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DPChallenge Forums >> Side Challenges and Tournaments >> Describe your Town Image thread
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05/05/2013 11:25:29 AM · #1
Ok this week has been horrible for taking pictures due to the non stop rain for 5 days so I am posting pictures Ive taken over the last couple of months. Not a great way to start I know but we will manage :)

If you would like to post some Wiki info about your town that would be great its always pretty cool to read about the history of a town.

Festus, MO (Located 35 miles south of St. Louis)

History:
The first settler in the area was Charley Conners, who built a log cabin in 1803.
Festus was settled shortly after the establishment of New Detroit (later Crystal City), which was a dry company town. Initially established around 1879 by W. J. Adams as Limitville, it was nicknamed "Tanglefoot" because several of its first businesses were saloons. As incorporation was discussed, a more dignified name was sought. Town legend claims the name was chosen by a church ceremony where a Bible was opened blindly and the first proper name encountered was that of Porcius Festus, the governor of Judea around 60 AD (Acts 24:27). There is another town legend that says there was a disagreement over what to name the city and it was agreed upon that a Bible would be shot and whatever proper name closest to the last page penetrated would be chosen. The City of Festus was incorporated in 1887 as a 4th class city.
The current government structure consisting of a mayor, a city council and a city administrator, was adopted in 1961 The City Council is the legislative branch and meetings of the Council are presided over by the Mayor. The City Administrator is responsible for implementing the policies of the Council as well as overseeing day-to-day operations of the city.


Our little town hall


Original Hospital converted to a residence in the late 1940's


Landscape shot looking at a quarry in town

05/05/2013 12:44:56 PM · #2
All the picturesque sites in my little town have been well documented - so this essay will be a little on the quirky side.

But, first I have to say a little about baseball: Folks may know about this little sand lot baseball team in my town. bragging a little, you may have heard they won a pretty trophy last year. this is the front door now. Because I've lived in this town a long time, I remember the days when they played at Candlestick Park. And when I say "they" I mean Stretch McCovey, Willie Mays, Chris Spier, Bobby Bonds (Barry's daddy) and Juan Marichal - a fabulous pitcher. I'd sit in the stands on a Wednesday afternoon and watch these legends at work. Wow. Oh, yeah. Including the hot dog, it probably cost about $10 for the day.


Moving right along: After the 1906 earthquake, there were some interesting ruins. This portico was all that was left of a mansion. Rather than discard it, the portico was donated to the City where it found a new home in Golden Gate Park. Was the pond built later? Or did it come first? If I ever find out, I'll post the answer here.


19th Avenue is a 6-lane, divided surface street that cuts through my town. Lined on both sides by little houses like the ones above, it's a major north/south route. I've often wondered what it's like to live in one of these homes.

Here, I'm stopped at a traffic light, shooting through the windshield with my 70-300 lens.


And finally for this week: We are known for cryptic signs in this town. This one leads to an attraction about 4-5 miles distant. There are no other helpful signs enroute. Now, since this is a photo essay on my City, I can't really show the Cow Palace because it's across the line in Daly City so you'll have to look at Wikipedia to see the ugly building. Still it holds a lot of history, having been host to everything from Political conventions to Gun shows with a few cows thrown in.



Edited to correct the spelling of Juan Marichal's name. (thanks Paul)

Message edited by author 2013-05-06 13:10:46.
05/05/2013 01:43:29 PM · #3
Originally posted by Damon:


Original Hospital converted to a residence in the late 1940's

Gee ... usually it happens the other way 'round!

Originally posted by sfalice:

I can't really show the Cow Palace because it's across the line in Daly City so you'll have to look at Wikipedia to see the ugly building. Still it holds a lot of history, having been host to everything from Political conventions to Gun shows with a few cows thrown in.

I saw the San Francisco Seals play a game there when they were a Western Hockey League franchise, and my younger brother Greg was the drummer in a band competing in a "Battle of the Bands" contest held there when he was only 9.

There have also been some notable concerts there.

PS: Juan spells his name "Marichal") (with an "i") ...

Message edited by author 2013-05-05 13:44:27.
05/05/2013 04:50:03 PM · #4
Zaandam is a nice old industrial city just above Amsterdam, but there's a big canal between us. The city is separated by the "Zaan", some call it a river, but it looks more like a canal. So we have a "west" and "east" part. Too much too see here, so just 4 series of 3 of just some aspects of the city.

I woke up early this morning, weather and light was great, so I made a 2 hours walk on a quiet Sunday morning.

1. City center

Some years ago they start with a complete renovation of the city center. Almost ready and I like it.



Will comment later this week, had a chocolate explosion in my kitchen. That doesn't hurt, but gave a lot of mess :(
05/06/2013 12:03:48 AM · #5

The city boat dock here in LaBelle is popular with cruisers passing through, because they can dock free for three days/nights with free water and electric. LaBelle is on the waterway that runs across S Florida east to west.
The local "Baron Library" is above the dock and they furnish free wifi that the boaters can use too.
Just beyond the boat is the north end of Main Street, one of the two primary streets north & south through town. Bridge Street is the other one, and I was on the bridge to shoot this.
05/06/2013 12:07:08 AM · #6
I shot something tonight but ended up entering it in the challenge. So I will post it next sunday when that one is over and go out and get something else for this week.
05/12/2013 03:06:33 PM · #7
2. The river

Photos of Zaandam aren't complete without the Zaan (added some comments to the photos)

05/12/2013 04:25:37 PM · #8
Today's essay could be titled: Looking UP!

