Liggett & Myers cigarette factory - Durham, North Carolina
 

I'm currently in the States visiting a friend I met in Manchester through exploring. This is the building that got her interested in exploring so she wanted to take me to visit.


Opened in 1948, the art deco Chesterfield building was the headquarters for Liggett & Myers, in downtown Durham, right in the middle of tobacco country. The company moved out of town in 2000 and the six storey, 360,000 sq ft building has been empty ever since.

The whole downtown area around it (all old tobacco buildings) have been renovated and gentrified recently. This is the last building to be turned into shops and apartments. Apparently this is because of red tape involved in the hopeful renovators' attempts to buy the building.

To describe this building as "huge" would be an understatement. We spent 2 and a half hours there and probably still missed a lot of things.

We had to wait for nightfall to make our entrance and happily spent a few hours at a nearby bar sipping whisky outdoors in the sticky midnight heat to waste time. However tonight the police were looking for a mugger and had swamped the area. One cop car was even sat directly opposite our entry point for nearly an hour. Oh well, more whisky anyone?!


As is always the case it seems when I'm out exploring, my batteries died halfway through my time in this building. A couple of the shots posted here were taken with my phone. I think I need to stop being such a cheapskate and actually buy some good batteries!

Anyway, that's my holiday so far. More to come, I assure you!

Excellent, JG keep it coming :thumbs I bet it smelt gorgeous in there, I used to smoke marlboros and loved the smell of a fresh packet.

That roof top is ace, love the old advertising sign and the water tower.

Batteries, bloody hell dude they are always failing you!

Good effort all the same, looks alright that does

In the last but one photo I'm actually stood on top of an AC unit. It was about 40ft tall with three fans on top that were at least 12ft wide. Insanity I tell thee!

Top work !!!, looking forward to the rest of you're holiday snaps:thumbs

Good work sir, this place looks bloody brilliant!

Fantastic, worth the bus fare for sure :thumbs

Looks great that, particularly the roof shots! How do the americans feel about tresspass, or does it vary so much from place to place? Hope your holiday continues to go so well :)

I try not to think about it... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_...s_Constitution