Holyoke, Massachusetts

[gene m]

<p>http://westfordcomp.com/classics/clack/holyoke309/sharpashellforacrappycamera.html</p>

[User_4525289]

<p>Gene,<br>

Is that town populated?</p>

[gene m]

<p>Yes. It's one of the ten biggest cities in Massachusetts. I avoid photographing its citizens.</p>

[sionnac]

<p>:)</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Wow, it's been years since I was in Holyoke. It doesn't seem to have improved.</p>

<p>I'd guess that someone who stole the Clack, <em>wouldn't</em> know what they had. Who would have thought it so capable as it is in your hands, at least.</p>

<p>I enjoyed the SLaUT garage. My German roommate was shocked many years ago when we went by a "body shop".</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>I'd have sworn that first shot was Whitehall, NY. I can see I'm going to have to load up some interesting old box and do some comparisons.</p>

<p>Something terribly sad about that last shot.</p>

[jack_welsh]

<p>Looks like a great place to photograph, though!</p>

[jakegagne]

<p>Holyoke is very weird. Then again, Connecticut has towns that are just as odd.</p>

[richard_beisigl]

<p>So sad to see a town that I am sure was once a thriving community. I have never been to Massachusetts, but would like to visit Boston before I pass on, to see if I could find where my late mothers father is buried.<br>

And to see the Fall foliage as well.<br>

Thank you Gene for all the great photos you post; I will say it again, I never tire of seeing your postings.</p>

 

[summitar]

<p>Great photos, Gene<br>

First off, I mailed your book on Thursday and you should have it on Monday or Tuesday.<br>

My father came to the US as a 12 year old from Scotland because there wasn't enough poverty to go around. He started in the WV coal mines where there was enough poverty to go around and then followed his older brother to the chemical plants of Niagara Fall, NY, where I was born. Niagara Falls is the birthplace of the electrochemical industry but also the home of the Love canal.<br>

I was in Kindergarten on Pearl Harbor day, but I recall the city as fairly prosperous in a blue collar sense as I was growing up. I went to the University of Buffalo, and went into the Air Force after graduation. I returned frequently to visit parents and brothers. My parents have passed and my brothers have retired to the south and I have no idea whether I will ever return. My last visit was in 2004 for the 50th reunion of my high school class. The city is dying with most people on welfare. The city fathers keep hoping for some gimmick like Bingo to revive the city but nothing works.<br>

They don't seem to recognize the historical significance of the area. First of all, there is no more magnificant sight in North America than Niagara Falls. As for history, Fort Niagara, built by the French in the early 1700s is the finest fort I have ever seen in the US. The most important battles of the war of 1812 were fought on either side of the Niagara river. The Canadians have done a much better job on their side of the river and Niagara-on-the-Lake is regarded as Canada's prettiest village.<br>

It is sad to see a city go down the tubes. I now live in a suburb of Seattle and we must have the most billionaires per capita in the world but this region is also falling on hard times. I blame greed.<br>

My wife has never been in NYC or New England and I hope to show her the sights this fall.<br>

Thanks for all your wonderful photos, and once again, I urge you to write a book,</p>

[mark_hahn]

<p>nice photos with a nice feel... I'll have to get around to shooting my clack.</p>

[gene m]

<p>You could be my editor, Kerry. That way I'd be assured that the book would be long enough.</p>

[charles_stobbs3]

Nice. There's some interesting scenery at Mt. Holyoke also.

[Rick_van_Nooij]

<p>Wonderful shots, Gene, as we've come to expect them of you. Saddening yet interesting architecture.</p>

<p>I also have not gotten round to using that Clack I bought at a fleamarket last year. I guess your shots have inspired me to load it up with film and wait for a nice sunny day (hopefully tomorrow).</p>

<p>Don't know why but for some reason that S&L aut company attracted my eye, must be the same reason JDL noticed it :)</p>

[george_shihanian]

<p>Gene, how are we to judge a fine instrument such as the Clack if you take the test shots through your car's windshield?! I am outraged!</p>

[william_livingston]

<p>holyoak looks very much like lawrence mass where i once lived--the old mill towns are in pretty rough shape and its a shame.</p>

[william_livingston]

<p>sorry--that would be "holyoke"</p>

[gene m]

<p>"Nice. There's some interesting scenery at Mt. Holyoke also."<br>

The college ?</p>

 

[lauren_macintosh]

<p>Well, In 1932 the town of Ware,ma was in an article in Life magazine about the town that could not be beat ! well today its still alive but not like it use to be with the woolens mills shoe factory's foundry ,etc: time recyle's all:</p>

[gene m]

<p>Yup. There's a sign on Rte. 9 at the Ware town line that reads "Ware Ma." "Nationally know as "The Town That can't be Licked."" Ware may not be licked, but it's taking a lot of eight counts.</p>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Looks to be a great place for your photography, reminds me of Walker Evans. Shame about the gangs, but I have an idea...take along two Clacks, fire them one after the other, clack-clack, and they will think that you are cocking your M16.<br>

Just a thought...</p>

[longname]

<p>Holy smokes Batman!</p>

[mjferron]

<p>"It's full of attractive decaying<br />architecture and gangs."<br>

Reminds me of the once proud Brockton in Eastern MA. A shame really.</p>

[gene m]

<p>The home of great boxers.</p>

[shalom_septimus]

<p>I'm sure I've seen the scene in that first picture before. There used to be a railroad track in front of the curved portion of the building-- you can see the paved-over remains of it in the street, and somewhere in the depths of railroad.net's archives there's a picture of a train there.</p>

<p>(Unless it was a similar building on another railroad, I suppose it could have been on the old Bushwick branch of the LIRR. My memory ain't what it used to be. I'm pretty sure this was it, though.)</p>