Farms, Elevators and Towns
A new project for me in 2023 is to re-photograph many locations in rural Iowa previously shot by David Plowden in the 1980s. Plowden's books ("A Sense of Place," "A Handful of Dust," and "Imprints: A Retrospective") have been my guides to experiencing rural Iowa.
Seeking out Plowden's scenes finds many absences; however, I find just as many new developments. Some rural towns are largely hollowed out, while others seem to be more prosperous. Therefore, in this gallery's images there will be some gaping holes when I plant my tripod to re-photograph an old scene. I supplement those views with signs of regrowth or preservation nearby. Along the way I add other images that are compatible with the original theme.
Throughout this effort I have approached Iowans saying that I am on a kind of photographic scavenger hunt. Invariably people have tried to point me in the right direction by pullling out old plat maps, texting colleagues, or walking me around a site.
Read MoreSeeking out Plowden's scenes finds many absences; however, I find just as many new developments. Some rural towns are largely hollowed out, while others seem to be more prosperous. Therefore, in this gallery's images there will be some gaping holes when I plant my tripod to re-photograph an old scene. I supplement those views with signs of regrowth or preservation nearby. Along the way I add other images that are compatible with the original theme.
Throughout this effort I have approached Iowans saying that I am on a kind of photographic scavenger hunt. Invariably people have tried to point me in the right direction by pullling out old plat maps, texting colleagues, or walking me around a site.
Armstrong Lumber (Dyersville)
To match Plowden's 1987 image of the lumber store I should have been to the left and closer to the second set of railroad tracks. It would have been a picture mostly of portapotties, corresponding to the current business there. The small building in the center-right is a hair salon, new since 1987. An employee of Lumber Specialties, a huge lumber complex, consulted with older staff to find the location and then directed me there and showed me inside the old structure.
