Magic Gardens in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

One of the most unique streets in America is South Street in Philadelphia. The sidewalks are the showcase for an array of characters and an assortment of unusual shops. With all the existing subcultures represented in the area, it's only fitting that in the hub of all this lies an artistic playground.

The Magic Gardens catches your attention from blocks away. The glimmering glass flickering in the sun attracts your eye to this unique adobe, hidden on a road of sideshows. The building is a collage of art pieced together with glass, bottles, marbles, broken plates, and about anything else the artist could get his hands on. But the true masterpiece lies within.

Opening these doors and passing through is almost the equivalent of following the rabbit down the hole. Except this is a different type of Wonderland. The interior walls are plastered in mosaics. Bright colors swirl around hidden images. Feelings of vertigo pass through as I extend my neck to look above me and follow the menagerie of colors that are blossoming around me. The colors may begin to blend into psychedelic imagery. There's another door inviting you back outside, but it's not the outside you were accustomed to. You pass through the looking glass, and proceed out.

Now you find yourself in a maze of mosaics. Bicycles extend out of walls. Porcelain dolls protrude through cement. Kitchen tiles, fine china, southwestern images, and poetry are all melded together, forming structures of art, and craftsmanship. The scenery is quite overwhelming. Every twist, turn, canyon, and cavern is a symbol of inventiveness. Your brain attempts to conjure the meanings of all the symbolism that is occurring. Words of inspiration from the artist are plastered in works of poetry throughout.

 Images of a three armed man are seen quite frequently throughout the establishment, these are the artist's representation of himself. Isiah Zagar is a mosaic artist who turned his established South street business into a work of art that continued to grow for decades. In 2002 after purchasing the property outright, the Magic Gardens officially became established. Since than the project has been committed to preserving Isiah's legacy as well as educate the community on mosaic and visual artistry.

In 2008 Isiah considered the Magic Gardens to be complete, a project he had begun nearly 14 years earlier. His hard work and commitment has been greatly appreciated throughout the community. A number of his mosaic pieces can be found throughout the city of Philadelphia. The Magic Gardens is certainly his masterpiece. A place that comes alive, brings hope to all, and will inspire many for decades to come.

Abandoned Divine Lorraine Hotel Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Situated just at the corners of Broad street and Fairmount avenue in Philadelphia rests a beautiful and majestic building. Though its been quickly falling into dilapidation. Once the home to Philadelphia's wealthiest is now a haven for the homeless, drug addicts, and aspiring graffiti artists. The luxurious living commodities are now bare skeletons of what they once were. Now many windows are plastered with plywood, and graffiti splashes colors of brightness onto the facade.

The Lorraine Apartments completed construction in 1894, and acted as luxurious apartments for many of Philadelphia's industrial magnates. At ten stories it was one of the first high-rise apartments in Philadelphia.  It's ornate style, which was designed by architect Willis Hale, was deemed outdated when it opened. Though it did offer all the amenities a wealthy person could enjoy. These included electricity, a staff to help residents, as well as a central kitchen for food delivery. Though it only allowed those of the white race. In 1900 the structure was changed to the Lorraine Hotel. But the segregation would continue until 1948.

At this time the property was purchased by Father Divine the leader of the Universal Peace Mission Movement. After purchase Father Divine made a few changes. First he renamed the hotel. It was now called the Divine Lorraine Hotel. He also included several strict rules upon its patrons. These rules included no smoking, no profanity, no drinking, and no intermingling of sexes. Women were required to wear modest skirts or dresses. And rested on separate floors as the men. But all these rules were in his eyes good. He believed all were equal in the eyes of God. This made the hotel the first racially integrated hotel in Philadelphia, possibly the country. He broke down the doors of class that had restricted others from entering. The top floor auditorium was converted to a place of worship. The kitchen was now used to feed low cost meals to the less fortunate.

After Father Divine's death in 1965, his significantly younger wife began to run the congregation, as well as the Divine Lorraine. The church was also falling under lots of controversy. Father Divine was not generally held in the highest esteem among the general public. Many were upset by his race, and the fact he referred to himself as God. Several publicized sex scandals, and reports of improper sexual conduct, clouded the church's image as well.

 The congregation slowly began disintegrating when he married a 21 year old, shortly after the passing of his first wife. Whom many within the church held in high esteem. Though he would later claim she was the reincarnate of his first wife, something the church didn't believe in previously. She would become known as Sweet Angel. Marriages also began to be celebrated, when earlier were held without much regard.

Shortly after Father Divine's death many came forth to proclaim his title. Jesus Emmanuel a former longtime member, and self proclaimed prophet came forth claiming he was the last of 5 naturally born children of Father Divine and his first wife, known as Mother Divine. He therefore claimed the peace mission as inheritance. He also held many other claims, including that the real Father Divine was housed in a mental institute, and the latest was an imposter. His bold claims made no impact on the close knit community.

Immediately after Father Divine's death, a church member offered protection at his compound in California, something the new Mother Divine quickly dismissed. He later came forth in 1971 claiming he was the Father Divine returned. After all he had let the peace mission members know he would take over control if Father Divine had ever passed. The two met in the 1950's and found the same concern in various social, and cultural issues. Mother Divine ordered him out of the church and was told never to return. Unfazed he quickly and quietly began to grow his congregation known as the People's Temple. Infamously this man was Jim Jones and later led 909 people to mass suicide at a compound in South America, all but two from cyanide poisoning. An event that became deemed as the "Jonestown Massacre",  and led to the popular phrase "don't drink the kool-aid."


