• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Jennifer Sergent

Senior Communications Writer | Perkins Eastman

  • About
    • About Jennifer
    • Blog Information
  • Blog
  • Contact

“A Beautifully Broken Virginia”

October 24, 2017

Want to see real haunted houses, abandoned churches and crumbling insane asylums for Halloween? Richmond photographer John Plashal has just published a book full of them—and they’re all right here in Virginia.

I met John, who grew up in Great Falls, at the regular Salon Arlington gathering this summer, and was entranced with his photography of ruin. He was showing photographs from this then-forthcoming book, which is now available. We agreed to meet after the salon to talk about his pastime.

It all started when he spotted an abandoned school in central Virginia a few years ago while he was driving down a back road. “I was looking for cool things to shoot,” says John, who by day makes a living selling medical equipment. “I was new to photography and wanted a hobby to take up—seeing these ruinous places, to me, offered unique subject matter.”

All photography by John Plashal from his book, “A Beautifully Broken Virginia”

“It’s an old state, and there’s a lot of old, historic places,” John says. “This book is two things: A commemoration to all these places that are rich in Virginia history, and to share a positive message about my experience with Virginians.”

Shooting these types of pictures means, in almost every case, trespassing onto private property. But John has become adept at getting to know people in all the little towns where these structures tend to hide. He calls it “delicate interrogation,” which could mean sidling up to someone at a lunch counter or gas station, asking them about the area and its history.

“When you say, ‘Can you tell me about this town?’ You’re in for a 45-minute earful,” he says. “It’s my own little history lesson.” It’s also how he gets the goods:


The diner above has remained untouched for decades. Can’t you just see the ghosts of people sitting there, eating burgers and sipping on milkshakes?

When John was giving his presentation at the Salon, his eyes welled up as he described his interactions with Virginians who invited them into their homes, and told them their stories about long-abandoned homes and public buildings. “I can’t tell you how many living rooms I’ve ended up in, sipping tea and eating crumpets with strangers who are educating me,” he says. “You get personal tours—people are delightful.”

A long-abandoned living room—strangely beautiful.

In addition to his book, John has been traveling the state on a speaking tour sponsored by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, talking about bygone eras that are literally crumbling before our eyes. “The speaking engagements, to me, are much larger than any book sales. It’s a visual presentation of the journey of creating this book,” he says.

Not every history lesson is positive. The book contains an image of a school that a town closed and abandoned rather than comply with the integration mandates that followed Brown vs. Board of Education. And this asylum here—though the architecture is beautiful, you can’t get away from the fact that it was a warehouse for people:

 

John won’t reveal where any of these structures are located, because he wants them to remain frozen in time, unscathed by would-be looters and looky-loos. The homes he’s photographed, for instance, would be a jackpot for antiques and second-hand dealers looking to score:

What I wouldn’t give for that old-time radio, above, or this chair below! I’m sure book dealers would go nuts over the library, too.

One of my favorite stories that I’ve covered was about builder Tom Glass, whose DC firm specializes in historic restoration and renovation. He found an abandoned 18th-century home near Appomattox—close to where Robert E. Lee surrendered his army, effectively ending the Civil War. Tom catalogued every board and beam, moved it all, and rebuilt to livable standards it on his weekend property in Flint Hill.

There’s a community of people like John and Tom who appreciate old structures. Google “rurex” for rural exploration, or its city counterpart, “urbex,” to see examples.

Here’s some more glorious ruin from John’s book:

 

 

 

I’m always tempted to conjure people sitting on these porches, knocking on the doors, or making dinner inside. Who where they? What were they like? John has heard those stories from their old neighbors and descendants across the state. But for those of us who read the book, the mystery remains. He describes it as 98 percent pictures and 2 percent text, which is itself poetic and mysterious—utterly non-revealing.

It’s the perfect time of year to get a copy. They are currently on sale locally at the Village Sweet bakery (where Salon Arlington is held), or you can contact John to purchase a copy. They cost $39.95.

Filed Under: Art/Photo

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laura LeClair says

    October 25, 2017 at 1:25 am

    Every pages of this glorious book pushes you to turn to the next. All of the activity past pour into your mind recreating moments in time. I will many more hours to devour every image. It’s magical.

