A Drink with a Scandinavian Girl

She peers through a window with a decanter and glasses nearby. What's on her mind? Find out for yourself. This wintry Scandinavian girl can be yours for $2,000 in all her white marble glory at an antique store in Mt Vernon, Iowa. Know that.

2011 Independence Day - Mount Vernon, Iowa

A shop owner proudly displays Old Glory draped on lattice board and backlit by the sun in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Happy Fourth of July USA. We are 235 years old today.

Photo Study of the "Old" Lincoln Highway Bridge

In my last blog post two barn photographs were featured along a segment of the original Lincoln Highway route through Linn County, Iowa. A portion of that original route remains unpaved and runs from the present Lincoln Highway northward to Marion, Iowa, just a few miles away.

Today this original section is known as Bloomington Road, and is typical of Iowa gravel roads - and probably a step-up from the original gravel roads that constituted the Lincoln Highway. Coincidentally the county's first Seedling Mile (concrete poured section of the highway used to demonstrate the viability of hard surface roads) was located just a few miles from this bridge location. 

Bloomington Road crosses a creek via an old, rusting iron bridge. I haven't found much information about this bridge (yet) but it makes an interesting photography subject - especially during low sun angles. Seen in the middle image is the red barn featured in the last post. Both bridge and road remain in good shape considering their three phases of automotive use; the initial county gravel road, then part of a nationwide route known as the Lincoln Highway, and finally the present status of a simple road again long after the highway was straightened in Linn County.

Old and New Along Original Lincoln Highway in Linn County, Iowa

Along a portion of the original Lincoln Highway in Linn County, Iowa, where the old gravel road veers from today's paved Lincoln Highway motorway, is an iron bridge flanked by two farm buildings either side of it.

Sidenote: The original Lincoln Highway was not a straight line bisecting the county as it does today. Back in the day the highway took a northwest route shortly after traveling west from Mount Vernon. The old route went on to Marion then aimed southwestward toward Cedar Rapids. About a decade later this route was streamlined twice, finally settling on its current path. A story for another day. 

These two barns, separated by a pasture and creek, have something in common - metal roofing and exterior. The top barn is much newer than the white barn but each can boast a stainless steel skin that still looks pretty good today. If the sky is clear, around 4 PM local time the setting sun produces golden light (actually its quite stunning) that is ideal in capturing these structures.

Lunar Smoke At First Quarter

Today the Moon reaches first quarter illumination as seen from these parts. Our nearest celestrial neighbor dodges fast moving smoke from the Heat Plant at Mt Vernon, Iowa's Cornell College. Full moon occurs next Wednesday, January 19th. Know that.

Union Pacific 7821 Passes below Lincoln Highway

Union Pacific's 7821 pulls freight cars westward through 42N country's Mt. Vernon, Iowa about 4:30 PM today. The tracks run east-west at this location with the south set of tracks (on the right) being of heavier gauge for heavier loads. A neighbor to this location told me that coal bearing cars travel from out west through here on the south tracks headed for all the metro centers in the east. The neighbor also told me that the UP is considering adding a third set of tracks to the left in this photo. That decision could entail two residential properties losing some lawn. 

The opportunity to view the train was from a footbridge that once was the historic Lincoln Highway. The town preserved the iron structure when a more modern bridge was constructed nearby. Today walkers and joggers can traverse these tracks with the original brick pavement still visible.

See more of Union Pacific #7821 here. As quick as the #7821 was moving today it may be near you soon - look for it. Know that.

Happy Fourth of July from the American Midwest

While our favorite 42N country recipient of July 4th best wishes was miles away, we found this young patriot trying to cool Hanson's Grove antique seekers. After 30 years of shows on Independence Day, the nearby town of Mt. Vernon also closed its street to vehicles to make room for a score or two of antique and flea market vendors - most of it on the historic Lincoln Highway. It was a day to buy some real history or chow down on holiday food. Know that.

Tracks Under the Lincoln Highway

Two Union Pacific tracks reach towards the west in 42N country in this snowy scene taken last week. Passing overhead is modern portion of the Lincoln Highway as it winds through Linn County, Iowa. The bridge from which this photo was taken is actually the original Lincoln Highway bridge built in 1915 in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.

Not far from this spot is the seedling mile experiment site (just a few miles west of this location) where the benefits of a concrete highway were first demonstrated in Iowa on this highway. Up until this time the dirt roads were the norm and axle deep clay mud thwarted Model Ts as they tried their luck navigating the early highway road.

