The degradation of the sense of symbol in modern society is one of its many signs of spiritual decay.- Thomas MertonThis series of photographs was taken at the Red Apple Rest, once a legendary hot spot when route 17 was the best way to get from NYC to the Catskills, now condemned. The Tuxedo stop opened in 1931, just months before the completion of the George Washington Bridge and survived for 78 years. It was a travelers haven, so legendary that several movie scenes were filmed there like"Oliver's Story" in 1978, "Deconstructing Harry" in 1996, and "Tenderness" in 2006 starring Russell Crowe.
I grew up passing this landmark, but I never went in. I never even stopped in the parking lot. By the time I was conscious, this renown rest paradise was a peeling empty memory. I always had plans to pull in but I didn't make time until these photographs were taken this spring.
