Mark Havens spent his childhood exploring the Jersey Shore's kitschy jewel: Wildwood. Once home to the country's largest concentration of midcentury hotel architecture, the barrier island's distinctive plastic-palm facade has given way to modern condominium development. “As motel after motel was demolished, I gradually began to realize that some part of myself was being destroyed as well,” Havens said. He started photographing the tourist destination nearly 10 years ago, capturing the kidney-shaped pools, the looping neon signs, and the barrage of faded colors before they were gone. The images have been collected for his book, Out of Season, published this month.
Mesmerizing Motels of the Atomic Age
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