Storm on Lake Minocqua

One of the great places on Lake Minoqua is the Thirsty Whale. Have lunch on the deck and drinks in the bar. It easily accessible from Minoqua’s main street or by car or boat. I only remember this as an old boat livery on the lake where you could store your boat, get repairs andContinue reading “Storm on Lake Minocqua”

Sunrise at The Beacons

Across Lake Minocqua from the Thirsty Whale lies the Beacons, a resort and timeshare property that was once the summer home of Fred. B. Snite, Jr. The Beacons’ distinctive lighthouse-style boathouse was built in 1908 and, according to local legend, was used by Snite to watch boat races, using mirrors and a periscope. Snite, sonContinue reading “Sunrise at The Beacons”

Laona and Northern Railway

The Laona and Northern Railway is a heritage railroad in Laona, Wisconsin. A former freight railroad, it was incorporated in 1902 for the R. Connor Company of Marshfield, Wisconsin, to haul lumber to its mill in Laona and then transport it to the Soo Line interchange 8 miles north in Laona Junction. This train isContinue reading “Laona and Northern Railway”

Dogwood Canyon

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is a one-of-a-kind experience for nature lovers and adventure seekers of all ages. Covering 10,000 acres of pristine Ozark Mountain landscape, the park has miles of crystal-clear trout streams, dozens of cascading waterfalls, ancient burial caves, unique hand-built bridges and bottomless, blue-green pools. And, they actually have Dogwood trees there.

Stairway

Compton Reservoir Park is a little park on the side the city reservoir. In the park is a 19th century water tower and a statue commemorating German newspapermen. This is one of an umber of stairways leading up to the reservoir with some spring color behind it. This is a photo processed in Topaz ImpressionContinue reading “Stairway”

Compton Hill Reservoir Park

The water tower, built as superstructure for Stand Pipe No. 3 in 1899 after a Romanesque design by Harvey Ellis, is a South Saint Louis landmark. The tower quickly became a favorite spot from which to view the City, and remains so today with limited public hours for the public to tour and climb to the top. TheContinue reading “Compton Hill Reservoir Park”

Dusk in St. Louis

The sun has set behind downtown St. Louis and the lighting system for the Arch has just turned on. 100 years ago the Mississippi River levee would have been lined with riverboats and the area in front of me would have been packed with warehouses. Freight trains were already replacing river trade and trucks wereContinue reading “Dusk in St. Louis”

Night Lights

Eero Saarinen’s Gateway Arch had stood unlighted for over 35 years, when Randy Burkett Lighting Design was commissioned to provide a design that would successfully reveal and celebrate the world renowned monument. It was an extreme technical and artistic challenge. At the outset of the project, it was dictated  by the National Park Service thatContinue reading “Night Lights”