MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME
 
JUMP TO PAGE   100  >  200  >  300  >  400  >  500  >  600
VINTAGRAPH • WPA • WWII • YOU MEAN A WOMAN CAN OPEN IT?

The Olbiston: 1906

Circa 1906. "The Olbiston, Genesee Street, Utica, N.Y." Offering a mix of "bachelor and family apartments," the fireproof Olbiston, completed around 1900, still stands.  View full size.

Circa 1906. "The Olbiston, Genesee Street, Utica, N.Y." Offering a mix of "bachelor and family apartments," the fireproof Olbiston, completed around 1900, still stands. View full size.

 

On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5

King Movie

Still standing and still fireproof. Yes also creepy. If Stephen King wrote a novel about an apartment building with bad vibes that only allowed evil people to live there, this would be where the movie would need to be made.

Where the 'Goyles Are

Gothic Revival architecture liked to incorporate the use of gargoyles although these are kind of bas-relief examples.

A bit ugly.

But very distinctive and individual. No way one might have to apologize to the neighbor late at night for having (mis)taken the wrong driveway.

Not long ago

A more recent photo.

Here's looking at you, kid

Those façade faces are pretty creepy. I found an article which offered an explanation for their presence:

"On the side of the building facing Genesee Street, several faces are carved into the brick, and while there is no real answer as to their origin, there are some theories ... one theory is that four of the faces may commemorate the four people who died in the Genesee Flats fire in 1896."

https://www.uticaod.com/news/20190622/history-speaks-volumes-about-olbis...

But that doesn't explain the other faces; I see at least twelve, not counting the one on the closest turreted section, which looks like it's supposed to be Satan.

I'm too lazy to research it but if they haven't already, somebody should make a horror film there. According to this recent article, it's already a horror to live there.

https://www.uticaod.com/news/20190622/uncertainty-surrounds-olbiston

Same View

Syndicate content  Shorpy.com is a vintage photography site featuring thousands of high-definition images. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago. Contact us | Privacy policy | Accessibility Statement | Site © 2024 Shorpy Inc.