Category Archives: Ruins

Lucas County Auxiliary Images

Shortly after I published the town signs of Lucas County I received a letter in the mail. I don’t get much mail from anybody other that the two State Farm agents in Ames that think by constantly sending me junk mail I’m somehow going to sign up for their terrible insurance that has treated more than one person in my life very poorly. Switch to State Farm, not on your life Scott Richardson or Pat Brown! American Family Insurance for life!

But I digress, the letter I got in the mail was from the Chairman of the Lucas County Veterans Memorial Park Committee thanking me for including their park in my blog:



I was blown away by the letter and was humbled to receive the letter and want to say thanks!

The day that I harvested the town signs of Lucas County I didn’t explore as much as I normally would. I had to get to Des Moines to drop off my entries for the Iowa State Fair. Then I had to get to Ames to a wedding. Therefore, I didn’t take a ton of pictures in Lucas County, but here are a few that I did take:


Lucas County - Lucas
Lucas

Lucas County - Lucas

Lucas County - Lucas

Lucas County - Lucas

Lucas County - Lucas

Lucas County - Lucas

Lucas County - Derby
Derby

Lucas County - Derby

Lucas County - Russell
Russell

Lucas County - Russell

Lucas County - Russell

Lucas County - Russell

Lucas County - Russell

Lucas County - Russell

Lucas County

Lucas County - Chariton
Chariton

Lucas County - Chariton

Lucas County - Chariton

Lucas County - Chariton

Lucas County - Chariton

Lucas County - Chariton

Lucas County - Chariton

Lucas County - Chariton

Lucas County - Williamson
Williamson

While I didn’t get to spend much time in Lucas County, I do have plans to go there again in April. Red Haw State Park is supposed to be absolutely beautiful that time of year. I also want to visit the Frontier Trading Post. It looked like a fascinating place!

2010-10-18 & 2010-10-19

There was really only one picture of consequence in the folder 2010-10-18, so I decided to combine it with the folder 2010-10-19. The pictures in the folder 2010-10-19 are from a road trip I took to Kalona with my Mom. We also stopped in Riverside and the Czech Village in Cedar Rapids. I do miss those trips to Kalona.


WEEK 42 - SHADOWS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

WEEK 41 - DRY - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

Kalona Road Trip with Mom - October 2010

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

RWPE #41 – DRY

RWPE #42 – SHADOWS

SOME VACATION PICTURES

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve Minnesota.

Tama County Auxiliary Images – 2

Here is the final chapter in the storage of my Grandma Bennett’s brief third marriage:

Handschin Killer Commits Suicide At Reformatory

Sioux City, Feb. 15

Mrs. Martelle McPeek, 29 year-old blonde, who last January 11th shot her lover after being jilted, committed suicider early today in the woman’s reformatory at Rockwell City by hanging herself with a pair of cotton stockings.

Supt. Pauline Johnston said Mrs. McPeek was by a guard. The county coroner said Mrs. McPeek died of strangulation and that her neck was not broken.

Mrs. McPeek entered the institution January 27th. She had been sentenced to ten years when she pleaded guilty to a charge of second degree murder.

The charge against her was filed after the death of Maurics Handschin, 36-year-old packing house employee as a result of a bullet wound in the abdomen.

Formerly of Boone

The late Mr. Handschin was formerly of Boone and had married here only shortly before the fatal shooting. His underal services were held in this city.

Claimed by Husband

Rockwell City, Feb. 15

Mrs. Martelle M. McPeek, 29, committed suicide at the Iowa Women’s Reformatory, to which she was sentenced for 10 years for killing Maurice Handschin in Sioux City last January 11.

Mrs. McPeek’s body was found hanging from the top of a window. She had strangled herself to death with her stockings. Her husband, William McPeek of Sioux City claimed her body.

Handschin lived at the McPeek residence in Sioux City several years before leaving there to marry a Boone divorcee. Mrs. McPeek contended she had planned to divorce her husband and marry Handschin.

Here is a copy of the newspaper article:



While that concluded this episode of sharing some of my family history that I discover going through some genealogy stuff, it won’t be the last.

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This is the rest of the auxiliary images from my trip to Tama County to harvest their town signs. The highlight of this trip was the winding stairs in Traer.


Tama County - Clutier
Clutier

Tama County - Clutier

Tama County - Clutier

Tama County - Clutier

Tama County - Clutier

Tama County - Clutier

Tama County - Clutier

Tama County - Dysart
Dysart

Tama County - Traer
Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Traer

Tama County - Lincoln
Lincoln

Tama County

Grundy County - Conrad
Conrad (Grundy County)

Grundy County - Conrad

Tama County - Garwin, Iowa
Garwin

Tama County - Garwin, Iowa

Tama County

So many auxiliary images still to go through, but that is it for Tama County.

