Dotson’s new book features a full portfolio of images made in South Wheeling plus fascinating histories of the buildings and people who lived or worked in them
Buy a copy of the book
Buy a printed copy from Keith here ($24 shipping included)
(U.S. addresses only)
Buy a digital download here ($4.99)
Buy a copy through Blurb here ($18.95 plus shipping)
(Buyers outside the U.S., please use this link)
Based on a visit to South Wheeling, West Virginia in 2021, fine art photographer Keith Dotson offers a set of black and white photographs of the abandoned buildings and historic architecture he found there.
Dotson pairs his highly detailed black and white photographs with an extensively researched history of the city and many of the old buildings he shot in Wheeling. You’ll also find stories about some of the city’s colorful characters and historic figures.
Table of contents
- Introduction
- Wheeling Video URL link
- Statement
- History
- Observations
- U.S. Map / Notable People from Wheeling, West Virginia
- About the Architecture
- The Photographs
- About the Prints
- Print Buying Guide
- About Keith Dotson
About the cover
The cover was adapted from an 1884 fire map of Wheeling, West Virginia, created by the Sanborn Map and Publishing Co., Limited, of New York. The company published detailed and elaborately designed maps for the insurance industry from the mid-1800s until 1961. Sanborn has continued into the 21st Century as a modern geospatial mapping and LIDAR service. Fingerprints and smudges are part of the original scans made by the Library of Congress.
About The Wheeling Portfolio
Also available from Blurb (foreign buyers please click here)
- Published November 2022
- 48 pages
- Softcover
- 8.5 x 11 inches
- Perfect bound
- Beautifully printed on luster paper
- Free shipping within the U.S.
* * * Please allow a few weeks for delivery by mail.
The Wheeling Portfolio: What’s Inside?
Keith Dotson’s book, The Wheeling Portfolio offers a series of black and white photographs made in South Wheeling, West Virginia, along with Keith’s rationale for the project; Keith’s artist statement; histories of the city and of the buildings shown in the images, plus, stories about some of the early occupants and colorful characters; historic maps and newspaper clippings; camera metadata; and citations supporting the histories published in the book.
Endangered history
One of my reasons for making photographs of abandoned and historic structures is to create a record of their existence before they’re gone. By their very nature, abandoned buildings are in danger of loss. After publication, we received news from a reader in Wheeling that two of the buildings featured in the book are scheduled for demolition. One of those buildings at 3606 Jacob Street is already undergoing demolition.
The city of Wheeling has boosted its demolition budget and plans to aggressively remove between 80 and 100 derelict buildings. This makes a return visit to Wheeling to shoot more structures urgent.
According to Wheeling’s newspaper The Intelligencer, the historic Hobbs Brockunier house at 3530 Eoff Street (which is not featured in my book) was recently torn down. It had been bought at auction by an out-of-state investor and now the vacant lot is currently offered for sale at nearly ten times the auction price. Weelunk published a story about the old house with interior photographs.
It’s understandable that the city would seek to remove hazardous buildings, but this also erases visible signs of the city’s history and changes the character of neighborhoods. Charles Seybold’s old sign-painting shop at 3606 Jacob Street, built in 1891, is now being demolished. It had been deemed a collapse hazard. Located on the corner next to the Seybold building, 3600 Jacob Street will also be removed soon. Both of those locations are featured in the book.
Buy a copy of the book
Buy a printed copy from Keith here ($24 shipping included)
(U.S. addresses only)
Buy a digital download here ($4.99)
Buy a copy through Blurb here ($18.95 plus shipping)
(Buyers outside the U.S., please use this link)
Wow! Keith! This looks fantastic, congrats!!
Thanks Jeni!