A visit to Bloom, Ford County, Kansas. We are following the former Rock Island Railroad route through South Western Kansas - from Liberal to Kismet, then Plains, now Bloom.
Bloom was started in 1887 with the arrival of the railroad and even today boasts a huge grain elevator and is a significant wheat shipping station. Sadly the old WPA school closed in the early 60's and now children travel to Minneola; in all less than 50 people live in Bloom now.
Little is left of the former WPA school, the public school buildings have collapsed into a heap, all that is left is a concrete archway and the shell of the gymnasium which itself houses a small Baptist church.
This is real plains country and the weather is harsh, numerous winters have taken their toll on the main school building. The gymnasium in the background is reported to have had its roof blown off several times by high winds.
The rear of the gymnasium
The back of the former gymnasium was easy to access though much of the interior was unsafe to walk upon. This photo just shows the wooden building that has been constructed inside the shell and was used as a Baptist church.
Mugs packed away in a cardboard box many years ago.
The rear of the church building with the old gymnasium lights still attached. I understand that the roof of the gymnasium was often blown off, this part of Kansas is very flat.
More junk...
This was the former gymnasium rest room.
Still a few reminders of the old school gymnasium.
The ubiquitous abandoned ex school buses.
This is the entrance to the Lighthouse Baptist Church.
Bloom was started in 1887 with the arrival of the railroad and even today boasts a huge grain elevator and is a significant wheat shipping station. Sadly the old WPA school closed in the early 60's and now children travel to Minneola; in all less than 50 people live in Bloom now.
Little is left of the former WPA school, the public school buildings have collapsed into a heap, all that is left is a concrete archway and the shell of the gymnasium which itself houses a small Baptist church.
This is real plains country and the weather is harsh, numerous winters have taken their toll on the main school building. The gymnasium in the background is reported to have had its roof blown off several times by high winds.
The rear of the gymnasium
The back of the former gymnasium was easy to access though much of the interior was unsafe to walk upon. This photo just shows the wooden building that has been constructed inside the shell and was used as a Baptist church.
Mugs packed away in a cardboard box many years ago.
The rear of the church building with the old gymnasium lights still attached. I understand that the roof of the gymnasium was often blown off, this part of Kansas is very flat.
More junk...
This was the former gymnasium rest room.
Still a few reminders of the old school gymnasium.
The ubiquitous abandoned ex school buses.
This is the entrance to the Lighthouse Baptist Church.
