Category Archives: Road Trip

Pocahontas County Auxiliary Images Vol. 2

November 21, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

This the second and final collection of auxiliary images I took while harvesting the town signs of Pocahontas County. Although almost half of these images were taken in Buena Vista County.

Marathon

Albert City

Pocahontas

I wonder if this is the same Bob from Bob’s Bench?

Don’t get me wrong. I hope the Pocahontas statue stands for a thousand years. I hope that when the apes inevitably taken over the planet from our failed species, that it is the head of this statue that Charlton Heston finds washed up on a beach before he damns humanity to hell. But man is it one ugly statue.

Art, Black & White, Christianity, Flowers, History, Road Trip

Pocahontas County Auxiliary Images Vol. 1

November 17, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

Several weeks back I cruised around Pocahontas County harvesting their town signs. Pocahontas County is the home of the most awesome statue in Iowa. It is also home to one of the worst statues in Iowa. In this collection you will see the most awesome statue in Iowa.

Rolfe

Plover

Havelock

Laurens

I want to meet Bob.

There is one more collection of images from Pocahontas County still left to be shared.

Art, Mom, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

Town Sign Project: Shelby County

November 16, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

A few weeks back I made a solo town harvesting trip to Shelby County.

Here are some facts about Shelby County:

+ Population is 11,746. Making it the 65th most populous county in Iowa. Below Lyon County and above Cherokee County.
+ The largest town and county seat is Harlan.
+ Formed in 1851.
+ Named after Revolutionary War hero Isaac Shelby.
+ Major highways are: US-59, IA-37, IA-44, IA-173, and IA-191.
+ Adjacent counties are: Crawford, Audubon, Cass, Pottawattamie, and Harrison.
+ Population peaked in 1900 at 17.932.

The Shelby County Courthouse is pretty:

The Shelby County Courthouse in Harlan, Iowa.

The Shelby County Courthouse is located in Earling, Iowa:

With Shelby County conquered, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

45 counties completed. 45.5% of the Cyclone State conquered.

Here are the town signs of Shelby County:

Harlan, Iowa
HARLAN
A growing tradition
Population: 4,893 (+48)

Shelby, Iowa
WELCOME TO SHELBY
Population: 727 (+76)

Elk Horn, Iowa
Welcome to ELK HORN
Population: 601 (+65)

Earling, Iowa
WELCOME TO EARLING
Population: 397 (+27)

Irwin, Iowa
Welcome to… IRWIN
Home of the…. STATE CHAMPS
Population: 319 (-25)

Defiance, Iowa
welcome to DEFIANCE
Population: 245 (+41)

Panama, Iowa
RIDE-WALK-RUN PANAMA
EST 1882
Population: 235 (+31)

Portsmouth, Iowa
WELCOME TO PORTSMOUTH
BIGGEST LITTLE TOWN IN THE U.S.
Population: 182 (+56)

Portsmouth back of sign.

Westphalia, Iowa
WELCOME TO WESTPHALIA IOWA
FOUNDED 1872
Population: 123 (-23)

Tennant, Iowa
WELCOME TO TENNANT
EST. 1903
Population: 78 (+8)

Kirkman, Iowa
WELCOME TO KIRKMAN
Population: 56 (-12)

Shelby County has a solid but maybe not spectacular collection of signs. I don’t know that there is a bad sign, but if I have to give a worst sign out, I’d give it to Westphalia. Looks like the cornerstone to a bank.

As for Best in Show in Shelby County, I love the sign in Portsmouth and I don’t usually count murals as town signs, but this mural is definitely the first thing you see when you pull into Panama, but Best in Show clearly goes to Elk Horn:

Elk Horn – Best in Show – Shelby County

There are a few alternate town signs in Shelby County:

