My original source has since disappeared from the internet, but I thought I remembered seeing a Lustron house that stood in the Hancock County community of Wilkinson. Some internet sleuthing and a trip down south led me to the home. Now, I think I’ve been to every Lustron house in East Central Indiana! There are twenty-three that I know of.
Continue reading “The Lustron in Wilkinson”
Plenty of Midwestern towns are full of charming old houses, but few ring out like a Lustron. The post–World War II homes were born from a futuristic vision that promised innovation, efficiency, and a new way of living! Made entirely of porcelain-coated steel, Lustron houses still look like something out of a dream from 1949. Greenfield, Indiana, is lucky enough to have two of them.
Continue reading “A pair of Lustrons in Greenfield”
I made my way out to the rail yard early this month to get a jump on the graffiti that began to pop up. Wandering around under the blazing sun is a miserable time, but the chance to catch some new artwork on the cars was enough to drag me out there. With that said, welcome to the twenty-fourth edition of railcar spotting!
I work for a company that makes plastic pellets that get melted down and molded into car parts, dishwashers, washing machines, and who knows what else. Honestly, our operation isn’t all that different from a modern farm. We’ve got hoppers, augers, bins, and silos just like they do! I won’t pretend I know the ins and outs of how it all works, but I do know this: back in 2021, I stumbled across a silo that stopped me in my tracks. It was hanging in the air like a giant birdcage.
Continue reading “A sky-high silo in the middle of nowhere”
It’s been twelve or thirteen years since I met a girl named Kayla who lived way out in the Madison County country. She worked at Red Lobster in town and had a crappy old car, so I gave her a ride every now and then. The first evening, I couldn’t help but notice the enormous barn that towered behind her house. It was like nothing I’d ever seen! Unfortunately, I recently found that the crazy structure had been demolished. I’m glad I snapped a photo when I did.
Continue reading “The weirdest barn I’ve ever seen has been demolished”
After World War II, the United States entered a period of remarkable prosperity. As soldiers returned home, many set their sights on the suburbs. Thankfully, the Lustron Corporation emerged to meet the booming demand for affordable housing. Even though the company is long gone today, its distinctive steel homes still have a devoted, almost cult-like following. I’ve written about them in Muncie, Anderson, Richmond, Straughn, and Tipton, but now it’s Marion’s turn.
Continue reading “Five Lustrons in Marion”
I decided I couldn’t take the same old boring highway again as I drove home from another recent doctor’s appointment in Anderson. I absconded from the main route, pointed my car toward the countryside, and eventually turned onto Lee Pit Road. Just south, a lonely clay tile silo rose from a field like a forgotten monument.
Continue reading “The landmark silo of Lee Pit Road”
The rail yard at work sits just eighty feet from my office, but I couldn’t bring myself to walk outside and take a single photo of any cool new tags for most of the month. It’s not like the opportunity wasn’t there, but I’ve been dealing with some things lately. I finally made myself step outside the other day, but there wasn’t much to catch my eye. Still, sometimes showing up is half the victory.
Continue reading “Railcar spotting: May, 2025”
When I was a kid, trips on I-69 to visit family in Fort Wayne were punctuated by three landmarks: the Long Line tower in Warren, the Long Line tower in Zanesville, and the water tower in Markle. It had a smiley face! I’d driven past countless times without stopping until a couple of weeks ago. I’d been on a bit of a water tower kick in my writing, and my brother nudged me to finally pull over and snap some photos.
Continue reading “Markle’s happy water tower”
Back in high school, the corner of Kilgore and Nebo in suburban Yorktown felt like my second home. I took every Subway shift I could get and got to know the whole block. With my right foot firmly in the sandwich shop, my left wandered between gas pumps, fast food runs, and whatever else the day called for nearby! One day, back at work, I found a dollar bill that belonged to my corner as well.
Continue reading “Where’s George? At the corner of Kilgore and Nebo in Yorktown”