Whenever I drive down Washington Street in Indianapolis, there are always places or people I see out of the car window I want to photograph. Today I decided to start from our house and just walk as far as I felt like walking. I ended up walking 5 miles and photographing people, houses, and storefronts. The streets are littered with trash and debris both large and small.

Homes

From homes built in the 1940s and 1950s just outside of I-465 to old apartment buildings in Irvington, I photographed several homes today. Many had signs support politicians, causes, and local businesses. While Washington Street was probably once a popular street to live on since it is also US-40, that doesn’t seem to be the case any longer. Once-popular and chic apartment buildings have fallen into disrepair and many homes are overgrown or abandoned.

Fireworks

The July 4th weekend celebrations wouldn’t be complete without fireworks. Dustin E. and Sarah T. opened a fireworks spot near Washington St. and Cecil Ave. in a recently-empty building. This is the first time they’ve had a fireworks store in this location. Business was better the last two years when people received their stimulus checks, according to Dustin, but business was still good.

Storefronts

Growing up on the East side, none of these buildings are unfamiliar to me. All of these buildings are older than I am, but the state of disrepair that previously affected a single building here and there now affects building after building for miles. It’s been more than 5 years since Marsh supermarkets closed their doors and still so few have been repurposed. Gas stations, bars, restaurants, and used car lots all sit empty, slowly letting nature do its work of reclaiming territory one weed at a time.