Abandoned Maryland – The Lonaconing Silk Mill / Klotz Throwing Company

It’s about time I wrapped this thing up, eh? This is the sixth and final installment of photo blogs from my personal July travel, ending in western Maryland for the Lonaconing Silk Mill. In the event you missed the first five blogs:

Part 1: NVF Factory in Yorklyn, Delaware
Part 2: I Finally Went to Prison for Photography
Part 3: Pennsylvania UrbEx – St. Nicholas Coal Breaker
Part 4: Pennsylvania UrbEx – Dust to Dust
Part 5: York County Pennsylvania

If you have not visited the Lonaconing Silk Mill (also known as the Klotz Throwing Company), I’d strongly encourage you to do so while we all have the opportunity. Long story short, this century-old building is the largest, most intact, silk mill of its type remaining in the entire United States. You can Google other blogs about the building’s history, I won’t rehash that. The mill shut down in 1957 leaving everything inside – equipment, personal items, office supplies – as is, to this very day.

A few North Carolina and Virginia photog friends and I met in Allegheny County to check out this beautiful relic. The current mill owner, Herb Crawford, has held the property for the last 35 years. It’s been a true labor of love, and unfortunately, an uphill struggle to keep the building intact and secure. The money he receives from touring visitors isn’t near enough to cover building maintenance, taxes, and security but every bit helps and photographers are more than happy to assist anyway they can.

Before I continue, don’t be an idiot and try to sneak into this building. You will only get caught and ruin it for everybody else. Crawford is actively doing his best to upkeep this building, and high-tech security is located inside and outside of the mill. There’s a decent chance the building may eventually need to be sold and scrapped, as this has been a losing proposition, so it’s WELL worth the monetary contributions, all of which goes directly to benefit the mill. If you genuinely love well-preserved buildings like this, what more can you ask for?

Feel free to directly contact Herb Crawford to organize a group tour of the Lonaconing Silk Mill at (301) 268-1168. He is a really great guy and I appreciate all his efforts and generosity.

Onto the images:

Lonaconing Silk Mill (2013)

Lonaconing Silk Mill II (2013)

Left Behind V (2013)

Shovel (2013)

This was my last capture before leaving.  I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t know what a can of green beans are doing in a silk mill, but I think it may be my favorite photo of the trip.

Green Beans (2013)

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