Before Footer

View

Apr 9

Open
This lady saw so much, lived through so much, and her son, DC photographer @maxhirshfeld, captured that totality on a return to her former prison at #auschwitz. Today’s blog features a book he wrote and illustrated that was inspired by this journey back to Poland. Link in bio.
View

Mar 9

Open
Another inspiring before and after from Regan’s guest post, linked in bio! 
@rbhomedesign 
📷 @angelanewtonroyphotography
View

Mar 8

Open
Couldn’t be more proud to be starting a job today with @perkinseastman.washington, the firm behind @thewharfdc and so many other stunning designs around the world!
View

Mar 4

Open
My latest story for Home & Design! 

#Repost @homeanddesigndc with @make_repost
・・・
A 1940's-era Colonial in Friendship Heights was renovated and expanded into a contemporary abode while preserving its original roots. Natural light, high ceilings and warm wood elements complement the interiors. The rear addition combines two- and three-story volumes with the owners' suite on the third level; the addition was clad in wood siding that comes down over the original brick façade. An open concept master bathroom adds a sleek and sophisticated vibe.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Renovation Architecture: @jonathankuhnarchitect 
Contractor: Eric and Brad Bernstein / @bradbern_construction 
Landscape Design: Carlos Uman / Green Fields Landscaping⁠⁠
Text: ⁠⁠@jensergent 
⁠⁠
⁠⁠
⁠⁠
#jonathankuhnarchitect #bradbernconstruction #architecture #architecturalrenovation #archreno #smartmakeover #renovation #contemporary #contemporaryarchitecture #contemporarydesign #interiors #design #architecturaltransformation #kitcheninteriors #remodel #homeanddesigndc
View

Mar 4

Open
What a breath of fresh air! Swipe to see this kitchen before Regan Billingsley @rbhomedesign worked her magic. More before and after sin the blog post, link in bio
📷 @angelanewtonroyphotography
View

Mar 2

Open
Now on the blog: A Q&A withe the delightful Regan Billingsley of @rbhomedesign about a delicious facelift she executed in Chevy Chase, link in profile! 
📷 @angelanewtonroyphotography
View

Jan 22

Open
When I told my husband I wanted to name our first son Henry, he readily agreed because Henry Aaron was his favorite baseball player of all time. And several years later, my mother gave a framed, signed photograph of this legend to @hjsergent for Christmas, and it hangs right next to his bed. What a sad day, felt all the more personally because I can’t think of my wonderful son without thinking also of the great man who helped inspire his name.🙏🏻
View

Jan 21

Open
Interior design isn’t just pretty. There’s real power and symbolism in the choices you make, which deeply affects how you and your visitors feel in your home. This @washingtonpost piece on the #ovaloffice, linked in bio, illustrates how. @potus 
📷 @olearypix
Story by @alinskey
View

Jan 20

Open
January 20 is finally here!! Sending Godspeed to @joebiden and @kamalaharris ❤️🤍💙
📷 @senatephoto
View

Jan 13

Open
The amazing thing about the #uscapitol is that we enjoy the same beauty as the generations before us. Our fashions might change, but not the glorious encaustic tile, gilded mirrors or the clover-like pendant lights in the Senate Press Gallery. Swipe to see the modern version, shot by @ronbluntphoto. 
Full post in my bio link!
View

Jan 12

Open
With the help of photographers like @adam_brockett who took this glowy halo around the #uscapitol, and my friends who know and cherish that building, here’s a love letter, blog link in bio
View

Jan 7

Open
Memories of the late-night lines to see George H.W. Bush lying in state. Thousands of peaceful mourners waiting to pass through the Rotunda of this majestic Capitol.
Load More...

Footer

DC by Design is my passion project, a chronicle of design talents throughout the DC-Maryland-Virginia region who are doing beautiful and imaginative things in the categories below. Click here for blog information and guidelines.

  • Architecture
  • Art/Photo
  • Designers
  • Furniture
  • Home Decor
  • Kitchen/Bath
  • Outdoors
  • Real Estate
  • Shopping
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe to my blog, which sends an e-mail alert each time a new post is published (about once per month).

Please click here if you're a

  •    

© 2021 Jennifer Sergent • All Rights Reserved