Finding old appliances during urban explorations

[mathewhebailey0]

I wonder how many of you have found vintage or old appliances during an urban exploration known as a UE for short. Urban exploration involves exploring & taking pictures of old tunnels,abandoned houses,buildings,etc. One such source on urban exploration with photos & forums is Infiltration. Like for example, you're taking photos of an abandoned house or building & you come upon a Frigidaire pulsator washer.

Infiltration

The zine about going places you're not supposed to go, like tunnels, abandoned buildings, rooftops, hotel pools and more.

www.infiltration.org

 

[toggleswitch]

Very interesting, thank you!

When I was a college student at Fordham University- Bronx, NY I was looking ot move off campus into my own apt. There was a small section of town called Little Italy. (Can you guess why?)

Anyway one of the buildngs was eerily (sp?) empty. As if abandoned. Just a handful of tenants. Many empty units had washing machines! As tempting as it was to move there, I just had a bad feeling. Perhaps there was no heat or hot water, both of which are essential in this climate.

What I should have been thinking about (besides getting use of a washer) was how to extend the gas pipe from the stove to have heat/ hw.

At the time there were small heating untis that looked like and weere installed like window air-condtioners that would have worked. But alas, we all do things in our youth.... before our solid thinking process has cemented....

The total rent in a different building was $150 per month for an apartmetn in 1981 (low even for that time.) and that was then split three-ways.

[And just to have the universe laugh at my good intentions, the heat and hot water went out there for a week between Christmas and New Years.] BRRRRRRRR

Have you seen anything interesting in these forbidden places?

 

[christfr]

i found one

a few years ago i got a 54 maytag from a house that had been abandoned in texas. before the house fell over they pulled out the appliances and left them to rot under a grove of trees..the tag sat there for a few years before i got it. all nasty and full of bugs and mice, but today she is fine and healthy again. then here in st louis i got talked into helping clean out a huge basement in a large city bldg..the new owner wanted to clean the bldg out so the could get it ready for rehabing. burried in the pile of trash was a wo-65..covered with mice and cat dropping, just waiting to be rescued..and it may have had a few problems when i got it home but it did run.. and still does..so im sure they are out there just waiting..lets go hunting

 

[tolivac]

In my college years-on weekends and after classes I would go pheasent hunting with my brother or college freinds -we would come upon "abandoned" farms and hunt their feilds-was the best place for pheasents.One time while hunting at one of these-went thru the barn and found an old LARGE pump organ that was in pretty good shape.Looked like it wasn't in that barn long-the house was locked-couldn't get in.Most of the other ones the houses and barns had collasped from rot.There is an abandoned home out on the road that goes to the dump-A condemned sign is posted on the place-A rusted out washer sits in the front yard on its back.Was partially taken apart.Couldn't tell what it was.Try to when I drive by to the dump.The homes near this are occupied so I hate to go out and look.

 

[tolivac]

In the Film-Tech forum I would vist before I look up Applianceville-they discuss exploring abandoned movie theaters-some still have the equipment in place!Others were stripped-even the chairs and screens.

 

[cadman]

Wow, good topic! The best find would have to be an early 60's German Hi-Fi with piano KB, Garrard turntable wrapped in wood (literally), all the shortwave bands, and FM through 100MC..all tube. Worked and still looks great-

Yesterday I pulled up at the remains of a "modern" house/business around dusk in the '59. The house had been moved recently, leaving the flat-roof additions and aux buildings missing their connected walls, surrounded by heavy earth moving equipment ready to flatten them all for a Walmart. There was a caloric stove in avocado, but the find was the vent screen below- keep in mind I haven't even cleaned it yet! Will look great in the "new" house plan-
-Cory

 

[jdinstl]

When I first saw this thread...

...I mentally asked "Is this the new PC term for dumpster diving?" (If there were an Olympic Event for that activity, I assure you, I'd bring the Gold home to Applianceville.)

Even though I have no space to keep a washer/dryer collection, since I've been on this site, the brake linings on my Buick have experienced further wear as I slow down, or turn around, when I catch from the corner of my eye a potential orphaned appliance. I figure I can fire up a marker flare here if it would be something worthwhile...

John