There used to be a website that tracked buildings that were once obviously Pizza Huts. There may still be one today, but there used to be, too. As it turns out, Fort Wayne has its own version of that game: instead of pizza joints, it’s pyramids. Four of them scattered across the city all share the same unmistakable shape! Each started its life as a bank.
Continue reading “Fort Wayne’s pyramid banks”
Growing up in the heart of Hoosier Hysteria, it was probably inevitable that I’d fall for basketball. What I didn’t expect was how deeply I’d get hooked on the places it was played. Long after the final buzzer, I’m still thinking about balconies, locker rooms, and oddly shaped floors. Recently, I’ve been digging through old Sanborn Maps to trace how high school gyms were first built, how they evolved, and what those changes say about the communities that packed them. Here’s a little more of what turned up.
Continue reading “One last set of ten old gyms as they appeared in Sanborn Maps”
I’ve been spending a lot of time over at my parents’ house. Those are hours that could be spent blogging! Unfortunately, the charging brick for my MacBook went missing. At $40-60 a pop, they’re sort of out of reach for someone still looking for a job. Fortunately, I remembered my iPad. A quick Amazon search revealed several keyboard options for about half the price of the MacBook charger, and I’m going to review the one I got.
Continue reading “Random tech review: the APHBZGE Smart Keyboard Case”
I guess it should come as no surprise since the mall that houses it will soon be demolished, but Muncie’s MCL cafeteria is closing on March 29th. This is a real shame: I’d only just become acquainted with it!
Continue reading “Muncie’s MCL is closing and everything sucks”
The only good thing about not working lately has been that I have Fridays off. I technically have every day off, but Fridays are different around here: that’s when Delaware County tests its outdoor warning sirens. A handful of them -our Thunderbolts- are incredible relics! One stands perched above Southview Elementary School.
Continue reading “Muncie’s Southview Thunderbolt”
I’m a basketball fan who lives in the middle of Hoosier Hysteria, but my love for the game goes beyond buzzer-beaters and obscure stats: I’m fascinated by the history of the gyms themselves! Recently, I’ve been diving into old Sanborn Maps to see how high school gymnasiums were laid out, built, and changed over time. Here’s some more of what I’ve found.
Continue reading “Ten more gyms, as seen in Sanborn Maps”
I loved to draw as a kid and even won some art contests. I was also endlessly fascinated by water towers. Somewhere around age seven or eight, those two interests collided when I proudly assembled a handmade book cataloging every water tower I’d ever seen! Nearly thirty years later, I still can’t help but notice old or unusual water towers. One of my favorites looms over Gaston. It’s known as a “witch’s hat1.”
Continue reading “Gaston’s witchy water tower”
I’m a big basketball fan living smack-dab in the heart of Hoosier Hysteria. My obsession goes well beyond game nights and box scores- I’m fascinated by the places where the game was played! Lately, I’ve been digging into the history of high school gyms, using old Sanborn Maps to see how they were built, expanded, and used over time. Here’s some of what I’ve uncovered.
Continue reading “Ten old high school gyms, as seen in Sanborn Maps”
A stately, sprawling Queen Anne home rises just west of the entrance to Richmond’s Glen Miller Park along US-40, and it’s hard not to slow down when it comes into view. The building’s apparent decay only deepens the intrigue for anyone passing through! It hints that this house has lived more than one life. Indeed it has! Among its former identities is one that stopped me cold: the Crain Sanitarium.
Continue reading “The landmark Crain Sanitarium on the National Road”
I’ve always been drawn to places where people once gathered, and old theaters seem to pull me in more than most. I’d known about the Hartford Theater near downtown Hartford City for years, but I’d never actually stopped to take pictures of it. Even with its current use, the building still gives itself away- in a town of about 6,000, it doesn’t take much to spot a former movie palace.
Continue reading “Hartford City’s old Hartford Theater”