I very recently had the opportunity to explore and shoot the Annie Lytle school, originally called School House Number Four. In the beginning School Four was a wooden frame school house built in 1891. The wooden building was deemed unstable as well as a fire hazard, that's when construction began on it's full brick structure in 1917, making room for it's expansive corridors that were completed in 1918. This school was at one time a majestic brick structure overlooking Riverside Park. That is until they began erecting I-95 in the late 1950's which led to the closing of the school in 1960. It was condemned and completely abandoned in 1971. Time has taken a severe toll on this once lavish school. Vandalism has overtaken the school with trash, and graffiti. There was then a fire in October of 1999 that hollowed out the roof of the Auditorium. This building has since been saved by Historical Societies after public protest to build condominiums in its place. Since then the old school building sits there in utter disrepair. Urban legends surround the structure, including an eccentric janitor that murdered children, suicidal faculty members, a cannibalistic principal, and a boiler room eruption, none of which can be proven. It has been labeled "The most haunted place in Jacksonville." I had no paranormal experiences inside the school, just an odd creepy energy lingering from the past. I did however capture some truly amazing images from the inside of this forgotten structure that once accommodated many children just excited to go there and learn from their mentors. Here are the two images I am presenting in class tonight. This was one of the funnest photo shoots I have ever done, I hope someday soon that I can revisit this site and continue my urban exploration.
