Re: My "Before It's Too Late" Trip

Posted by Larry51 On 2015/10/8 19:49:24

Leeedy, thanks for your post on 10/6 - I found it quite emotive and informative. As someone from the other side of the planet I only have a few mental pictures of the Packard plants / proving grounds etc but have a keen desire to get to the States one day and go visit these sites.

Here in Australia we have the same issue, with much of our heritage being destroyed or not cared for sufficiently well. I look back on what we have lost by way of heritage buildings etc. For example, at one stage we had the largest department store on the planet - a company called Anthony Hordern & Co. - which was enormous back in the early 1900's right through to mid-century. See Anthony Hordern background
and Photo
It took up a couple of city blocks and was famous with a motto of: "We sell EVERYTHING". And they did! Their store building was gracious and beautiful, but they eventually went bust / were bought out and in the 1970's (IIRC) the massive enterprise was demolished, leaving a huge hole that went a city block, right smack bang in the middle of the city! It was called "World Square" but re-named by the cynics as "The Hole', and not much was built thereupon for many years, it was just a big hole for maybe 20 years?

In terms of loss to the community, it possibly evokes the same feelings amongst Sydney-siders that the loss of the Packard plant evokes in you guys now.