in Southeastern Oregon…
Posts Tagged ‘old buildings
23
Apr
17
abandoned station…
13
Oct
14
Portland Milk Wars
“Prior to the Great Depression in late 1920s, Oregon Dairy Farmers felt an economic blow when the price of butterfat dropped. The old Dairymen’s League collapsed as a result. After bitter fights and protests of unfair practices, milk prices fluctuated. After recognizing the need to agree on consistency in pricing and marketing, a group of dairymen came together to sign incorporation papers for the Dairy Cooperative Association (forerunner to Mayflower Farms) on November 8, 1929. The following year, 1,300 members signed the contract. Portland Milk (Also of interest: Portland Suffragette Movement & Milk)
The original church was relocated to this location in the 1970’s. In the 90’s it collapsed into a pile in the foreground.
Lone Pine Tree Village set upon a rock bluff adjacent to the Columbia River. It was near the native’s fishing grounds.
“The church and village were built by Henry Gulick, a Scottish immigrant who settled in the area in the 1890s.
His wife Harriet, a local Wasco woman, was a member of the Indian Shaker movement.
Though Henry was not religious, he built a small wooden church, which soon became one of the centers of Indian Shaker activity on the Columbia River.”
(Frank Hunt Photography) Please visit Frank Hunt’s site for more details re the Shaker religious movement amongst the native American tribes. Apparently there are still remnants of this today.
Here, my wife locates the window and building where her photo had been taken 30 years earlier. Also, we were trying to stand out of the ripping wind and an approaching downpour.
The bridge joins Oregon & Washington states. The original church was moved because of the bridge right of way and a motel construction. The building in this shot was the northern most structure still standing. SwittersB
You can see by the aerial imagery that the landscape is harsh and rugged. The motel construction, bridge construction and parking lots clash with the historically rustic village. I am glad we got to explore this after so many years. It makes for those nice images of the old, weathered structure and tall grass.
Above is the small, insert image of the Lone Pine Tree church as it stood in the 1950’s. That image was taken by Gladys Seufert, whose family owned the property the motel was constructed upon. It so happens Gladys & Francis Seufert took quite a few photos of old structures in Wasco County, Oregon.
03
Nov
13
Photography: Lean Too………
As Winter approaches with heavy winds, snow and ice just how much more can these old timbers take before the weight forces the structure over. The missing roof no doubt helps reduce some of the burden. Photographing old, weathered boards and structures resonates in me. The beauty of the grain, the weathered appearance are pleasing. But, beneath that is the historical & human questions of who, when, how, why etc. that always are there. I like that.
27
Apr
13
Photography: Begs questions……..
Have to admit to being pretty much a novice re photography. I see opportunities. But, the mechanics of the camera, so far, escape me. I will eventually gather all the how to’s up into smooth actions in the field. But, for now, I do more seeing and thinking….preferrable to me.
Nature shots are more about light, shapes, textures and spirituality. Old structures, man made presence, beg questions. The Who’s, What’s, How’s, etc. make me stand there and imagine. Do you do that too? Such outings, often lead to back at home research to answer those questions.
Cemeteries are another place that give me pause…a balance between nature, man and spirit.
Old Ranch House just west of Madras, Oregon (SwittersB)
As you push on, heading from one point to another, you pass those old places off the highway. Setting there alone, usually abandoned, visited only by the harsh weather and the occasional person with a camera.
I often wonder who originally stopped along the way on some wagon rutted road or dirt tract and considered the vistas, the land, the water, or lack thereof, and the possibilities. Were they alone? Was it two brothers, a man and woman, a family, a lone soul? What time of year was it? How did they come by the building materials and how long did it take to build the home?
What dreams did they have? They had probably escaped the confines of civilization, but were they lonely? How did they leave here? Was it opportunity or defeat that made them walk away? Did people die here or who was born here? Was anyone ever buried on this land, their remains’ location long forgotten?
These are but a few questions that blaze through my mind as I drive by or on rare occasions pull over and contemplate the structure. Someday, if I am still alive, I will drive by and see that the house has collapsed. Will anyone else notice?
Old Homestead (SwittersB)
