Our Alley

No setback laws existed back in the early 1900s, but they do now. Any work you might want to do can only be repair work on these old buildings. New ones would have to go in at least fifteen feet from the alley, and, in our case, that would chew up most of our backyard. We had the inspector out, and he go a good chuckle out of the 1970s metal building attached to the 1907 wood garage behind, concrete floor in the old part (albeit heaving up and down) and dirt floor (with carpeting) in the front.

Friday Night Lights

Would the modern day UWRF football team be able to beat this group of toughs? Half the team looks like Jim Thorpe's brother and the other half looks like they just got done plowing. Of course the average weight then was probably 180 and today, about 260. Advantage: Now.

Circa 1910

This puts the age of our house in perspective. This postcard image dates to three years after our house was built. The wide streets, so that horses could turn around with a cart behind, provided the space for the cool center island that runs the length of Main. Accidental aesthetics are the best.

Thrift Store

The G.T. Smith Building from 1916 now houses Treasures from the Heart, a great thrift store that benefits the local hospice program.

Ingram Center

Across the Maple Street Bridge is the Ingram Center a location of varied civic organizations and the community gardens. This odd arch sits at its rear. I'm new enough to town that I don't know the history of this yet. Are the shells local? Was this once the community hospital? Why did this merit preservation when so many other historical artifacts have gone by the wayside? Why is my camera set on super dark mode?