Johnny Joo
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Abandoned buildings, shopping malls and mansions come alive once again in Johnny Joo’s upcoming book, “Ohio’s Forgotten History.”
The new book, which is the first of a two-part series, compiles Joo’s acclaimed photography with histories of each location. “Ohio’s Forgotten History, Part One” is Joo’s sixth book, and it will include haunting scenes found around the state.
In the 450-page book, Joo explores scenes in the Akron Rubber Bowl, Mike Tyson’s old mansion, Geauga Lake amusement park and more.
(Pictured above: Randall Park Mall, 2014)
Johnny Joo
(Big Dipper roller coaster at Geauga Lake amusement park, 2012)
“When I started working on it, it was initially going to be one full, big book of abandoned Ohio,” he said. “Then I realized I had a lot more … I had to split it into multiple.”
Joo is focused on releasing the first part of “Ohio’s Forgotten History” this year, but he has about half of the content ready for the second part of the series, to be released in 2020. He also has plans for a third book filled with photos of abandoned countryside homes in Ohio.
“It can’t all fit in one book,” he said.
Johnny Joo
(Abandoned Cleveland Aquarium, 2011)
Joo’s photography work has taken him to locations like the long-abandoned Victoreen Instrument Company in Cleveland Heights, used to create radiation measurement tools.
He also explored the Diamond Shamrock chemical manufacturing facility Painesville. The site's toxicity contributed to heightened cancer rates in its surrounding community, and chemicals like mercury, hexavalent chromium and cyanide leaking into Fairport Harbor.
Johnny Joo
(One of the last remaining buildings that was part of chemical research for the Diamond Shamrock, 2013)
There are photos of locations that have been demolished, like the Riverside Hospital in Toledo and the Paramount Theatre in Youngstown. Some have burned down, like the Woodhill plumbing supply location (otherwise known as the “duck factory”) in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood.
“Every place is so different. You walk into an old aquarium, and the history of that is going to be so much different than the history of an old asylum,” Joo said. “The aquarium history is not very dark, it’s interesting history with ties to interesting people. The asylum is like… we used to treat people like that? That’s really bizarre. They’re all different.”
Johnny Joo
(Shea’s Theater in Ashtabula, 2018)
Joo was originally inspired to get into photography with a high school class, and he started taking photos of old farmhouses, inspired by an aesthetic in movies and video games like “Silent Hill.”
“Now, I hate when people tell me it reminds them of ‘Silent Hill,’” he said, then paused.
“At the same time I do like it, because that’s what I was going for in the first place.”
Joo enjoyed looking up the history behind the photographs, and linking people and companies with his urban exploration. He has been photographing abandoned locations since 2006. He started writing about the locations in 2010, and launched his blog two years later in 2012.
Johnny Joo
(Rolling Acres Mall Akron, 2015)
“It’s been a whole combination of stuff, people liking how creepy they looked, and then it expanding into a way bigger thing, and wanting to write books about it,” he said.
In 2014, he released his first book, “Empty Spaces.” It was followed up with “Americana Forgotten,” “Unbuilt By Time,” “Out There,” and “Forgotten Dreams.”
Johnny Joo
(Geneva, Ohio)
Copies of "Ohio's Forgotten History Part One" are available for preorder on Joo's website, for $45. Each copy will be personally signed by Joo.
Each photo also has a written component, where Joo shares as much history as he could find about the location. The history is an important aspect of his work.
“I think it’s kind of important to put the stories with the pictures, otherwise it’s just a photo book on somebody’s coffee table that nobody looks at,” he said. “When it has writing and history, somebody sits down and looks at it more.”
Johnny Joo
(Former Paisley Farms Jarring Factory in Mentor Headlands, 2009/2010)
For the rest of the year, Joo plans to focus on more photography to flesh out the second part in the “Ohio’s Forgotten History” series, and work on releasing his book of abandoned countryside home photography.
You can find more information about Joo's upcoming releases at his website and blog.
See more of Joo's photography below.
Johnny Joo
(Mansfield State Reformatory, 2014)
Johnny Joo
(North Randall Mall Old Theater, 2014/2015)
Johnny Joo
(Logan Round House, Hocking Hills, 2013/2014)
Johnny Joo
(Sidaway bridge in Cleveland, 2013/2014)
Johnny Joo
(Abandoned church in Cleveland, 2017)
Johnny Joo
(Sonny’s Beach, Marblehead)
Johnny Joo
(Akron Rubber Bowl Stadium)
Johnny Joo
(Brecksville VA Hospital, 2016)
Johnny Joo
(Mike Tyson's old mansion in Southington, 2015)
Johnny Joo
(Volvo Graveyard, Ravenna, 2013)
Johnny Joo
(Akron Rolling Acres Mall)
Johnny Joo
(Abandoned house in Painesville or Mentor)
Johnny Joo
(Westinghouse Cleveland, 2013)
Johnny Joo
(Former VA Hospital in Brecksville, 2016)
Johnny Joo
(Warner & Swasey Observatory in Cleveland, 2018)
Johnny Joo
(St. Joseph Byzantine in Cleveland, 2012)
Johnny Joo
(Abandoned WWII Bomber)
Johnny Joo
(Formerly in Mentor, unused bridge with no approaches, 2014)
Johnny Joo
(Warner & Swasey Observatory in Cleveland, 2014)
Johnny Joo
(Abandoned home in Milan/Norwalk, 2015)
Johnny Joo
(Former Warren Steel, 2017)
Johnny Joo
(Former clinic in Chagrin Falls, 2009/2010)
Johnny Joo
(Former freeway bridge in Columbus looking into downtown, 2017)
Johnny Joo
(Old Motel near Medina)
Johnny Joo
(Levi Scofield Mansion, Cleveland)
Johnny Joo
(Abandoned church inside a cemetery in Southern Ohio, 2018)
Johnny Joo
(St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain)
Johnny Joo
(Old interurban bridge in Waterville)
Johnny Joo
(Paramount Theater, Youngstown, 2011/2012)
Johnny Joo
(Paramount Theater, Youngstown)
Johnny Joo
(Richman Bros Cleveland, 2012)
Johnny Joo
(Old Riverside Hospital, Toledo)
Johnny Joo
(Warren Steel)
Johnny Joo
(Knox County Poorhouse)
Johnny Joo
(Otto’s Greenhouse, 2013)
Johnny Joo
(Chapman Ave. at night, 2017)
Johnny Joo
(Former St. Luke's Hospital in Cleveland)
Johnny Joo
(Youngstown Company Homes)
Johnny Joo
(Abandoned Farnham School, 2014)
Johnny Joo
(House of Wills, Cleveland, 2015)
Johnny Joo
(The Paramount, Youngstown, 2011/2012)
Johnny Joo
(Merkel’s Greenhouse in Mentor, 2012)
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