My high school French teacher once explained how some regional transportation paths developed. First the paths along waterways (rivers, creeks, streams) which were created by animal trails or local natives were discovered. Sometimes wagon trails widened these paths, then rail service was built along these paths - often with teletype wires overhead. Finally auto roads were built nearby, distances shortened and modifications were made.

This is why along some of the older roads in the country, such as pikes and former tollways you can see this pattern applied.

The Final Days of the Palisades Hotel

Its hard to imagine the century-old Palisades Hotel, also known as Upper Palisades Hotel, Biderman Hotel, Cedar Springs Hotel, and the Old Dutch Inn will not be around long after Thursday, November 12th. That is the day when this digger will demolish the landmark structure which was substantially destroyed by the 2008 flood of the Cedar River. Hotel debris will be loaded and carried away to a local landfill by this dump truck.

A FEMA director told the 42N blogger that the paperwork is in order for Thursday's demolition. Following months of completing forms, contacting property owners and getting the necessary approvals, all parties recently received the green light to clean the area. The hotel is located near Palisades - Kepler State Park, just west of Mt. Vernon, Iowa (41.92N, 91.41W.)

An archaeologist is documenting the scene before and after the work of the crews as they tear down cabins and the hotel this week. He noted that the geological nature of the setting diminishes the potential for finding Indian relics. He said that the land sits on an alluvial deposit that tends to wash away with seasonal floods. Additionally the former quarry owners who originally built the Cedar Springs Hotel in the 1880s probably had the area plowed to make room for the railroad that moved rock out and later brought guests to the hotel.

When heavy machinery is not operating, just the sounds of the Cedar River and wind blowing through the nearly leafless trees is all that can be heard. It's not hard to imagine why this place attracted thousands of people every season including town folks from nearby Mt. Vernon, Lisbon and Cedar Rapids. The setting also welcomed celebrities such as the vaudevillian Cherry Sisters and poet, Carl Sandburg plus many others. Know that.

Update: The Palisades Hotel was demolished on May 5, 2010 when weather conditions and paperwork were all in order. See post from that date.

Biderman Hotel Nears the End Along Cedar River

Ironically the knockout blow to the continuing existence of what was the Biderman Hotel is the very reason that brought people out to the site - the river.

In the late 1890s the Cedar Springs Hotel was built along the northern banks of the Cedar River, adjoining present day Palisades - Kepler State Park in eastern Iowa (42N country) near Cedar Rapids. By 1914 the property was sold to Adolph Biderman who turned the hotel and grounds into a major destination place. Adolph's granddaughter Pat Biderman is the present owner of the property. Pat says the hotel's registration book is filled with names from all over the world.

On a September 2009 tour of the property Pat explained how the Cedar River's historic flood in June 2008 put an end to any plans of saving the structure. She started the demolition process of the wooden building noting that the paperwork is more tedious than the eventual bulldozing of the structure. At present Pat has no plans to rebuild on the site.

The hotel was known by the names, the Cedar Springs Hotel, Upper Palisades Hotel and the Biderman Hotel. The image above shows the hotel in the 1930s with many people formally dressed and positioned on the hotel's two porches. The bottom photo was taken in early September. The second story porch was removed many years ago.

In its present condition it is hard to imagine that on certain Independence Day celebrations upwards to a thousand people would come on to the grounds for enjoying nature, fireworks, hotel dinners, and the company of others.
Much more information exists on the property and will be the subject of a later blog entry. Know that.

EVP From Mt Vernon Iowa Cemetery Haunting

EVP stands for electronic voice phenomena. This definition is a standard for anyone who watches the SciFi Channel's Ghost Hunters. It refers to the ability to hear ghostly sounds that are usually unheard by human ears at the time of an audio recording. Interesting. So off to the Mt. Vernon - Lisbon, Iowa's cemetery with our team to see if we could get EVPs on our first attempt. Though it was mid-afternoon (not nighttime) one day last summer we walked the cemetery with a voice recorder in hand asking questions and listening.

Listen to or download the file here.

Upon review of the recording we distinctly heard the following:

Investigator: "Is there anything that you wish to say?"
EVP: "No" or another interpretation is "Get Out" which may start before the question audio ends.

Listen closely to hear the soft response to the first question. Our follow-up question and the none response is included for you to hear the background noise as a comparison. We don't know what we captured but it certainly was quite the find for first time ghost hunters. We plan to check the site out again. Read more about the account here. Know that.