Sutro Tower, it stands on Mt Sutro (of course) is the highest point in my town and a major part of the skyline. we are not particularly fond of it, but it DOES give good TV/Radio/Cell reception.
It's acquired a few irreverent nicknames and descriptions over the years. The one that amuses me most is "looks like the first half of the Golden Arches." (A reference to the ever-present MacDonalds fast food chain.)



It has a longer name, but is known locally as St. Mary's Cathedral. A striking design, denizens of our irreverent city dubbed it "The Washing machine Agitator".
The vertical black line (there are 4 of them) enclose lovely stained glass windows that glow when seen from the interior.



Ah, The Transamerica Building. There was considerable uproar when this was proposed as it obliterated much of a district called the Barbary Coast and changed the skyline of our town forever. However, presently it is the source of much pride. I still think of it as the place that now sits on the site of Le Boeuf, once the best steakhouse in my town.
The quality of this image is not my best, as it was taken through the windshield in traffic.


05/12/2013 10:16:39 PM · #9

05/13/2013 09:37:58 AM · #10
Sorry I have been a slacker and one image I took for this side challenge ended up going into the Perspective challenge. So now that that is over I can post an outtake:

Entry #1


Entry #2

05/17/2013 09:59:48 PM · #11
I've seriously missed the start here, but here are 4 shots I took downtown in the rain the other day.

.. .. ..

Message edited by author 2013-05-17 22:24:35.
05/19/2013 05:28:19 AM · #12
3. Zaandam, some streets and buildings

05/26/2013 01:20:24 PM · #13
Okay, I cheated a little here. I didn't want to waste three pictures on this, but did want to tell the story. This Model Yacht Club is in Golden Gate Park across from a pond (it's called a lake, but it's a pond) where, on weekends wonderful sailing takes place. In the morning, it's the turn of the motorized vessels - anything might appear - along with their docks, warehouses and other shoreside details. In the afternoon, when the wind comes up it's the turn of the sailboats. All remotely controlled. I was lucky, on a weekday to find this little speedboat breaking records all alone on the water. Probably disturbing the sleep of the little turtles who also live here.
05/26/2013 03:13:19 PM · #14
Here's another in my series - with a story, of course:
Perched at the edge of the Pacific Ocean is the Cliff House, a fixture of my town for ever & ever. It's undergone a renovation that eliminated many of the quirky corners and fun of the structure, but it's still worth a look. The folks who did the renovation left the "Camera Obscura" alone and its still possible to pay a few dollars to view the surroundings the way Leonardo da Vinci did when he described the camera long ago.
05/28/2013 10:59:13 PM · #15

Yes, they do sort of "roll up the sidewalks" here at night.
05/28/2013 11:09:15 PM · #16

My Alma Mater


Main street of the city I currently live in


Where I'm from (wouldn't change it for nothing)
06/02/2013 12:26:58 PM · #17
We do have a working waterfront in my town. Away from the tourist and fishing and America's Cup is the Port of San Francisco, some derelict piers and this little guy who's been there forever, pacing his bit of the crumbling dock.

Of course it is impossible to show off my town in 12 images. There are many neighborhoods with unique architecture and many attractions. There are even two golf courses within the city limits. I tried to stay away from the attractions most photographed by our many visitors.

In that attempt, I'll show off this dry dock, not far from the critter, also photographed. I have seen the scruffiest of scows in here and I have seen the most flamboyant of cruise ships encased in those confines.

geographically, we are indeed a 'small town' but somehow we manage to pack a world of activity in our area of 49 square miles.

This one is for hajeka.
We have two windmills in Golden Gate Park, one was donated by your Queen Wilhelmina in 1902 and is the source of much wonder when the tulips bloom each spring. The other shown here, is called The Murphy Windmill and was build a few years later. It fell into disrepair and only recently has been restored. When I visited the Netherlands a while back and met a woman who had been to my town, I asked her if she had seen 'our' windmills. Somewhat taken aback but with amusement, she replied - "Do you think I would travel 6,000 kilometers to see another windmill!" So, here it is for you, without the travel time.


Message edited by author 2013-06-02 12:28:21.
06/02/2013 05:10:40 PM · #18
My final three:



12 photos for a city was a challenge indeed. Thanks to Patrick ( Damon) for starting this and it was very nice to see some other parts of the world!
06/02/2013 07:27:01 PM · #19
my nichte woont in zaandam
06/02/2013 08:07:12 PM · #20
My apologies for not having anything posted lately in my own creation but the weather has been so horrible around here lately it has been difficult to get anything up. Most of my shots have been out of town and wouldn't necessarily fit. I will get some up hopefully this coming week. Great job on those that have been posting!!!
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