Abandoned Ohio: But That Day Did End

A story about two journeys: one through time and history in the state of Ohio, and the other through the psyche and stages of loss, grief, change, hope, and strength. Part documentary photography and part emotion, author Hillary Kleptach hopes this book will invoke some of the same thoughts, feelings, and vibrations she has experienced visiting these bleak locations. What happened to these places? What may have occurred here that no one knows about, aside from the people who stood to witness the events firsthand? A building with so much history now stands as a final testament to its buried stories. By now, many of the people have been buried, too. What did they experience here? In some ways, these sites are like a mirror, reflecting back parts of one's heart--abandonment, transformation, destruction, and creation. Were these buildings, these vessels, the better version of themselves decades or centuries ago, when they were immaculate, unsoiled, and unscathed? Or have they become something more fascinating and worthy of attention after years of decay, weathering, and warping?

HILLARY KLEPTACH is an artist and photographer from the small town of Alliance, Ohio. She received her BFA in Photography from the Columbus College of Art and Design in 2014. She currently resides in West Jefferson, Ohio, with a career in real estate and boudoir photography. Outside of work and photography, she is passionate about nature, hiking, traveling, reading, and learning. To view more of her work, please visit hillarykleptach.com, or follow her on Instagram at @hillarykleptach