NHAHS to bring Matthew Christopher to New Holland

There is a lure in places where humans once lived and worked. Those who venture to these abandoned domiciles may wonder about the people who once inhabited the ruins, asking themselves questions about how they lived and why they left. Those explorers often take photos to share with other less-adventurous fellow humans. Matthew Christopher is just such an explorer.

According to Christopher, author of "Abandoned America: Dismantling the Dream" and "Abandoned America: The Age of Consequences," his interest in places that have been left to themselves began as a child, but he only started documenting abandoned sites about a decade ago when he was researching the decline of the state hospital system. Feeling the state hospitals were too important to America's history to ignore, Christopher sought to preserve their legacy. That mission grew into an effort to chronicle other abandoned places, which has grown to include a website and a podcast, along with his books.

On Thursday, April 20, at 7 p.m., Christopher will come to Garden Spot Village, 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland, as part of the New Holland Area Historical Society's (NHAHS) April meeting. Christopher's presentation will share his journeys through some of America's "most haunting ruins." According to Christopher, his program will include photos of abandoned malls, amusement parks, churches, factories, and homes, and he will share the "stories of how these places were left behind and separate fact from fiction when it comes to their past."

Christopher's website - http://www.abandonedamerica.us - provides evidence of his efforts to log the histories of a variety of abandoned places both in the U.S. and abroad. They include hotels, prisons, research facilities, neighborhoods, and industrial sites. "Mostly I find (abandoned places) through research, networking, and dumb luck," said Christopher, who has explored well-known places abroad, such as Chernobyl and ruins in Greece, as well as in the U.S.

Christopher has a Master's degree in Fine Art Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology, and he has taught photography at a college level. He continues to teach the art through workshops, and he has held gallery shows across the country. Christopher has also lectured on abandoned spaces and mental health history, and his work has been seen in dozens of publications and media outlets.

The program is free and open to the public. More information about NHAHS may be found at https://nhhistorical.com or by searching for "New Holland Area Historical Society" on Facebook.