I thought the photos of the impressive Second Empire expanse of the Independence State Hospital were too cloudy, so we went back on a bright sunny day to get better photos. See the original post from July of 2021 for more original historical photos and plans on this Kirkbride plan institution.
Tag: Iowa
Sinclair Dinosaur Sighting
It has been over a decade since I last spotted the rare Sinclair Dinosaur, brontosaurus sinclairensus, in its natural habitat of a gas station. This one is in Iowa, in an undisclosed location. Note that the owner has chained it to the canopy support to prevent theft. The one in Dutchtown, which I photographed in…
Around Buchanan County, Iowa, July 2022
In a clockwise route, we explored various small towns in Buchanan County, starting in the northeast with Lamont, where we first spied this foundation above left behind but incorporated into a horse enclosure. There was also a half-flounder downtown on the main street, though I don’t know how old it was. Another sight was a…
Railroad Machine Shops, Oelwein, Fayette County, Iowa, Revisited Again
We were able to get closer to the massive railroad machine shops that I examined back in July of 2021. I had first observed them from a distance back in the fall of 2018 (ninth photo down). They’re massive, impressive buildings, but what is even more massive, and you can see that in the fire…
Fayette and Upper Iowa University, Revisited
We returned to Fayette, which I looked at back in the fall of 2018. This time, the weather was sunny, and I was able to catch a more cheerful view of the town. I actually photographed this Queen Anne beauty below, which is now an AirBnB where my family stayed during our time in the…
First Street East, Independence, Iowa
The panoramic photo of downtown Independence serves us well again, as we can now look up and down First Street East to the east and west (where the Wapsipinicon Mill is visible to the far left). You can see the mill to the left; its view would have been partially blocked if the east mill…
Second Avenue Northeast, Independence, Iowa
Praise the Lord for Frederick J. Bandholtz and his panoramic photos of several towns around northeastern Iowa, including the downtown of Independence. Above you can see straight ahead Second Avenue Northeast, which looks much the same now as it did then. We’ll start up at the north end of the block at Second Street Northeast…
Munson Building, Independence, Iowa
We spotted the Munson Building from a block away, and immediately our interest was piqued. At first, we thought it was the old Buchanan County Courthouse, and then, when we got a little closer, we assumed it was a church. Then we got up close, and I spotted the figure of Minerva, the Roman goddess…
Interior, Wapsipinicon Mill, Independence, Iowa
The interior of the Wapsipinicon Mill is very well preserved, and shows most of the original wood machinery that ground flour and functioned as other types of milling over the life of the building. Of particular interest was a board that had once faced the interior of a grain shoot that had been worn smooth…
Wapsipinicon Mill, Independence, Iowa
Occasionally, I kick myself for coming within one block or less of some amazing building and totally missing it. That is certainly the case of the historic Wapsipinicon Mill in Independence, Iowa, which I drove within about five hundred feet in 2011 and 2018 without even noticing. I corrected those mistakes this visit, and extensively…