Tama County Auxiliary Images – 1

Here is Part 3 of the brief third marriage of my Grandma Bennett. This article is in particularly bad shape, so there is some guessing with what it says.

Handschin, Formerly of Boone, Dies After Being Shot, Sioux city.

A (man) shot by a jealous woman at Sioux City the night of January 11, Maurice (Mose) Handschin, 37, formerly of Boone, died at 11 o’clock Wednesday night in a hospital at the northwest Iowa city.

His remains are being accompanied to this city by his wife to whom he was married here shortly after the first of the year. Funeral services and interment will be in Boone, the body to arrive late Thursday.

Handschin was born and grew up here, leaving about 10 years ago for Sioux City where he had been employed by the Swift packing. (Handschin) at one time was a North Western employee here.

A number of his three surviving brothers and five surviving sisters reside here. The survivors are Warren Handschin of Boone, Art Handschin of Minneapolis and Harry Handschin of Oregon, Mesdames Ralph Spratt and Carl Westberg of Boone. Clarence Ades of Des Moines, Art Howd of Webster City and Ollie Mabee of Parker, S.D.

Sioux City, Jan. 25 – First degree murder charges were filed in Sioux City today against Mrs. Martelle McPeek, as the result of the death last night of Maurice W. Handschin of a bullet wound.

Chief of Detectives Tom Farley said Mrs. McPeek signed a statement that she shot Handschin on January 11 when (learned he had married another woman).

Mrs. McPeek (was jailed on an open charge since the shooting, which occurred inside the home of Handschin and his bride of a few days. fired two shots, one entering Handschin’s abdomen. A physician said death was caused by infection in the blood stream. The bullet tore seven holes in his intestines and stomach. (Coroner said an autopsy would be held later today.)

Handschin had been living with Mr. and Mrs. Mcpeek six years and for most of that time, according to investigating authorities, he and Mrs. McPeek had carried on a love affair with the knowledge of her husband.

At Christmas time, Handschin left Sioux City, saying he was going to remarry his former wife. He returned shortly after New Years with a Mrs. Handschin who was not his former wife but a Boone divorcee, Mrs. Bernice Kessler, with a 7 year-old daughter.

On the night of the shooting, Mrs. McPeek was driven to the couple’s home by a friend, Bud Ackerly, and forced open the door when Mrs. Handschin answered her knock. When Ackerly heard the shots he ran in and seized Mrs. McPeek’s pistol and called the police.

Born in Boone

Mrs. McPeek said she planned to obtain a divorce and marry Handschin.

Several days after the shooting, McPeek filed a petition for a landlord’s attachment against Handschin seeking a judgment for $150 unpaid room rent.

Handschin was born at Boone on May 6, 1903 and had lived in Sioux City for six years. Survivors include a son, Norman.

Here is the newspaper article:



Part 4 of the story tomorrow.

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This is a reminder that today is the deadline to enter the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.


Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Flyer - 2021

If the Boone County Fair Photo Contest that I just judged on Saturday is any indication, we might be desperate for entries. Therefore the deadline is somewhat of a “soft deadline”. However, I wouldn’t push it more than a week.

To download the rules and entry form, click on the link below:

Entry Form

Good luck!

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Today seems like a good day to share some of the auxiliary images I took while harvesting the town signs of Tama County:


Tama County - Tama
Tama

Tama County - Toledo
Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Toledo

Tama County - Chelsea
Chelsea

Tama County - Chelsea

Tama County - Chelsea

Tama County - Chelsea

Tama County - Chelsea

Tama County

Tama County

Tama County - Vining
Vining

Tama County - Vining
So many all-you-can-eat testicles eaten in this building!

Tama County - Vining

Tama County - Elberon
Elberon

Tama County - Elberon

Tama County - Elberon

Tama County - Clutier
Clutier

Tama County - Clutier

Tama County - Clutier

Tama County - Clutier

There is still one more collection of images from Tama County left to share!

Marion County Auxiliary Images

This is a reminder that if you are interested in entering the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, the deadline is next Wednesday:


Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Flyer - 2021

To download the entry form and the rules, click on the link below:

Entry Form

A special thanks to Michelle for modifying the form so you don’t have to print it 6 times.

Also, while I am running the contest, I am not judging it. So don’t worry about me recognizing your images. Doesn’t matter if I do, cause I’m not a judge!

