I think the Wells-Goodfellow neighborhood is easily the saddest quarter in the city. It was devastated by the crack wars of the last century, and there is so much abandonment and desolation.

In many parts, vegetation creeps up around buildings like the jungles of the Yucatan around Mayan temples.

What’s even more sad is that the area, while possessing older houses such as the ones below, is not even one hundred years old. Development only reached out here in the Twentieth Century in large amounts.

What the heck is going on here? Why spend the money to board up this house (incompletely, I might add)? Wouldn’t it just be easier to demolish it?

But there is still pride left in this neighborhood, as these two well-maintained houses attest. Their neighbor may be gutted by fire, but they have not given up.

Oldest, older and new sit side by side, now all abandoned.