Retro Surf Cincinnati Commercials circa 1988.
If you've followed QC/D for awhile you may be familiar with the saga of Surf Cincinnati. It was the first abandoned place I ever truly explored and photographed. On top of that, its story hit on several personal notes: I went here a lot as a kid and exploring an abandoned amusement park always made me reflective of the years I spent working in one myself. Photographs of the park when it was active are few and far between, and until this one, I had never seen a video or commercial from the park pop up online.
Human Aqueducts by the Highway
Ancient Rome built aqueducts to carry water to the cities, modern Americans build them for entertainment. In some cases, both varieties become ruins of the past.
Return to Surf Cincinnati
It's been ten years since Surf Cincinnati was abandoned and over five years since most of it was demolished, it was time to go back.
Kilian Martin: Altered Route
When I was in the 7th grade, I thought I could skateboard. I couldn't and still can't.
Six Degrees of Abandoned Amusement Parks
Over the years, some of the most incredible abandoned places I've photographed have been defunct amusement parks. The six locations featured on this site all have a historical link to each other ...sort of.
The Beach Waterpark: All Dried Up?
The "stone" depiction of a fanged beast would seem to be the remnants of a forgotten civilization, but protruding through the "ancient" statue is a different kind of ruin: one of modern society.
From the Ruins of the Kingdom, the Boardwalk Rises?
Kentucky Kingdom, better known for the majority of its life as "Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom," hasn't had many guests since it closed its doors in the fall of 2009. Last summer though, I was one of the park's few visitors during its second season of non-operation. Accompanied by my guide Rose, a former park employee who was now working for the group aiming to reopen the park, I got to walk along the midways and tour the rides with the permission of the Kentucky Kingdom Redevelopment Company (KKRC).
How Things Came to Be - Part 1: Valentines Day 2006, Surf Cincinnati
Part 1 in QC/D's urban exploration origin story.