After exploring an incredibly eerie abandoned slaughterhouse in rural Nebraska, I headed into Omaha.
A massive tower keeps vigil over a scarred plot of land where other buildings and equipment once stood, a silent monument to the corporation whose faded lettering still adorns its weathered facade. At the ground level the structure has been tagged countless times with spray paint.
The tower was used for grain storage long ago. Conveyors with rows of buckets that once hauled grain to the upper floors now hang motionless.
In one corner a rusty spiral staircase reaches from the ground all the way up to the roof.
It is a treacherous ascent that I do not recommend attempting. Some of the rooms receive natural light, while other levels are windowless and pitch dark. A few of the wedge-shaped concrete steps are missing. In the darkness it would be easy to lose one's footing and plummet several hundred feet onto the concrete below.
Much of the inner workings of the facility have been removed, leaving the massive concrete chambers empty and full of holes through which pipes and conduits ran.
A few pieces of equipment remain on the upper levels...
including massive rusty bins that once held tons of grain.
The storage silos that stood adjacent to the tower were demolished long ago. Counterweights still hang alongside the sealed doors that connected to the silos.
Not all of the doorways are sealed. On one of the upper levels a set of concrete steps leads directly outside to a fatally long drop.
After checking out the tower, I bid goodbye to Omaha and crossed into Iowa, where an abandoned mansion, an old hotel, and more were begging to be explored and documented.
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Thank you!
Love that spiral staircase. I'm really surprised that during the "metal boom" a decade ago, most of that metal wasn't stripped out and sold.
ReplyDeleteThe graffiti gangs sure know about this place, though.
I think with all the dead and dying towns scattered through the midsection of the country, you could go at this full time. Win that lottery, kiddo!
:D
Its located very close to a skate park, lots of vandalism. (My neighborhood)
DeleteThe staircase was one of my favorite features too. Exploring abandoned places full time would be a dream come true, if only I could figure out a way to earn an income from it.
DeleteMaybe a series of coffee table books? Probably not enough in it to lose the day job, but surely your pictures would sell quite well.
DeleteThank you, Tina! I've actually been thinking about making a coffee table book. I ought to look into how to properly query agents and publishers of picture books. I know it's pretty easy to have books custom made online, but I'll definitely have to increase my social media following in order to promote and sell effectively.
DeleteWhat's the address does anyone know
Deleteumm youtube??
DeleteWow I drive by that place a lot and always wandered what it was
DeleteYou should make a coffee table book that could also function as a coffee table. People could look at your pictures and put their coffee cups on the table at the same time.
ReplyDeleteMaybe with a coaster built into the cover.
DeleteWhat was the top floor like?
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I saw this. I want to use it for a film! Do you need permission to go in there or did you just go in? Plan on checking it out this week :D
ReplyDeleteIt would be an interesting and challenging location for filming. You would definitely need permission.
DeleteAnyone know the owner of this building?
DeleteHey Jim! Just wanted to ask if you have any suggestions for a place near Omaha to take pictures for our post wedding photoshoot. Thanks in advance!
ReplyDeleteSwung through there earlier last week, the door seemed to be welded shut. How did you get in? Is there another door that I missed?
ReplyDeleteI believe it is no longer accessible.
DeleteHey Jim! I'm a bit curious, what's the most dangerous place you've explored?
ReplyDeleteHi Sam! I'd say the most dangerous place was the Titan missile silo complex.
DeleteDoes anyone know the address to this building and if its still standing so i can go get pictures of it for a school project I'm trying to explore a bunch of abandoned places in nebraska. Thank you
ReplyDeleteIt’s still there. I do not recall the exact address but if you head south down 27th street past Martha st. you can’t miss it.
DeleteHey Jim! Aspiring urban explorer and native to Omaha Nebraska here. I was wondering if I could ask one or two important questions before heading to this location.
ReplyDelete1: What would be the best way to get into the building, given the earlier comment of the door supposedly being welded shut.
2: Is there likely any asbestos/black mold/other dangerous stuff in the building that I should be wary of?