The Lorraine Hotel is a sight to see. You can imagine the rich strolling in their carriages out front. While marble floors lined your way through ornate architecture. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural history as well as it's role in civil rights. Many believe the locals truly respected the past of the hotel and that's why it was left alone for several years after abandonment. But after being purchased by a developer in 2006 the squatters quickly moved in. Now the hotel is merely a shell of it's former self. But as long as it's standing, it's history will be remembered.

See photos from inside.

Route 420

There's a small highway in Pennsylvania that has garnered lots of attention from a certain subculture. This simple highway runs less than 6 miles through Delaware county. Located within miles of the Philadelphia International airport and I-95, the route is often traveled. But the popularity of this road is due to it's route number. 420 has become synonymous with the marijuana community as a slang term for a time to smoke. Needless to say the signs have disappeared quite often in the last few years. Lucky for us we were able to get at least a few pictures.

The Historical Mystique of Radnor, Pennsylvania

In 1684 a group of Pennsylvania citizens approached William Penn about constituting a tract of land for themselves. The 40,000 acres they wished to have would be used for a separate county where only Welsh would be spoken. They received what they asked for, yet refused to set up any governing bodies. Their small Welsh community quickly and quietly faded away. The township of Radnor, located along the main line to Philadelphia, was once originally part of this Welsh tract. Today they still continue to honor their lost legacy through a few odd memorials.

When the I-476 turnpike decided to route through the suburban township of Radnor, the locals vowed to not let it destroy their hometown heritage and charm. They instead used the opportunity to beautify, as opposed to vilify. The township agreed that this was a perfect time to help exemplify the towns mysterious past.

The township had a massive 23 foot high cairn placed on top of a local hilltop, allowing passing vehicles to get a glimpse of a wondrous secret. Large cairns are located throughout most of Wales, many dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze ages. Nearby a extravagant dragon made of stone was constructed along the highway as well.

Though what the municipality decided to do at Unkefer park seems to be the most mystical. A circle of stone monoliths was constructed. These large boulders were unearthed while highway construction was being done. The township wanted to make use of the massive rocks instead of having them hauled away, which may have cost them more. As mystical as these attractions seem they are all part of this towns rich history.

Johnsville Centrifuge and Science Museum

Tucked away in the suburbs of Philadelphia rests an amazing piece of lost American history.It lies hidden away on the grounds of the Naval Air Warfare Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania, at one time one of the most technological places in the World. During the time of the cold war this may have been one of the most difficult places to access. The surrounding property housed numerous laboratories focusing on the development of aircraft equipment, advanced navigation systems, aerospace equipment, and submarine detection. But perhaps it's most important work was training future pilots, and eventually astronauts.

In order to train for the strenuous conditions involved with operating a fighter jet, one must be accustomed to numerous changes in gravity forces being applied to the body. The best way to do this is to build a machine capable of producing these anomalies. In 1947 construction began on the largest human centrifuge ever built, and in 1950 operations began. Originally the centrifuge was meant to only train pilots, but by the middle of the 1950's things were quickly and quietly changing.

By the late 1950's America was engulfed in a cold war with Russia. Besides battling in an arms race, the two countries were neck and neck in a space race. At this time the legacy of the centrifuge would change forever.
During a time in the late 1959 a who's who of American citizens could be found at the massive machine. Allen Shepard, Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and numerous others all took rides in the famous Mercury 7 gondola. Every astronaut who took part in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs trained right here.

"Sadistic", "dreaded"," diabolical", "torture chamber", "a gruesome merry-go-round", these are just a few ways John Glenn and others have described the centrifuge. Packing 4,000 horsepower and the capabilities of maneuvering your body in disorienting positions, the centrifuge certainly wasn't meant to be played with. While being used to train the astronauts, a few decided they wanted to truly test the magnitude of this vicious machine. In 1958 a Naval reserve officer rode in the gondola for nearly a minute at over 20 Gs. Another rode inside at an astounding 32 Gs for nearly half a minute. As the need for speed geared everyone's adrenaline it wasn't a feasible way into space. In the late 1950's two daring scientists loaded a La-z boy recliner into the gondola and proved that man could survive for more than 24 hours if kept at a steady 2 Gs. Their theory helped to be extremely helpful in being able to accomplish space exploration.

The centrifuge ceased using the Mercury 7 gondola in 1964, and had it placed in the Smithsonian museum. But the facility remained opened, and was a training grounds for many future pilots. In  1996 the base fell victim to closure, and operations were relocated to Maryland. All operations of the centrifuge ended shortly thereafter and the gondola was left to collect dust.

Today the behemoth spinning gondola is still resting in it's home in Warminster. Fortunately the doors are still open. Tours take place regularly at the Johnsville Centrifuge and Science Museum. The place is loaded with past artifacts from the early days of aerospace training. Most of the place looks similar to how it did when in operations. The control panels are nicely intact, and look strangely antiquated compared to today's technology. Of course the spinning gondola is still in place and you can even take a step inside, but don't worry they won't turn it on...even if you try to bribe them! But donations are greatly accepted.

Video look at the Johnsville Centrifuge