rust in peace

Another view of the abandoned tow truck.  I don't know how long it's been "parked" in Midway, but the license plate expired in 1969!!

Midway, Texas
1.25.2014

 

holy cows

 

In the Texico Cemetery, the Ortiz family plot abuts pasture land.  Tumbleweeds line the boundary between the cemetery and adjacent acreage.  The original purpose of fences in cemeteries was two-fold -- to protect the graves from cattle and define the family plots.  When the popularity of municipally owned cemeteries grew, fences and other borders became a way to mark a family's burial plot as well as to keep people from tampering with flowers left or to keep stray animals from wandering onto the grave. The type of border used depended on the financial resources of the family. The Ortiz family, perhaps of modest means, has simple iron posts topped with crosses.  In earlier times, the family could order ironwork in a variety of styles from pickets and hairpins or posts that were panel, square or scrolled.  In any case, the Texico cows are more interested in the photographer than the denizens of the graveyard.

 

Texico Cemetery

Texico, New Mexico

1.2.2014

gone and forgotten

 

The heyday of Texico, New Mexico lasted less than a decade.  The first settlers arrived in 1902, the site bustled with churches and saloons, and then the railroad located in nearby Clovis.  Many business moved lock, stock and barrel.  The cemetery just outside town has participated in the Cemeteries of New Mexico preservation project and has maintained its gravestones amid the arid landscape. "Unknown" marks the final resting place a forgotten early citizen.

 

Texico Cemetery

Texico, New Mexico

1.2.2014

 





"turn out the lights, the party's over"

Willie Nelson's song used as a tagline by Dandy Don Meredith describes the lonely building on the Slaton Highway. From the weeds and large "for rent" sign, the latest wanna-be Cotton Club didn't make a bumper crop. For over forty years the original Cotton Club at 50th Street and Southeast Drive stood as the most influential and diverse performance venue in the region. It was once the only profitable venue for a band to stop between Dallas and Los Angeles. The Cotton Club was unique because of its blindness to race, color and musical genre, presenting artists such as Little Richard, Elvis, and Willie Nelson among many others. Today only a Texas historic marks identifies the location.  After the old Cotton Club burned in 1965, Tommy Hancock decided to build a new club on the Slaton  Highway. He obtained permission from the founders of the old Cotton Club to use the same name. When the large metal building was completed, Hancock opened the new Cotton Club in 1967. The subsequent list of owners and managers of the Cotton Club reads like a who's who of Lubbock music -- Joe Ely, "Stubb" Stubblefield, Jug Little. Another entrepreneur leased the property in 2009 with big dreams of tall cotton (Cotton Club's return).  Apparently his $30,000 investment didn't pay off. 

 

 

original Cotton Club

 



Cotton Club

6410 E. U.S. 84
Lubbock County, Texas
1.25.2014

suicide doors

 

Midway Mike called this wreck a "gangster car" -- maybe because of the suicide doors.  The term "suicide doors" refers to the rear-hinged door configuration on vehicles, the theory being that anyone inside was on a suicide mission because of the design. The accidental opening of such doors meant that there was a greater risk of falling out of the vehicle compared to front-hinged doors, where airflow pushed the doors closed rather than opening them further. Suicide doors were especially popular with mobsters in the 1930s, supposedly due to the ease of pushing passengers out of moving vehicles. This heap might be a 1938 Buick which puts it somewhat out of the gangster era.  Maybe Mike confused gangsters with bootleggers -- might have been more appropriate for the county.

 

Midway, Texas

1.25.2014

tow no more

 

The former Bownds Body Shop tow truck occupies a prime location along CR 3860 in Midway.  It's one of the few vehicles on the gin/junk yard accessible without trekking through the weeds. The rusty 1950s era truck is a great example of Texas road art.

 

Midway, Texas

East CR 6950 and 3860

Lubbock County

1.25.2014

midway mike

 

My wanderings today took me to the east side of the county where I met Mike.  Midway is a wide place in the road at intersection of County Roads 6950 and 3860.  At the abandoned gin turned junkyard, I found Mike.  I asked him what Midway was midways of.  He replied that Slaton was about 10 miles yonder and Lorenzo was yonder about 10 miles.  He said never was much at Midway --used to be hamburger stand over yonder.  There is a store which is open everyday but Sunday (I regret not going in--maybe next time).  Mike offered me a cold beer, which I declined, and was cranking up the chainsaw to cut firewood as I left.  According to the Handbook of Texas, Midway grew near the McClung school, one of twenty-six Lubbock county rural school districts in the mid-1920s. In 1935 McClung school was consolidated with those of Acuff and Canyon to form the Roosevelt Rural School District.  I didn't know about the McClung school - learned a new fact and made a new acquaintance today.

 

Midway, Texas

CR 6950 and 3860

crappie house

 

When my brother-in-law lived at Lake Tanglewood, a gated community east of Amarillo, we would visit.  Weekends were spent fishing off the dock and drinking beer.  I'm not big on fishing but took lots of pictures.  No, this is not the crappie house after a few Coors Lights but rather its reflection in the lake.

whatever you need

 

A scene from the past:

 

The stretch of the Slaton Highway outside the city limits has always been the site for adult entertainment, as evidenced by the Lipstick Fantasy Theater in the background.  That club has had several versions; I think today it may be the Bunny Ranch.  This particular evening the billboard caught my eye -- glory may be a prayer away but Allsup's is there 24 hours.  And if you fancy a watermelon, there's a pickup load for sale.  (An interesting side note:  A few years ago when I was photographing local musicians as art, I met the artist who drew Jesus for the ad; he also had painted the Mexican musicians on the wall in Josie's on 19th.)

