Grain Elevators at Hopkinsville Milling

Landmark in Hopkinsville, KY

Most people who've ever visited Hopkinsville, KY, remember these big grain elevators that stand at the head of Fort Campbell Boulevard. Or, you could say that they stand at the end of Walnut Street. Either way, they're a landmark that everyone uses when giving directions in this part of town.

This photo was taken from the parking area at Lorenzo Johnson's Body Shop. The bridge in the foreground crosses the train tracks on Walnut Street.

I visited Lorenzo's shop a few times in recent weeks because Isaac's car was there. We had a bit of bad luck with it. Shortly after we purchased the car, we took it to Frank, our mechanic, to check it over. While the car was at Frank's garage, someone backed into it in the parking lot! Fortunately, Frank was headed for lunch at that very moment, witnessed the accident, and stopped the driver as he was about to drive off.

Sometimes, unexpected little complications seem to fill my life. But this complication did include an unexpected opportunity to photograph the grain elevators from a less-familiar angle.

No Stone Unused

Recycled tile flooring

Part of an old foundation, seen in Hopkinsville, KY

Shady Back Yard

Pleasantly overgrown

I peeked over a fence and saw this Hopkinsville (KY) back yard on a hot afternoon a few weeks ago. It was such a pleasant space that I wanted to remember it, so I took a picture. I suppose it's a little overgrown by some people's standards, but it has an abundance of shade and -- in my opinion-- an informal, natural, inviting charm.

Larry of Arabia

Vintage photo from Arabia, Nebraska

In the 1950s and 1960s when I was growing up, Arabia, Nebraska, was just a set of corrals next to the railroad tracks. The headquarters of the Arabia Ranch (owned at that time by Johnny Drayton) was a mile or two across the meadow from the old cattle pens along the railroad. The only settlement around Arabia was the cluster of  little houses and bunkhouses where the Arabia Ranch employees lived.

Whenever I traveled through eastern Cherry County in the back seat of our family car, I watched for Arabia. Most of the scenery along Highway 20 was sandy, hilly pastures with occasional cows and windmills. In comparison, Arabia and the Arabia Ranch were rather interesting.

"Larry of Arabia", 1937.
Photo courtesy of Larry Wilson.
Used with permission.

After reading a post I wrote about my memories of Arabia, Larry Wilson sent me the photo at right, and gave me permission to share it on my blog. This photograph was made in 1937 at Arabia, Nebraska, and Larry Wilson was the young fellow posing as "Larry of Arabia". (I love how Larry of Arabia had one straggling sock. What a great photo!)

The Wilson family's automobile, a 1935 Pontiac, appears in the background. They were driving to Valentine, because Larry's father Lawrence was interviewing there as a school administrator. He was offered the job but did not accept it, and so the Wilsons did not move to Valentine.

I see that Highway 20 was paved in 1937. My father had childhood memories of a sandy road to Valentine that went through pastures. Travelers had to open and close some barbed-wire gates along the way. That was probably in the late 1920s, around the time that Highway 20 was commissioned as an official route.

I'm amused to see in the photo that a small tumbleweed has blown in and lodged itself against the population sign -- or maybe it is growing there. Some things don't change much.

Related posts:
Memories of Arabia, Nebraska
More about Arabia, Nebraska

August Sunset

Corn, sky, and Johnsongrass.

Do you see the stalk of Johnsongrass in this photo, growing nearly as tall as the cornstalks? Grassy weed, weedy grass -- either would be a good description for Johnsongrass. The Commonwealth of Kentucky and at least 17 other states call it a noxious weed!