The Center Of Land Use Interpretation is probably the greatest thing I’ve been introduced to –  and a productivity prohibitor.  According to its mission statement the CLUI is “a research organization interested in understanding the nature and extent of human interaction with the earth’s surface.” Its database (which includes a free, partial listing online) house of thousands of records that document various sites — like an abandoned pyramid made of limestone, Alcatraz, abandoned tunnels, etc. — and their history across the country. It’s accessible in person (and includes a museum) if you travel to the CLUI headquarters in Los Angeles. In just a short amount of time I came across a steel mill that my grandfather worked in, a missile range, and abandoned diner in the middle of the desert that’s frequently used as a film set.

Have you checked out the CLUI database? What are some of your favorite discoveries??

Bethlehem Steel Mill, PA

Bethlehem Steel Mill, PA

Four Aces Diner Set, CA

White Sands Missile Range, NM

White Sands Missile Range, NM