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Back in May I cruised around Marion County to harvest their town signs. This was a solo trip and I didn’t take a ton of auxiliary images as I was on somewhat of a time crunch. I had to get to a birthday party at a carousel. Also, I have been to the two biggest towns in Marion County (Pella and Knoxville) a few times, so I didn’t really do much exploring in those towns. Still, I managed to take a few auxiliary images:


Marion County - Pella
Pella

Marion County

Marion County - Harvey
Harvey

Marion County - Harvey

Marion County - Harvey

Marion County - Harvey

Marion County - Harvey

Marion County - Harvey

Marion County - Bussey
Bussey

Marion County - Bussey

Marion County - Bussey

Marion County - Hamilton
Hamilton

Marion County - Hamilton

Marion County
Attica

Marion County

Marion County - Melcher-Dallas
Melcher-Dallas

Marion County - Melcher-Dallas

Marion County - Melcher-Dallas

Marion County - Melcher-Dallas

Marion County - Knoxville
Knoxville

Marion County - Knoxville

Marion County - Knoxville

It was a good trip and an even better birthday party.

Adair County Auxiliary Images

Back in early May I drove around Adair County to harvest their town signs. I also harvested some town signs in Clarke County. This was a solo trip.

Here are some of the non-town sign pictures I took while cruising around:


Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County
Greenfield

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County
Fontanelle

Adair County

Adair County
It is sad that this is being painted over.

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County
Bridgewater

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Adair County

Union County
Creston

Clarke County
Osceola

Clarke County
Woodburn

Clarke County

Clarke County

Clarke County

Clarke County
Osceola, again

Clarke County

Clarke County

One thing I missed in Adair County that I need to hit at some point is the Jesse James Historical Site.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is HISTORY:


WEEK 304 - HISTORY
HISTORY

HISTORY! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a HISTORY photo? A HISTORY photo is any picture that records something that happened in the past. For example, in the theme reveal picture is the break room (building) for the employees of a Cracker Jack factory that has been gone for 50 years. A HISTORY picture could be a picture of a museum or an old building or a mural that depicts a HISTOR(Y)IC event. Or it could be a picture of a HISTOR(Y)ICAL artifact. It doesn’t need to be a piece of HISTORY that is as significant as Cracker Jack. It could be personal HISTORY.

Happy photo harvesting!

Madison County and Union County Auxiliary Images – 3

This is the third and final collection of images I took while harvesting the town signs of Madison and Union County. Almost all these pictures were taken in Union County, but a few were taken in Adair County and Clarke County.

This was the last town sign harvesting trip I ever took with my Mom.


Adair County - Orient
Orient

Adair County - Orient

Adair County - Orient

Adair County - Orient

Adair County - Orient

Adair County - Orient

Adair County - Orient

Union County - Creston
Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Creston

Union County - Cromwell
Cromwell

Union County - Cromwell

Union County - Kent
Kent

Union County

Union County

Union County - Afton
Afton

Union County - Afton

Union County - Afton

Union County - Thayer
Thayer

Union County - Thayer

Clarke County - Murray
Murray

I wish that Harvey’s Chicken Inn was still in business. I bet the place was the most happening place back in the day.

Madison County and Union County Auxiliary Images – 2

This is the second collection of “other” images I took while harvesting the town signs of Madison and Union County. This was the last town sign harvesting trip I ever took with my Mom.

All of the pictures in this collection were taken in Madison County. St. Charles, East Peru, Truro, and Macksburg.


Madison County - Saint Charles
Saint Charles
Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Saint Charles

Madison County - Truro
Truro

Madison County - Truro

Madison County - Truro

Madison County - Truro

Madison County - Truro

Madison County - East Peru
East Peru

Madison County - East Peru

Madison County - Macksburg
Macksburg

Madison County - Macksburg

Madison County - Macksburg

Madison County - Macksburg

There is one more collection of pictures from this road trip still to come.

WPC – WEEK 302 – COMMUNICATION

The theme of COMMUNICATION did not communicate to a tremendous amount of people. That is fine. Maybe this week’s theme will be more popular.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:


WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (This was actually Andy’s submission for WHITE that I missed, but it also works here.)

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 302 - COMMUNICATION - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

But enough dwelling on the past. Time to look to the future. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future! This week’s theme:


WEEK 303 - ADVENTURE
ADVENTURE

ADVENTURE! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

But what is an ADVENTURE image? An ADVENTURE image is simply any image that was taken while on an ADVENTURE or preparing for an ADVENTURE or going on an ADVENTURE. The theme reveal picture could qualify for all 3. The twist to this picture is that YOU have to figure out what you consider to be an ADVENTURE.

DON’T FORGET THAT INDEPENDENCE DAY IS SUNDAY, THEREFORE MANY PEOPLE HAVE MONDAY AS A VACATION. BUT PHOTOGRAPHY 139 DOES NOT TAKE HOLIDAYS. PLAN YOUR SUBMISSION ACCORDINGLY!!

Also, meditate on this quote before thinking about your ADVENTURE photo:

As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was about to happen.
-Winnie the Pooh

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of ADVENTURE in this place that is just a record of my ADVENTURE(s) next Monday.