REMEMBERING THE ORPHANS OF DODGE STREET

On Dodge Street in Buffalo, sat the decaying remains of the German Roman Catholic Orphanage. Founded in 1874 by the sisters of St. Francis, the orphanage first housed 47 children.  During the 82 years of its existence, it survived fire, grew into a large complex of dormitories and classrooms and cared for more than 15,000 children.  When I first came upon it, the orphanage had been closed for 56 years. Although in deplorable shape, the architecture of the buildings was still impressive. And inside the chapel stood an organ, too heavy to move when the place was shuttered.

But over the pass few years, this particular ruin has been saved. Thanks to major grants to the Community Action Organization of Erie County, it has been rehabilitated into ‘St. Martin Village’, providing 60 units of affordable housing for low-income families.  A mix of renovation and new construction honors the history of the children who passed through these walls while giving a chance for new life.

In this ‘discarded ancestor’ collage, I’ve combined a found photograph of a young boy with my photo of the chapel plus the graffiti and debris in the area. It’s my attempt to capture a layer of time.