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Wilkinson, Illinois 42.035663,-88.783023
December 29, 2024
COPYRIGHT 2024, 2025 by Jim Frazier All Rights Reserved. This may NOT be used for ANY reason without written consent from Jim Frazier.
20241229cz7-3800-2500
WWII Days Reenactment - 2024
Midway Village Museum
Rockford, Illinois about 42.279502, -88.984272
September 28, 2024
Here's a straight image of the tank
WWII Reenactments at Midway Village - All Years
COPYRIGHT 2025, 2024 by JimFrazier All Rights Reserved. This may NOT be used for ANY reason without written consent from Jim Frazier.
20240928cz7-8967-2500
Single Dandelion - Canon EOS R, Fotodiox Macro Reverse Ring, Mamiya/Sekor 55mm F1.4
Hidden Dandelion - Canon EOS R, Fotodiox Macro Reverse Ring, Mamiya/Sekor 55mm F1.4
I like the lettering style but I have never wanted to get involved with Christian Science people and their prayer treatments. That's okay to say, right?
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In downtown Ottawa, Illinois, on August 13th, 2024, was a datestone at the Ottawa Professional Building, originally the First Church of Christ, Scientist, on the north side of West Lafayette Street, east of La Salle Street.
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Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names terms:
• La Salle (county) (1002562)
• Ottawa (2029529)
Art & Architecture Thesaurus terms:
• beige (color) (300266234)
• capital letters (300055061)
• Christian Science (300264476)
• churches (buildings) (300007466)
• cornerstones (300002616)
• date stones (300374978)
• downspouts (300052560)
• engraving (action) (300053829)
• hard coat stucco (300444287)
• office buildings (300007043)
• paint (coating) (300015029)
• repurposing (300417716)
Wikidata items:
• 13 August 2024 (Q69307259)
• 1900s in architecture (Q16482507)
• 1907 in architecture (Q2811062)
• August 13 (Q2776)
• August 2024 (Q61313036)
• Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area (Q117557957)
• Church of Christ, Scientist (Q11682820)
• Fox Valley (Q5477030)
• Northern Illinois (Q7058402)
• Treaty of St. Louis (1804) (Q28433157)
• Treaty of St. Louis (1816) (Q28433158)
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
• Christian Science church buildings (sh85025869)
• Office buildings—Illinois (sh85094174)
This is at a former Carnegie library. The datestones read "1903 1903" but they were installed in 1902 and the library didn't open until 1904. Maybe they should've read "1902 1904"! But ah nobody cares.
It was during the library's construction that the Iroquois Theatre fire occurred in Chicago, on December 30th, 1903. It was a very unhappy holiday season for the 602 who perished in that awful fire.
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In downtown Moline, Illinois, on May 21st, 2023, was a datestone at the former Moline Public Library (opened in 1904; relocated and closed in 2008-2009; a "contributing property" in the Moline Downtown Commercial Historic District, 07000856 on the National Register of Historic Places) at the southeast corner of 5th Avenue and 17th Street.
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Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names terms:
• Moline (7014089)
• Rock Island (county) (2000528)
Art & Architecture Thesaurus terms:
• brick (clay material) (300010463)
• cornerstones (300002616)
• date stones (300374978)
• historic buildings (300008063)
• historic districts (300000737)
• light brown (300127503)
• public libraries (buildings) (300006877)
Wikidata items:
• 21 May 2023 (Q69306806)
• 1900s in architecture (Q16482507)
• 1902 in architecture (Q2810973)
• 1903 in architecture (Q2744826)
• 1904 in architecture (Q2811011)
• Carnegie library (Q1043939)
• contributing property (Q76321820)
• Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area (Q7268261)
• May 21 (Q2580)
• May 2023 (Q61312956)
• Moline Downtown Commercial Historic District (Q6896191)
• Moline Public Library (Q69474083)
• National Register of Historic Places (Q3719)
• Quad Cities (Q1660598)
• Treaty of St. Louis (1804) (Q28433157)
• Treaty of St. Louis (1816) (Q28433158)
• Western Illinois (Q14925128)
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
• Historic districts—Illinois (sh94002875)
• Public buildings—Illinois (sh85064312)
Cold December Seeds - Sony A7S II, Lensbaby Sweet 22
Along the Lincoln Highway
DeKalb, Illinois 41.931736, -88.770512
July 4, 2024
The Joseph F. Glidden House is located in the United States in the DeKalb County, Illinois city of DeKalb. It was the home to the famed inventor of barbed wire Joseph Glidden. The barn, still located on the property near several commercial buildings, is said to be where Glidden perfected his improved version of barbed wire which would eventually transform him into a successful entrepreneur. The Glidden House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The home was designed by another barbed wire patent holder in DeKalb, Jacob Haish. wikipedia
I gotta say that this is one ugly building! Mr. Haish may have been smart, but he shouldn't have tried his hand at architecture. I only photographed this house because it's on the Lincoln Highway and I've got a project in that regard. In addition, it's on the National Register of Historic Places (another project).
It took me a while to get up the gumption to post this because it's severely unattractive. But it's Easter weekend, so maybe nobody will notice. 😜
DeKalb has long been the center of the universe for barbed wire. Even the high school team is called the "Barbs."
COPYRIGHT 2024, 2025 by Jim Frazier All Rights Reserved. This may NOT be used for ANY reason without written consent from Jim Frazier.
20240704gz7-5444-2500
Sony A7S II, Fotodiox M39 to Sony E adapter, Industar I50U 50mm f/3.5 Enlarger Lens
Orange Winter Leaf Detail - Sony A7S II, Lensbaby Sweet 22
Green-Eyed Jumper - Sony A7S II, macro tube, Lensbaby Sweet 22
Sun Behind the Leaf - Sony A7S II, Lensbaby Sweet 22
Portrait of a Mantis in Flowers - Sony A7S II, DLX Stretch Adapter, Lensbaby Sol 45
The coal trains provide heat but also need heat on occasion to unload. Evidence remains in the form of a ghosted mark where the applicator is applied to the car as well as the scorched bottoms of the Public Service stickers. August 10, 2024.
The sun had set but it had been a fine day and I was taking my time packing up. When I saw a green approach signal pop up for a westbound on main 2 I tolerated the emerging gnats a few more minutes to see what was coming. A couple minutes later the headlight popped over the horizon with just enough light to play with and try a few shots. 5565 lead a Wisconsin Public Service "double" unit coal empty on it's way back to Wyoming. All GE powered, it was set up 2x3x1. August 10, 2024.
Stickered for their old Pleasant Prairie destination, the aluminum coal gons continue to rack up the miles. August 10, 2024.
With the sun sinking fast I headed out of DeKalb into the open country to the west, hoping to catch something on the mainline before the sun dipped below the horizon. Even with a lull I enjoy my time around the east-west mainline and the Lincoln Highway. The light was so nice I indulged in some detail photos such as the stenciled track labels applied to the mainline rails. August 10, 2024.
The trains became scarce but there is something magic about a perfect summer sunset on the prairie. There were vistas worthy of study, contemplation and photography in every direction. Once you're 60+ miles west of Chicago the new neighborhoods of cookie cutter homes relent and you're among farms that have been successfully worked for generations. For example, the farm here includes a wide variety of structures from several eras, from venerable barns to bright new grain bins. August 10, 2024.
Just as soon as the 5023 passed and ducked under the coaling tower this V train came racing up on main 2. I was in the process of repositioning myself and was caught short. At first I was frustrated that I couldn't pull in more of the coaling tower but I rather like this version, particularly the brick warehouse (Nehring Electrical Works). August 10, 2024.