 

Slaton Highway

Lubbock, Texas

 



"empty chairs at empty tables"

 

I visited Las Vegas with friends years ago and came across this scene.  The lyrics from "Les Mis" are appropriate for the empty chairs at empty tables.  Such vignettes intrigue me with what the story might have been.  Who was here?  Where did they go?  Why are the empty glasses on the table?  Phantom shadows on the wall mark where friends sing no more.

 

Mandalay Bay

Las Vegas, Nevada

2003?

 



stripes

 

The empty storefront on Main Street makes an interesting study of stripes and shadows.

 

Main Street

Clovis, New Mexico

1.2.2014

winter landscape

 

A light coat of snow covered the St. John Fisher campus and made it a winter wonderland.  (This is the actual photograph of the scene--not converted to black-and-white).  I'm sure the amount of snow that fell during my visit didn't amount to much according to their standards--the fire hydrants were still visible!  Just enough snow to make the Texans' visit enjoyable and we left before the clipper came in with single digit temperatures.

 

St. John Fisher College

Rochester, New York
1.19.2014



salvatore's

 

Each morning on the way to the training venue we drove by Salvatore's Pizzeria. Locally owned by the Fantauzzo family, it's been in business since 1978 and expanded to 32 locations.  I thought this looked like the typical New York neighborhood pizza place.  Unfortunately we did not have an opportunity to eat at "Rochester's favorite pizza."

 

Salvatore's Pizzeria

East Rochester, New York

mount hope

 

Did you think I'd visit a city and not go to the cemetery?  Unfortunately, we arrived at Mount Hope at 4:51 p.m. and the gates closed at 5:00 p.m.  We really didn't want to be locked in over a cold, wintry night.  However, the quick drive-through was tantalizing and we needed more time. Mount Hope was established in 1838 as the first municipal rural cemetery in the U.S. Situated on 196 acres. the cemetery is the resting place of over 350,000 people.  It is one of the most remarkable Victorian cemeteries in America with thousands of marble, bronze, and granite monuments.  Susan B. Anthony is buried there but we only had nine minutes not an eternity to explore.

 

Mount Hope Cemetery

Rochester, New York

sjfc

 

This could be my college -- St. John Fisher (get it?) except I'm no saint.  Our training venue this week is SJFC in Rochester NY with over 200 students from the Schools of Pharmacy and Nursing.  The College was established in 1947 by the Basilian Fathers and is guided by its liberal arts tradition and its Catholic heritage,  In case you are not familiar with  St. John Fisher (1469 – 1535) he was an English Cardinal and was eventually the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.  Unfortunately he was executed by Henry VIII for refusing to accept the king as Supreme Head of the Church of England (end of history lesson).

 

St. John Fisher College

Rochester, New York



sea breeze

 

A village named Sea Breeze conjures images of warm wafts of air; in reality the January wind off Lake Ontario in 31 degree weather was more than brisk!  Sea Breeze lies between Lake Ontario and Irondequoit Bay near Rochester, New York and is home to the Seabreeze Amusement Park which features the Jack Rabbit, built in 1920, as the oldest continuously operating roller coaster in America.  

 

Lake Ontario

Sea Breeze, New York

gospel express

 

In mid-January, the Gospel Express City is adorned with garland but not necessarily left over from Christmas.  I've noticed the place wears the green stuff year-round; the red bows may be the Yule touch.  Public records list this address as a "single family dwelling" which got me to thinking about churches.  The Parkway-Cherry Point Neighborhood Association, lists 35 churches, including Gospel Express, on its webpage. That seems a lot in an area bounded by Idalou Highway, Loop 289, East Broadway and Yellowhouse Canyon Lake. That got me thinking about establishing a church and I found a website  "How to Start a Non-denominational Church" which outlines the process in 12 easy steps.  12 steps....which got me thinking....

 

Gospel Express City

3307 Idalou Road

Lubbock, Texas

1.10.2014

 

 

open concept

 

From the Dust Bowl to drought to urbanization, the rural demographics of the South Plains are shifting.  People are moving off the farms and into the larger towns and cities.  While the population of Hale County is relatively steady at around 36,000, those folks no longer live in the country or places like Cotton Center or Halfway.  Abandoned houses dot the landscape.  There was a uniformity of construction types in the 1930s and 40; many residences were lath and plaster.  As deterioration occurs, the layers are revealed --- from the exterior stucco to chicken wire to felt to wood lath.

 

County Road K

Hale County, Texas

 



number 23

 

The cattle in the herd don't have names because, hopefully, they are a cash crop.  Some have specific identification like No. 23, crooked ear and the crazy black cow but most are just cows.  When my brother, while in high school, bought his first herd Black Angus he named them Jethro, Too Tall, Lilly (remember those Dallas Cowboys?).  It was harder for him then to sell off friends rather than just black cows.

 

Hale County, Texas

1.11.2014

stare down

 

I rode along this afternoon to check the cattle.  Although seemingly fierce, this cow could actually be hand -fed (not by me -- my brother-- I was taking photographs).  They came running when the feed bag was opened.  Except the crazy black cow--she ran the other way.  There are two calves in the herd with more expected.  Most should be this Angus/Charlois mix.

 

Hale County, Texas