Checking out Jazz in July at Salisbury House

Every July, the Metro Arts Alliance puts together the Jazz In July program. Every day in July, somewhere around Des Moines, you can find a free jazz performance. This year, Linda and I made it up to the Salisbury House to see Susie Miget and Janey Hooper perform. We'd seen Janey Hooper at the Des Moines Botanical Center and enjoyed her music so we expected a nice evening at a nice venue. We weren't disappointed.

Shooting the Guthrie County Courthouse

Guthrie Center is the county seat of Guthrie County and this is their courthouse. Clearly a more modern design, this courthouse settles nicely into the rolling hills of Guthrie Center. It's located a block north of the east-west main business street through town and was easy to find.

Shooting the Shelby County Courthouse

Harlan is the county seat of Shelby County and this is their courthouse. Built over a century ago, this building looks as sharp and well maintained as any that I recall. The stone is not apparently chipped, cracked, or moldy. The roof and flashing look sharp and new. Clearly, the grounds have been updated / paved, but done is a way that I don't find distracting. This is quite a nice courthouse... especially considering its age!

Shooting the Harrison County Courthouse

Logan is the county seat of Harrison County and this is their courthouse. This massive block clearly communicates that it's been here for a while and plans to remain. Decorated with a little red, white and blue bunting, it shows a slightly festive side. Also, a little landscaping near the foundation shows some of the care the community has for their courthouse, a fine example.

Shooting the Logan Carnegie Library

This is the uncommonly modern looking Carnegie library in Logan, Iowa. I'm sure that the windows and roof have been updated giving it a more modern look but it's still serving the community well. Located just to the north of the town square, it was an easy find.

Enjoying Saturday In The Park

In 1972, the band Chicago released a song titled Saturday In The Park. I found a video on YouTube that may be from 1972 that opens with the following lyric:

Saturday in the park
I think it was the fourth of july
Saturday in the park
I think it was the fourth of july
People talking, people laughing
A man selling ice cream
Singing italian songs
(fake italian lyric)
Can you dig it (yes, I can)
And I've been waiting such a long time
For saturday

That song apparently had an impact. Each year, on a saturday around the Fourth of July, Sioux City puts those words to action with their free all day festival named for the song, Saturday In The Park, in their Grandview Park.

This shot was pretty late but does show the setting and a sense of the crowd. It was a sunny afternoon of an interestingly varied collection of performers that moved smoothly from one to the next. During the breaks, people visited the vendors, got hydrated, and back to their seats for the next band. It really was an excellent afternoon in a classic park.

Stopping by the Blue Bunny Visitor Center

LeMars, Iowa, claims to be the "Ice Cream Capitol of the World" and these are some of the ice cream themed docorations you can find at their visitor center. Having been on the road for a while, Linda and I thought that a nice ice cream treat would really hit the spot. Unfortunately, so did several other people and we opted to continue on our way. Before we left, I got this shot.

Stopping in Orange City

Last November, I blogged about stopping at Woudstra's Butcher Shop for one of their brats, one of the 100 Things to Eat. While we were there, the butcher offered a sample of dried beef. Since we wer in the neighborhood, Linda and I stopped back to pick up a legitimate order and a few more brats. The dried beef looked so good, I had to take this shot. It tasted even better than it looks! I don't know how to make dried beef or what the keys are to making it taste so good but I can tell you where to find someone who does! If you're ever up in Orange City, stop by Woudstra's!

Shooting the O'Brien County Courthouse

Primghar is the county seat of O'Brien County and this is their courthouse. It has the look of a standard government building.

Shooting the Clay County Courthouse

Spencer is the county seat of Clay County and this is their courthouse. Located off the main street commercial area, this interesting courthouse is a handsome structure. I don't know the name for the style but I like it; the box lined by columns on top of the main structure is fairly distinctive and a look I like.

Another thing that Spencer and Clay County are known for is their fair. Attracting over three hundred thousand visitors each year, it can claim to be the largest county fair in the Midwest. Wikipedia credits it as the second largest agricultural exposition in North America. As one of the 100 Places to go in Iowa, I'm expecting to see it sometime.

Checking out the Real Three Sons

A few posts back, I showed the Three Sons store along the lake. The real Three Sons store, another of the 100 Places to go in Iowa. Alright, the store by the lake is a true Three Sons store but it's an outlet store. This main store is found a few miles south of the lake in Milford, Iowa. The store is the offical University of Okoboji sportswear headquarters for the mythical University of Okoboji. I didn't take one but I understand that the entrance exam to the university is available at the front counter. Outside, the store looks a little rustic and worn; inside, it's even more so! Some of the thresholds between portions of the store are well worn by years of shoppers. It's packed with quality merchandise and an interesting stop.

