Faded Places

Episode 03 – Royal America We spent a weekend in Royal, Iowa, where the town came alive to celebrate 125 years of history, heart, and hometown pride. From firehouse breakfasts to bluegrass tunes and laughter-filled mini golf through the streets, this episode captures the essence of small-town America at its most sincere. Join us as we explore what it means to belong—to a place, a memory, a shared...

In this episode of Faded Places, we step into what time left behind—Estherville’s abandoned 6th Street Emporium. Once a space for commerce, community, and conversation, it's now a silent maze of peeling paint, warped floors, and soft light filtering through dust-heavy windows. As we explore with cameras in hand, we talk about how forgotten places quietly hold on to what they once were. Come wander...

Episode 01 — The Asylum in Cherokee In our very first episode, we head deep into the quiet heart of northwest Iowa to explore the abandoned Mental Health Institute in Cherokee. With cameras in hand and curiosity in tow, we wandered the echoing halls of this sprawling, timeworn facility—once a place of care, now a relic of memory. From peeling paint and rusted beds to moments that gave us pause, we...

Faded Places is a film photography podcast exploring the forgotten corners of small-town Iowa. Join hosts Chase and Eric as they hit the backroads with a camera in hand, capturing abandoned places, chance encounters, and the quiet stories hidden between the frames.