Westphalia Alternate

Portsmouth Alternate

Portsmouth Alternate Back

Panama Alternate

Earling Alternate

Best in Show – Adair County

Best in Show – Adams County

Best in Show – Audubon County

Best in Show – Benton County

Best in Show – Boone County

Best in Show – Butler County

Best in Show – Calhoun County

Best in Show – Carroll County

Best in Show – Cass County

Best in Show – Cerro Gordo County

Best in Show – Clarke County

Best in Show – Crawford County

Best in Show – Dallas County

Best in Show – Franklin County

Best in Show – Fremont County

Best in Show – Greene County

Best in Show – Grundy County

Best in Show – Guthrie County

Best in Show – Hamilton County

Best in Show – Hancock County

Best in Show – Hardin County

Best in Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida County

Best in Show – Jasper County

Best in Show – Lucas County

Best in Show – Madison County

Best in Show – Marion County

Best in Show – Marshall County

Best in Show – Monona County

Best in Show – Montgomery County

Best in Show – Page County

Best in Show – Pocahontas County

Best in Show – Polk County

Best in Show – Poweshiek County

Best in Show – Ringgold Count

Best in Show – Sac County

Best in Show – Shelby County

Best in Show – Story County

Best in Show – Tama County

Best in Show – Taylor County

Best in Show – Union County

Best in Show – Warren County

Best in Show – Webster County

Best in Show – Worth County

Best in Show – Wright County

The next time we hit the open road for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT it will take us all the way to Mills County.

Art, Automobiles, Black & White, Flowers, History, Nature, Railroad, Road Trip

Hancock County Auxiliary Images Vol. 3

November 10, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Here is the final collection of auxiliary images I took while harvesting the town signs of Hancock County. Although I would say about 50% of these pictures were taken in other counties. Like Winnebago County or Cerro Gordo County or Worth County.

Forest City

Pilot Knob State Park

Fertile

Thornton

Dows

The next county I need to share auxiliary images from is Pocahontas County.

Art, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

Town Sign Project: Monona County

November 9, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A few weeks back I cruised around Monona County on a solo town sign harvesting trip.

Here are some facts about Monona County:

+ Population is 8,751, making it the 84th most populous county in Iowa. Below Greene County and above Lucas County.
+ The largest town and county seat is Onawa.
+ Was a stopping point in 1804 for Lewis and Clark.
+ Where the Turin Man was discovered.
+ Formed in 1851.
+ Possibly names for an “Indian” word meaning beautiful valley.
+ Major highways are I-29, IA-37, IA-141, IA-175, and IA-183.
+ Adjacent counties are Woodbury, Crawford, and Harrison.
+ Population peaked in 18,238 in 1940.

The Monona County Courthouse is fair:

The Monona County Courthouse in Onawa, Iowa.

The Monona County Freedom Rock is located in Onawa, Iowa:

With Monona County conquered, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

44 counties completed. 44.4% of the Cyclone State conquered.

Here are the town signs of Monona County:

Onawa, Iowa
EST. 1857
IOWA’S BEST KEPT SECRET
ONAWA
WIDEST MAIN STREET IN THE U.S.A.
Population: 2,906 (-92)

Mapleton, Iowa
Mapleton
Population: 1,165 (-59)

Whiting, Iowa
welcome to WHITING
Population: 745 (-17)

Ute, Iowa
UTE
Population: 338(-36)

Blencoe, Iowa
Welcome To Blencoe
“You Are Among Friends”
Populatoin: 233 (+9)

Moorhead, Iowa
MOORHEAD
Population: 199 (-27)

Soldier, Iowa
SOLDIER
Population: 184 (+10)

Castana, Iowa
Welcome To Castana
Established 1886
Population: 107 (-40)

Turin, Iowa
WELCOME TO TURIN
HEART OF THE LOESS HILLS
Population: 72 (+4)

Rodney, Iowa
RODNEY
“ON THE GROW”
Population: 45 (-15)

Grant Center, Iowa – Unincorporated
GRANT CENTER
ESTABLISHED 1881
LITTLE SIOUX VALLEY

I don’t think there is a bad town sign in Monona County, so I’m not going to single one out for having the worst.

Despite there being some really solid town signs, I think the best is pretty obvious. It goes to Onawa. The rare triple crown winner. County Seat, Home of the Freedom Rock, and Home of the Best Town Sign.

Onawa – Best in Show – Monona County

And yes, their main street is very wide. I think 8 lanes wide. There are no alternate town signs in Monona County.

