Orphan Wells

Photographs by Meghan L.E. Kirkwood. Text by Daegan Miller.

A photographer examines derelict oil industry infrastructure in northwest Louisiana, where unprofitable but still productive wells have been abandoned to the public’s care, and trees and vines and grasses are taking over.

Pumpjacks rusting in the woods. Derelict storage tanks. Pipes, wires, cables, weeds. In northwest Louisiana, thousands of oil wells have been abandoned, but remain ruinously polluting.

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Simon Sadler

Simon Sadler is a columnist for Places. He teaches the history and theory of architecture, design, and urbanism across several programs at the University of California, Davis, where he is a professor in the Department of Design.

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Gabrielle Esperdy

Gabrielle Esperdy is a professor of architecture at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and a columnist for Places.

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Aaron Rothman

Aaron Rothman is a columnist for Places. A monograph of his artwork, Signal Noise, is forthcoming from Radius Books.

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Sandy Isenstadt

Sandy Isenstadt is a professor of architectural history at the University of Delaware, and a columnist for Places.

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The Inequality Chronicles

The Inequality Chronicles features detailed explorations of racial, economic, and social inequities — from historical roots to contemporary effects — in major U.S. cities.

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