Tasting some of the flavor of Okoboji

One of the entries on the list of 100 Things to Eat is found at the Nutty Bar Stand along the shore of West Lake Okoboji. It's exactly what it looks like in the photo: a block of vanilla ice cream (Wells' Blue Bunny) on a stick, dipped in chocolate, rolled in nuts. I was a little surprised by the blocky shape of the treat but, once I got started, it ate just fine. I can understand the tradition that has grown up around stopping by the stand to pick up one of these after an Iowa summer day on the water. Add to the the location and it's very easy to see why this Iowa item made the list.

Peeking at Arnold's Park

Situated along the shores of West Lake Okoboji you'll find the historic Arnolds Park amusement park, another of the 100 Places to go in Iowa. Linda and I were about an hour early to get to step inside but, roaming around grounds surrounding this park, it was easy to see the care and attention that put it on the map as a focal point for lakeside fun over a century ago. Crews were busily sweeping up, tending flowers, and testing the Legend Roller Coaster.

The Legend has been thrilling visitors to the park since 1927... over eighty years ago! It may seem a bit tame compared to the beasts today but I'll never underestimate the ability of a wooden coaster to take me out of my comfort zone. The American Coaster Enthusiasts have recognized the Legend for its design and longevity.

Arnolds Park is a treasured piece of the Okoboji experience.

Catching a whiff of the Okoboji Experience

One of the Register's 100 Places to go in Iowa, Lake Okoboji is a summer retreat for a lot of people for a number of different reasons; there's no way I caught up with even half of it roaming around with Linda one morning. There are a few things that I did get a little sense of in that time. Shopping: all sorts of summer resort items are readily available. Boating: everywhere you look, there are boats on the water or tied up at docks after having been on the water, getting ready to go back on the water, possibly to go fishing. If those aren't enough, there's even a shoreline amusement park ... but that's the next post! In the short time I was at this Iowa Great Lake, it wasn't hard to sense the attraction.

Shooting the Dickinson County Courthouse

Spirit Lake is the county seat of Dickinson County and this is their courthouse... or soon will be. Clearly, the county has decided a new courthouse was needed; fortunately, I'm getting a shot early in its service to that county. Unfortunately, I completely missed out on shooting the old courthouse. I've seen images of it and it could have been a good shoot. Looking at the new design, that pillar that stands alone in the right foreground echos a design feature of the old courthouse; nice touch!

Shooting the Spirit Lake Carnegie Library

Originally, this structure housed the library funded in part by Andrew Carnegie. The general appearance (and name in stone above the door) are pretty typical of many of the libraries built in Iowa in the early 1900s; the stairs up to the door that often opens onto a landing with one staircase up flanked by two staircases down. Just to the left of the entryway you can see the plague indicating that the structure is listed on the register of historic places assuring that attempts will be made to retain this appearance.

The community library has moved on to a new building. Currently, this building houses business offices.

Shooting the Jackson County Courthouse

Jackson is the county seat of Jackson County, Minnesota, and this is their courthouse. Linda and I stayed in Jackson the evening of the Fourth of July and, when we were passing back through town, this handsome courthouse caught our eye. Having already established that courthouses in other states are fair game for being entered in the blog, we paused and took the shot that you see now. Set up on the hill overlooking the town and river, it's a very stately building.

Shooting the Estherville Carnegie Library

The library in Estherville is a handsome building on a block of its own, surrounded by a nice lawn, located just south of the county courthouse and in the midst of the business district. It's really the setting where you often find the courthouse in most county seats; that's a pretty nice honor. Most often, Linda and I find the courthouse and then look for the library on a side street a block or so away, out of the hustle and bustle, not taking up a prime commercial location. The people of Estherville put their library in the center of their community; an interesting statement of value in my opinion.

Sorry about the angle of the photo. Clearly after sunset, I had to set the camera down to keep it steady while the shutter was open. It made for a nice, warm image but, without a tripod, I didn't do a very good job of levelling the camera when taking the shot.

Shooting the Emmet County Courthouse

Estherville is the county seat of Emmet County, Iowa, and this is their courthouse. Another of the more modern style courthouses, the Emmet county courthouse has an air of businesslike efficiency about it. Located about a block off the main east-west highway, it was easy to find. Unfortunately, arriving well after dark wasn't the best for capturing a flattering image of the structure.

Checking out the World's Largest Bullhead!

Crystal Lake, Iowa, is home to the world's largest bullhead. As you can see from the photo, it's just a little smaller than a compact car. It was pretty apparent that there's a pretty decent fireworks display over the lake on the Fourth as the road along the lake shore was lined with cars and people in lawn chairs. As we drove through town, most blocks near the lake had people headed for the lake.