmont site from satellite photography and she said it was pretty cool to see everything up there from that view.

reminds me of a movie i once watched. what it was called i do no remember. but on the outside it looks lright

Sweet JAYYYSUS what a Juxtapose!!!

There's that word again!

i love your site and i love the pics of dixmont. i drove by it on route 65 so many times but never saw it cause it was up on a hill and i always wanted to see it. ever since watching fear on mtv i always wanted to go see dixmont since i live in pittsburgh. what a beautiful building it was and is. yes destruction has begun, the smoke stack along rte. 65 was the first to come down, and the trees that use to hide it also. now you can see it from the road when you drive by. but i don't know if the building was torn down yet. thank you so much for making this site. now i know what it looked like. and i am so mad that you got to go and i did'nt.

It makes you feel like you are visiting a hotel or a relative's home, while is all reality you are being with held from the world because someone thought you were insane.

Where's my helmet? Someone?

Can't find it Lynne... but please, use my padded wall.

Would have loved to check Dixmont out.

Wow, what a difference.

The postcard and your shot...*compares* I think I like Motts' more. His is more...moody. Provoking.

Amazing old pics......