Here is the current list of Best in Shows:

Best in Show – Adair County

Best in Show – Adams County

Best in Show – Audubon County

Best in Show – Benton County

Best in Show – Boone County

Best in Show – Butler County

Best in Show – Calhoun County

Best in Show – Carroll County

Best in Show – Cass County

Best in Show – Cerro Gordo County

Best in Show – Clarke County

Best in Show – Crawford County

Best in Show – Dallas County

Best in Show – Franklin County

Best in Show – Fremont County

Best in Show – Greene County

Best in Show – Grundy County

Best in Show – Guthrie County

Best in Show – Hamilton County

Best in Show – Hancock County

Best in Show – Hardin County

Best in Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida County

Best in Show – Jasper County

Best in Show – Lucas County

Best in Show – Madison County

Best in Show – Marion County

Best in Show – Marshall County

Best in Show – Monona County

Best in Show – Montgomery County

Best in Show – Page County

Best in Show – Pocahontas County

Best in Show – Polk County

Best in Show – Poweshiek County

Best in Show – Ringgold Count

Best in Show – Sac County

Best in Show – Story County

Best in Show – Tama County

Best in Show – Taylor County

Best in Show – Union County

Best in Show – Warren County

Best in Show – Webster County

Best in Show – Worth County

Best in Show – Wright County

Next time we visit THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we will visit Shelby County.

Art, Baseball/Softball, Black & White, Road Trip, Ruins

Hancock County Auxiliary Images Vol. 2

November 7, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Here is the second collection of auxiliary images I took while harvesting the town signs of Hancock County back several weeks ago:

Britt

Crystal Lake

Woden

Forest City

I’ve decided to start incorporating hobo signs into my everyday communication. There is one more collection of Hancock County pictures still to come.

Art, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

Town Sign Project: Ringgold County

November 3, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

A few weeks back I cruised around Ringgold County on a solo town sign harvesting trip. I actually harvested the town signs of 3 different counties on this trip. Ringgold was the last of the three counties.

Here are some facts about Ringgold County:

+ Population is 4,663 making it the 98th most populous county in Iowa. Below Audubon County and above Adams County.
+ Named after Major Samuel Ringgold a hero of the Battle of Palo Alto during the Mexican-American War. It is one of 26 counties in Iowa that has a completely unique name.
+ Mount Ayr is the largest town and county seat.
+ The birthplace of Hy-Vee.
+ Birthplace of astronaut Peggy Whitson.
+ Major highways are US-169, IA-2, and IA-25.
+ Adjacent counties are Union, Decatur, and Taylor.
+ Population peaked in 1900 at 15,325.

The Ringgold County Courthouse is fairly nondescript.

The Ringgold County Courthouse in Mount Ayr, Iowa.

The Ringgold County Freedom Rock is located in Diagonal, Iowa:

With Ringgold County conquered, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

43 counties completed. 43.4% of the Cyclone State conquered.

Here are the town signs of Ringgold County:

Mount Ayr, Iowa
Mount Ayr
ESTABLISHED 1855
Population: 1,623 (-68)

Diagonal, Iowa
WELCOME TO DIAGONAL
EST. 1888
Population: 344 (+14)

Kellerton, Iowa
WELCOME TO KELLERTON
EST. 1881
Population: 243 (-72)

Tingley, Iowa
TINGLEY
EST. 1883
Population: 136 (-48)

Redding, Iowa
U.S. POST OFFICE REDDING, IA 50860
Population: 63 (-19)

Benton, Iowa
Welcome to BENTON
EST. 1889
Once a Railroad Town
Population: 39 (-2)

Delphos, Iowa
DELPHOS
Population: 26 (+1)

Maloy, Iowa
MALOY
EST. 1887
Population: 22 (-7)

Ellston, Iowa
WELCOME TO ELLSTON
EST. 1881
Population: 19

Beaconsfield, Iowa
Welcome to BEACONSFIELD
EST. 1881
HOME OF ASTRONAUT PEGGY WHITSON
SITE OF THE FIRST HY-VEE
Population: 15 (0)

Shannon City, Iowa (Partially in Union County)
Shannon City 2 ->
Population: 73 (-12)

I think it is pretty obvious that Shannon City has the worst town sign. Just a DOT sign. Obviously Delphos isn’t much better, but somehow their DOT sign manages to have more character. Redding isn’t great, but at least they had a post office to photograph.

