Abandoned Eastern Ohio

Photographer John Ponchak documents Eastern Ohio's abandoned landmarks, revealing their industrial past and poignant decline.

Eastern Ohio is a region founded by industrialization that, at its height, would grow to be one of the most important parts of the country. This region would become the manufacturing focal point during both World Wars. Factories throughout Eastern Ohio produced many of the armament components needed to fight these wars. With the approach of the 1980s, the need for manufacturing in the United States dwindled, and the region's population began to decline rapidly. As factories closed and people left, hospitals, hotels, schools and stadiums were all left abandoned. Over time, the area has stabilized, but is far from its former glory. Buildings where presidents once walked and industrial titans reigned now lay abandoned. In Abandoned Eastern Ohio, photographer John Ponchak gives the reader an in-depth view of each building's past and present in an effort to not only preserve, but to share what once was.