This is the final collection of images from my road trip with Teresa to harvest the town signs of Henry and Jefferson County. All of this collection’s images were taken in Jefferson County. Mostly in Fairfield, but many in Maharishi Vedic City.

Fairfield

Maharishi Vedic City

Maharishi International University

I’d like to tell you more about the Maharishi Vedic Observatory. But it is a mystery to me. Even information on it is a little spotty. But I definitely want to visit it again and photograph it with Rodan139. All I can tell you is that “The Maharishi Vedic Observatory features ten astronomical instruments, made from marble and concrete arranged, yep, in a circle. The astronomical instruments all alight precisely with the sun, moon and stars”, according to Tim Fitz-Randolph, the observatory designer.”

Maharishi Vedic City is considered the most unique city in the country. Oprah visited it and did a documentary on it. Filmmaker David Lynch is rumored to visit often. They prefer to use the Raam as their currency. The preferred language is Sanskrit.

As for Maharishi International University… here is some information from the Wiki:

Maharishi International University (MIU), formerly Maharishi University of Management, is a private university in Fairfield, Iowa. It was founded in 1973 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and practices a “consciousness-based education” system that includes the Transcendental Meditation technique. Its founding principles are the development of the full potential of the individual, fulfilling economic aspirations while maximizing proper use of the environment and bringing spiritual fulfillment and happiness to humanity.

The university is accredited through the doctoral level by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and offers degree programs in art, business, education, communications, mathematical science, literature, physiology & health, Vedic Science and sustainable living.

The original campus in Goleta, California, moved in 1974 to a 370-acre campus in Fairfield, Iowa. During the 1990s many older buildings were demolished and replaced with green technology and the principles of ancient Vedic architecture. The university features an academic “block system” (only one subject for four weeks) and a diverse, multinational student body. It is said to offer an organic, vegetarian food program.

Yeah, I bet you didn’t know this little corner of Iowa existed.

The next time we hit the open road for auxiliary images of THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we will visit Lee County and Van Buren County.