Abandoned Homesteads

[Ron Scott]

Montana Abandoned Homested. Near Wilsal, Montana, 9/08.

[Reddog]

Don't know. I'm waiting to see if Chet knows the story here. ;)

Ron,
When the Donati's had to sell the Bar in Iron River, The old farm stead was sold also. Looks like it went down hill after that.
One of the boy's was a friend of ours. I had been out to help get fire wood and work on deer blinds as a kid with them.
In the  70's early 80's it was their hunt camp.

[chet]

Reddog, I'm guessin' yer referin' ta John.

[Reddog]

I know all of the boys, but Greg is the one that would take me around.

[chet]

Jimmer yusta work for me until his accident.

[Ron Scott]

Were those Dan Donati's sons? My uncle Les use to hunt and fish with him and tended the bar for him back in the early 50's.

[underdog]

Well part of the mystery of why owners want them gone is Property taxes.
We just lost a big barn not far from here. It was still in fair shape and had been around as long as anyone can remember.
I remember my trips thru Pennsylvania. They had some spectacular barns. Most are being torn down to escape the associated taxes.
Another reason is the Lawyers. An old structure like that is a liability.
On our family homestead we had a small log barn. One my Aunts was living there with kids. She decided the barn was a hazard and burned it down. The place has not been the same since. Kind of naked without a barn in the field.
I am always fascinated by site selection and orientation of the structure to nature.
The old timers had to live with nature and took where and how a building was situated very seriously.
These days' people look at you like you're from another planet if you even get a compass out to see if the orientation of the proposed building location is half correct.
Anyway i really like this thread.
Thanks

[Reddog]

 Ron I think it was Dan.
But to me he was Mr. Donati at the age I was. So Chet will need to verify it for us.

[Ron Scott]

Abandoned Homestead; Good Hart, MI; 9/08

[chet]

Ron I think it was Dan.
But to me he was Mr. Donati at the age I was. So Chet will need to verify it for us.

Yup....... it was Dan, or Danny as most folks knew um.

Now I'll test ya.  ;D  What was da bar called back in those days?

[Reddog]

Ron I think it was Dan.
But to me he was Mr. Donati at the age I was. So Chet will need to verify it for us.

Yup....... it was Dan, or Danny as most folks knew um.

Now I'll test ya.  ;D  What was da bar called back in those days?

Tripoli

[Jeff]

Scenes from the Tripoli bar that I remember hearing reference too. Not in Iron River, but not to far away in da U.P.  Somewhere the ATV bunch went.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeKp1Mq25kc

[chet]

Ron I think it was Dan.
But to me he was Mr. Donati at the age I was. So Chet will need to verify it for us.

Yup....... it was Dan, or Danny as most folks knew um.

Now I'll test ya.  ;D  What was da bar called back in those days?

Tripoli

Wrong   ;)   but really close  ;D        Tripoli's   

[Toolman]

Wow!! That is one big hot tub sittin in the front yard!! :D :D

[Ron Scott]

Yes, Tripoli's Bar; now what was the one next to it?

[chet]

Yes, Tripoli's Bar; now what was the one next to it?

Welcome to da "Jungle" Ron  

Sure usta be alot of waterin' holes in dis town.  :D

[Ron Scott]

Charlie Gates was there also, Gates Bar, also Saighs, and Nassars and Al and Sal's are currently at their second location after owning Saighs back in the late 50's. Those were just ones on main street.

Those iron miners and loggers were a thirsty bunch.  ;)

[chet]

Also on main street was da White Eagle and da matriarch of da whole bunch da Boyington. And you can't forget da Jackolantern or as da locals called it "da Dirty Pumpkin" :D

[Ron Scott]

Abandoned Homestead, another in Osceola County, MI 10/08

[Ron Scott]

Abandoned Homested near the historic town of Bliss. MI in Emmet County, northern Lower Michigan.

[Tom]

Ron,
This is a great thread.  When I look at these old homesteads, I don't see barnwood or junk, I see Mom, Pop and neighbors, sittin in rocking chairs, on the front portch, visiting, snacking on a beverage of choice and watching the kids play and tussle in the yard.   I see dinner being called and everyone running to the house.  I see old cars, polished for church and horse-and-wagon out front to take everyone to town.  I wonder where the trees stood and where the refuse was placed.  I wonder where the people came from and where they went.  What was their place in history?  If only those boards cold talk.

[SwampDonkey]

I remember a lot of them when I was a kid. We had 3 old abandoned houses on our farm, my uncle had another. Most of them get looted and burned around here. Sometimes cleared off when a larger farm swallows them up. We also have a lot of low lifes that like burning our old covered bridges. One got a face left a year ago and then practically the next day got burned down. What we always called it the Adair Bridge. An old gentleman who passed away years ago came from down there. He was an Adair.

[easymoney]

 there used to be a lot of houses like them around here. some of them burned down. some of them got torn down and a lucky few were fixed up up to their former glory. but some are quietly rotting down and returning to the earth. very few natives left and the newcomers keep to themselves and have posted just about every inch of the land afraid that someone else is going to enjoy walking the creeks and hollows enjoying the sounds of nature.
even the game wardens do not like you riding the back roads at night you might disturb the wildlife.

[sawguy21]

I am always fascinated with old home steads and the people who lived there without modern conveniences. What drove them to settle in isolated areas and build a home? In the Canadian prairies the remains of old thatch roof dugouts can still be seen. There was a shortage of building materials so the living area was below ground to conserve heat.
As the towns and cities grew with new opportunities the young folk left the hardship of the family farm.The old folk could no longer keep it up and the farms were sold off to large land owners or simply abandoned especially during the dirty 30's. Tom put it well.

[Ron Scott]

Another abandoned homestead, Bliss, MI area, 9/10