LonBon22

LonBon22 Lonni Gilmore is a Michigan-based creative professional, marketer, and travel enthusiast. My name is Lonni Gilmore also known as LonBon22. I Love traveling!

Professional Graphic Design & Marketing services for individuals and businesses. I graduated from Saginaw Valley State University with a B.A. in Graphic Design & Marketing as well as High Honors + National Honors Phi Theta Kappa. I am a certified Marketer and Social Media Influencer who specializes in Audience Growth & Media/ Content Promotion. I have a huge passion for life and adventures! Live Life! Be Happy! Dream Big!

~ Lonni

An abandoned gas station and food mart located near Horse Cave, Kentucky.Similar to Route 66, many businesses have succu...
06/10/2026

An abandoned gas station and food mart located near Horse Cave, Kentucky.
Similar to Route 66, many businesses have succumbed to a combination of common regional factors. Many older businesses in the Horse Cave and Cave City area (like those along US-31W) declined after the completion of I-65. Traffic shifted from local roads to the interstate, causing many “mom-and-pop” stops to lose their customer base to larger travel centers like the nearby Love’s Travel Stop.
The Horse Cave area has a complex history with its underground systems. I have ventured out into these cave and unground systems to explore and found out some very fascinating facts from the locals who lived in the area.
In the mid-1970s, a major leak from a nearby gas station’s tank released thousands of gallons of gasoline into the Hidden River Cave system. The fumes were so strong they could be smelled in local basements, leading to long-term environmental remediation and stricter regulations for local fuel storage.
Small, independent stations often struggle to compete with large chains that offer more amenities and lower fuel prices. Over time, these smaller “Food Mart” style buildings are often left vacant by owners who live elsewhere or lack the funds for modern environmental upgrades required for underground tanks.
The station remains as a piece of “roadside Americana,” typical of the many abandoned structures that dot the region’s historic corridors leading toward Mammoth Cave National Park.

This historic Seminary Hall at Jefferson Community and Technical College located in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky.Comple...
06/10/2026

This historic Seminary Hall at Jefferson Community and Technical College located in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
Completed in 1909, the building was originally constructed as the home of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. It was designed by the architect William J. Dodd in a Collegiate Gothic style.
Due to its architectural and historical significance, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Jefferson Community College opened in 1967 as part of the University of Kentucky system and began holding its first classes in this former seminary building.
Over the decades, the campus grew from this single structure into a multi-building urban complex that serves thousands of students.
As of 2026, the area around Seminary Hall is undergoing a major $90 million revitalization known as “Jefferson Rising,” which includes the addition of new science facilities and green spaces.
The building is also known for local ghost stories. Legend holds that it is haunted by Lucy Sites Barrett, the wife of the man who funded its original construction; she is said to move elevators and leave notes in the old library.

The First Presbyterian Church of Bay City, Michigan.The church was constructed between 1891 and 1893. The building was ...
06/09/2026

The First Presbyterian Church of Bay City, Michigan.
The church was constructed between 1891 and 1893. The building was designed by the local architectural firm Pratt and Koeppe.the architectual style is a Richardsonian Romanesque style, which is known for its heavy stone masonry. The stone of which it was built with was Ionia sandstone.
The congregation’s first permanent building (constructed in 1861) burned down almost immediately after completion. They worshipped in a second structure until this current masterpiece was finished.
One of the church’s early leaders, James G. Birney, was a two-time presidential candidate on the antislavery ticket. The church also helped found Alma College in 1886. A church elder, Alexander Folsom, donated $50,000 in 1886 to help found Alma College in Michigan.
Its bell, cast in 1866, once served as a public timepiece for the city, tolling three times every day.

A Liminal space stairwell during a rainy thunderstorm day.
06/09/2026

A Liminal space stairwell during a rainy thunderstorm day.

An abandoned home located in Saginaw, Michigan.In early days, Saginaw peaked as a major manufacturing hub for the automo...
06/08/2026

An abandoned home located in Saginaw, Michigan.
In early days, Saginaw peaked as a major manufacturing hub for the automotive industry, particularly through General Motors, but has shifted as many of those industrial jobs left the region. Saginaw was also a central producer of lumber for the tri-city area. Saginaw was also a large producer of horse drawn carriages which eventually lead to the production of components for GM to create vehicles.
Businesses boomed in Saginaw’s early days, but as advancements in economical growth changed over time, business was not needed. Eventually the shutting down a lot of plants, factories, and businesses caused people to move elsewhere in search of other work or retirement.
With the complex issue rooted in decades of economic decline, massive population loss, and an aging housing stock, today, the abandonment of houses on Saginaw’s East Side is a symbol of what once was a part of history. Houses which used to belong to families of workers in the area sit vacant or abandoned.
This lack of economic opportunity trapped generations in deep poverty, creating violent crime hotspots in areas like Hess and Robinwood. The crisis was further cemented by severe budget cuts, which slashed the Saginaw Police Department by over 60% since the late 1990s and left the city understaffed to break the cycle.