But what gets Best in Show for Ringgold County? There really isn’t that sign that blows me away, but there are a couple that I really like. Maloy and Benton. I’m going to give it to Maloy by hair because it more colorful.

Maloy – Best in Show – Ringgold County

Only one town had an alternate town sign:

Diagonal – Alternate

Here is the current list of Best in Shows:

Best in Show – Adair County

Best in Show – Adams County

Best in Show – Audubon County

Best in Show – Benton County

Best in Show – Boone County

Best in Show – Butler County

Best in Show – Calhoun County

Best in Show – Carroll County

Best in Show – Cass County

Best in Show – Cerro Gordo County

Best in Show – Clarke County

Best in Show – Crawford County

Best in Show – Dallas County

Best in Show – Franklin County

Best in Show – Fremont County

Best in Show – Greene County

Best in Show – Grundy County

Best in Show – Guthrie County

Best in Show – Hamilton County

Best in Show – Hancock County

Best in Show – Hardin County

Best in Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida County

Best in Show – Jasper County

Best in Show – Lucas County

Best in Show – Madison County

Best in Show – Marion County

Best in Show – Marshall County

Best in Show – Montgomery County

Best in Show – Page County

Best in Show – Pocahontas County

Best in Show – Polk County

Best in Show – Poweshiek County

Best in Show – Ringgold Count

Best in Show – Sac County

Best in Show – Story County

Best in Show – Tama County

Best in Show – Taylor County

Best in Show – Union County

Best in Show – Warren County

Best in Show – Webster County

Best in Show – Worth County

Best in Show – Wright County

The next time we hit the open road for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we will hit it in Monona County.

Andy, Christianity, Dahlia, Derrick, Greyson, Iowa State, Jay, Jesse, Layla, Logan, Michelle, Naima, Road Trip, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, Shannon, Teresa, Vest, Willy

Selfie Project – October

November 2, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

On Sunday I completed another successful month of THE SELFIE PROJECT. One thing that always happens when I look back at a month’s worth of pictures I’m always surprised at some of the things that all happened in the same month. That? That happened this month? I thought that was like 2 months ago.

Here are my favorites from October:

October 1

October 2

October 3

October 4

October 5

October 7

October 8

October 9

October 12

October 14

October 16

October 17

October 18

October 20

October 22

October 23

October 24

October 25

October 28

October 30

October 31

There can be only one Selfie per day, but here are some of favorite alternate selfies from October:

Hopefully November is a good month too.

Art, Black & White, Christianity, Road Trip

Hancock County Auxiliary Images Vol. 1

October 31, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Several weeks back I cruised around Hancock County harvesting their town signs. It was a solo trip. Some of these pictures were taken in Hamilton County. I stopped in Webster City to take a picture of their courthouse. Here is the first collection of auxiliary images from this road trip:

Warning to the Puritans in the audience, there be boobs ahead!

Webster City

Goodell

Kanawha

Corwith

Garner

Duncan

Britt

This is something that has bothered me ever since I’ve seen it. The One Nation Under God wall. That seems fine to me. But why did they think it was necessary to add “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”. Do they not respect Hindu or Sikh or the other over 200 religions recognized by the United States Military? Is it necessary to put up a stinger that says, “Screw you Buddhist veterans!”

I don’t think so.

And my actual theory is that this was a clumsy attempt to be Islamophobic. Although I believe that Moslems would argue that they do worship the “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” I mean after all, Abraham (Ibrahim) is the second most referenced person in the Qu’ran. Even bad attempts at Islamaphobia are disgraceful.

But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the people of Britt just really hate Wiccan Veterans. Either way, it ruins what is otherwise a beautiful park giving tribute to veterans.

Art, Baseball/Softball, Black & White, Candid Portrait, Christianity, Flowers, Road Trip, Shannon

Warren County Auxiliary Images Vol. 3

October 20, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

This is the final set of peripheral images I took on my road trip with Shannon harvesting the town signs of Warren County. The last couple of pictures are from Maxwell that I took on my way back home. I stopped there because I still needed to photograph their Freedom Rock. They have a tank next to their Freedom Rock. Story County don’t play.

Martensdale

Churchville

Cumming

Summerset

Maxwell

It was a good trip and hopefully Shannon joins me for another town sign harvesting trip in the future.