This is quite an architectural wonder. It kinda looks like a farmhouse grew up into a courthouse, in the middle of a barn. It all matches up, but looks rather odd. Do you agree?
Amalgamation
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Category Archives: Fallen Farms
Over the years…the Wilton barn
This barn north of Wilton has been a favorite for photographers as long as I can remember. Its location is prime for sunrise and sunset photos, it’s not on posted land, it’s easy to get to, and incredibly photogenic. It’s also on its last legs. I took this photo in July 2010 as I awaited the sunset.
As you can see from another perspective, this is a beautiful old barn from any angle. The signs of age were already there, however…note the lean. This does not bode well. There was actually a large timber bracing it at this point.
Two years later, in August 2012, the stone had already collapsed and the body of the barn had settled into the ground. On this dreary, rainy day it looked as if it had given a grand sigh and slumped into place, resigned to its fate.
Almost exactly four years after my original photo, in July 2014, it shows signs of the wood weakening further. Parts of the wall are falling away and sunlight streams through from one end to the other.
Last weekend, August 2016. Much of this barn could be best described as “skeletal remains”. The roof remains intact, but the walls are failing. The floor looks pretty good, but it no longer has much shelter from the elements. This may be the swan song for my favorite barn…I fear if I wait another two years, there won’t be much left to compare to that original photo from 2010.
If you’re like me, one of the local photography hobbyists who has fond memories of this old barn, I urge you to head north soon. Sadly, I don’t think we have much time left with it…but from a photographic standpoint, it’s served us well.
My new favorite Fallen Farm
So there I was, blazing down a county road in the new truck, trying out the dynamic stability control from time to time (cool!), trying to reach the first of two abandoned prairie churches I wanted to investigate and photograph that evening. As I dove through a valley I noticed this beautiful old farmstead nestled in the trees along a hill to the east. Wow! I just had to stop and shoot a quick shot from the road (I mark them in my hiking GPS for future reference).
As you can see in the background, the sunset was already starting to develop, splashing color across the sky. I didn’t have time to do this site justice, so I filed it for later and moved on…but I will definitely be taking another look at it in the future. This breathtaking site has loads of potential!
Oh yes, the photos of the two churches turned out quite nicely. You’ll see those soon.
Over the hill
It’s been a long time since I first spotted this old farmstead with the scenic hill in the background. A while back I finally was able to get a shot of it, and I forgot to post it here. As luck would have it, I was able to avoid most of the rain that moved through the area while still capturing some dramatic clouds!
Actually, it’s growing on me
I was originally going to title this post, “I finally found a Fallen Farm I didn’t like”…but darn it, the place actually has a lot of character. The old camper is certainly retro cool, and the boat lying in the grass could come in handy if that pond overflows. While originally I just thought this was a junky mess, I now think it’s more of a funky one.
Sagging in the middle
Normally it’d be impolite to point outs omething like that, but in this case I don’t think my subject will mind. This barn has fascinated me for a long time, but I’ve never tracked down the owners to ask if I can approach it more closely. The land it’s on is posted, and as you know I have a general rule about obeying other people’s property rights. Thankfully it’s photogenic from the road, too!
I see you hiding behind that post
I spotted this attachment along the road near Fish Creek Dam last weekend and had to stop for a shot. My hope was to catch the butte in the background along with the beautiful blue sky, and I did accomplish that. Not really sure what I think about the fence posts, though. I scooted back and forth and couldn’t quite get things to line up the way I wanted. If I moved so the front post wasn’t in front of the attachment, I lost the butte. If I moved back, I lost the perspective. So I decided to just center the post on the equipment and shoot it this way. I think it turned out pretty well considering it wasn’t my original vision.
Outstanding in his field
This critter stands next to an interesting feature, a mangled windmill on a farmstead just west of Harmon Lake. In its heyday I bet this was an amazing homestead; it looks out over a beautiful valley to the north and gets a beautiful view of the eastern and western horizons at sunrise and sunset. Now it’s just the cattle that get to appreciate the view.
This windmill took a real beating. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen one this mangled, which of course made it immediately catch my eye. It looks as though it caught some interference while spinning. I had a similar experience when working at the ski resort in Big Sky one year. The winds at 10,000 feet can be pretty nasty, as Monty Python would say, and one of the chairs on the Challenger lift swung outside the safety cage on the big pulley at the top of the lift. Naturally things started getting all mangly as the lift wheel turned, and we were without our double black diamond run for a little while.
Sadly, I don’t think anyone’s coming out to fix this windmill any time soon.
Post in color
As you probably know, I have a soft spot for rural North Dakota, particularly around Bismarck-Mandan. I love roaming the back roads and section lines, trying to find picturesque views and document remnants from the pioneer past (which, in many areas, isn’t all that long ago). I’m a “city kid” who actually spent his childhood in the Rocky Mountains despite being a native NoDak, so I feel like somewhat an interloper in that regard…but I love the natural beauty of North Dakota and the spirit of the people here.
That’s one reason why I love taking photos like this one from Saturday. There is no other side of this gate; the adjacent quarter is open where this approach enters. The open fields of brilliant green were offset by a lovely morning blue sky, devoid of clouds for a change. The drab, colorless post was a perfect contrast to the beautiful natural hues in the background.
I discovered something which I feel is very sad nearby…but I have to get ready for work now, so that’s going to have to be in another post in a day or two.
Studebaker sunset
I’ve been meaning to get a shot of this old car for quite some time. It sits on my friend’s land, gazing over the prairie. It looks like some bushes have taken root and called it home. I’ve often wished it was facing north so I could do some sort of drive-in theater looking shot when the Northern Lights appear, but a sunset this weekend showed me that it’s in a perfect spot already.
One other good thing about this photo: no ticks, despite wading through the tall grass!