Diary of Abandonment
A visual journal of forgotten America.
Diary of Abandonment
A visual journal of forgotten America.
About the Creator
Laura Stotts is the creator of Diary of Abandonment, a project centered on historic homes, cemeteries, and overlooked places that hold America’s past.
For more than a decade, she has explored rural landscapes, uncovering traces of lives once lived. Through photography, genealogy, cemetery preservation, and public presentations, her field work connects these spaces to the stories behind them, encouraging others to preserve their own family history before it’s lost.
Fieldwork
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![Historic farmhouse in a field with a setting sun, and daffodils in the foreground]()
Photography
Documenting old homes, farmsteads, log cabins, and historic sites across rural America, preserving architectural details, craftsmanship, and the character of places connected to family history.
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![an aold photo album open, showing six black and white photos of unknown people.]()
Genealogy
Focused on genealogy and historical research, exploring family histories and the lasting connections between people, place, and memory, and how those connections shape what remains today.
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![An old headstone partially buried in the grass, dating 1863 - 1898]()
Preservation
Dedicated to cemetery preservation and headstone care, with hands-on work focused on cleaning, restoration, and photographing markers to update online records with accurate, current images.
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![a box of keepsakes lying on the dusty floor of an old house, that include a worn bag of jacks, an old photo of a sailer, small bottles of medicine, and some sea shells]()
Storytelling
Sharing stories and connections through written and visual narratives, weaving together genealogical research, history, and lived experience to provide context beyond the photos.
Featured in
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North Carolina photographer captures nostalgic beauty of abandoned homes
Laura Stotts was featured in The Epoch Times for her photography of abandoned homes, where her images spark widespread emotional response from readers who connected with the memories and histories reflected in the spaces.
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Tuskegee Airman Story
Coverage of Laura Stotts’ genealogical research connecting a 101 year old WWII veteran to the legacy of a Tuskegee Airman.Rescuing Abandoned Houses
Exploring efforts to document and preserve disappearing historic homes and the stories they hold.Photographer & Genealogist Feature
Highlighting cemetery preservation and genealogical research uncovering overlooked local history.Facebook Hack Story
A North Carolina creator shares the impact of losing a platform to a Facebook hacking scam.Watch the WBTV Feature
Read the -
Woman loses Facebook business account to person posing as social media influencer
Coverage of a Facebook hackking scam and its impact on a North Carolina creator, also covered by WBTV news. -
WW II veteran discovers possible connection with Charlotte Tuskegee Airman
Featured on Queen City News after research uncovered a possible connection between a WWII veteran’s mission and a Charlotte Tuskegee Airman who went missing during the war, suggesting their paths may have crossed decades earlier.
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Photographer discovers letter from World War II sent to Lincolnton
A handwritten 1944 WWII found inside a thrift store dictionary led to efforts to locate the author’s family and return a piece of history.
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Diary of Abandonment: Dilapidated Houses & a Divine Calling
An in-depth interview centered on the deeper meaning behind the work, where photography and family history intersect with personal experiences of trauma, addition, and healing
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Laura Stotts, the creative force behind Diary of Abandonment
A conversation exploring the journey behind Diary of Abandonment, documenting forgotten homesteads, rusted vehicles, and the stories uncovered through genealogy, personal history, and rural exploration.
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A conversation with Laura Stotts about some of the most interesting things she has discovered during the ten years of her photography.
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Support the Mission
This project has always been about connection—between memory and place, and between the living and those who came before. If this work resonates, support helps continue the journey of traveling, researching, and preserving pieces of America’s past through photography and storytelling.