Photoshoot with a Vintage Canon Canonet 28.This is a classic 35mm rangefinder film camera from the early 1970s. This cam...
06/08/2026

Photoshoot with a Vintage Canon Canonet 28.
This is a classic 35mm rangefinder film camera from the early 1970s. This camera being a 1971 year camera.
This was one of the shots that was a part of my Abandoned technology photo series. The series was a multiple photo shoot shot in a studio with props and lighting. The shots were of a variety of vintage electronic devices or devices which were no longer usable.
This photo is inspired by a shot which my photographer friend and I worked on shooting dropping a camera in a fish tank what seemed like 100 times and capturing over 200+ shots to get the perfect shot! I loved working on that photo with him.
So this I personally did myself with a vintage camera and a fish tank. Many shots, time, lighting and all. This photo I shot using the camera partially submerged underwater. It was staged and shot using a mirror, lighting, and camera angles.

Abandoned house which burned due to a fire located in Saginaw, Michigan. The house has now been demolished and the lot o...
06/07/2026

Abandoned house which burned due to a fire located in Saginaw, Michigan. The house has now been demolished and the lot of land is for sale.

The Abandoned Prime Event Center located in Bay City, Michigan.The Prime Event Center was a decades-old performance thea...
06/07/2026

The Abandoned Prime Event Center located in Bay City, Michigan.
The Prime Event Center was a decades-old performance theater and entertainment venue. It was originally built in 1948. The 18,000-square-foot building featured a massive 1,000-plus person capacity and hosted everything from music concerts and comedy shows to weddings and local wrestling events.
It opened in 1948 and formerly known as the “Empire” and held up to 1,045 guests and featured a large floor plan with a full-circle bar. It served as a cornerstone for local and mid-Michigan talent, hosting live bands, theatrical performances, and professional wrestling events.
After struggling in recent years and undergoing brief revitalization attempts, the building was permanently closed and demolished. The site is planned for a new multi-story brick building containing ground-floor retail and residential apartment lofts.
*Taken in the summer of 2023.

The Abandoned St. Paul’s German Evangelical Church and Parish House Located in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky.The congreg...
06/07/2026

The Abandoned St. Paul’s German Evangelical Church and Parish House Located in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
The congregation was founded in 1836 by Reverend George Brandau as the first German Evangelical congregation in Louisville. The church was built in 1906 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, it was the first German Evangelical church established in Louisville. However, the church building itself has been closed and without a congregation since 1987.
The church is currently undergoing emergency demolition after decades of vacancy and a severe fire.In October 2024, a massive fire gutted the building, destroying most of its roof and causing significant structural damage. An arson report noted that approximately 10 people were living inside the abandoned structure at the time.
Following the fire, city inspectors declared the building “unstable, unsafe and open,” posing a danger to the public. Demolition began in late May 2026 under emergency orders.
While the back of the church is being demolished, developers have hired engineers to determine if the 120-year-old facade can be salvaged and integrated into new construction to save a part of Louisville’s history.
The site is slated to be redeveloped into a new hotel complex. Current proposals for the $80 million project include an 11-story hotel and extended-stay apartments. The hotel will have on-site amenities such as a restaurant and fitness center. The design is aimed at serving the nearby downtown medical district.

The Merchants Ice & Cold Storage Tower in the early morning hours at sunrise located in Louisville, Kentucky.The tower i...
06/06/2026

The Merchants Ice & Cold Storage Tower in the early morning hours at sunrise located in Louisville, Kentucky.
The tower is a 13-story reinforced concrete landmark located in the Smoketown neighborhood. The site was originally developed in 1881 as the Schaefer-Meyer Brewing Company, which produced over 50,000 barrels of beer annually by 1901.
With the onset of Prohibition in 1919, the company pivoted to ice production.
The current 13-story windowless tower was completed around 1920-1921 at a cost of approximately $1,000,000, becoming the largest cold storage facility in the South at the time.
The facility operated until the late 1980s, after which it sat vacant for decades, becoming a well-known site for urban explorers and vandals. It sits now abandoned and in a decaying state. It has been on the market for many years, but has not sold due to its condition. The cost to demolish the building is expensive due to its steel frame structure. It sits as a part of Louisville’s history.

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Saginaw, MI
48603

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+19892523865

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