A Walk in the Park

A cloudy day stroll past the Waite Fountain in Willson Park at the west end of the State Capitol grounds. The park was named for William Holden Willson who is known as the founder of Salem. According to the Salem Public Library, he filed the first plat of the city and held the original title to the land that now comprises Willamette University, the State Capitol, and downtown Salem.

The Library has some old photos of the park [here].

Unusual

I spotted this unusual plant growing outside a doctor's office and have no idea what it is. I've never seen branches shaped like this. Anyone know?

Take That!

Seen in the State Capitol.

Toward the Heavens

The steeple of the First Presbyterian Church on Winter St. located just west of the State Capitol Mall.

Line Dancing

Frought for You

On the Streets

I was inspired by Lynette of Portland Daily Photo and shot this through the windshield.

Columns

The remnants are on display near the east side of the State Capitol. Below is the plaque explaining their origin.

Blacksmithing

Blacksmith demonstration at the Oregon sesquicentennial.

Antique Tractor

[Special post for Wayne ] Vintage tractor on display on the Capitol Mall.

Oregon is 150 years old

Saturday, February 14 at the State Capitol, the sesquicentennial celebration begins.

Triple Treat

Also Happy 150th Birthday to the State of Oregon! And I just realized that two days ago was the 1 year anniversary of Salem Daily Photo!

Beaver Money

This isn't the best photo, but this keystone is high up on an historic downtown building featured [here] and I had to take it from across the street. It holds a representation of the $10 gold piece "Beaver coin", minted in 1849 by the provisional government of Oregon. The Beaver money was used until the establishment of an United States mint in San Francisco, when U.S. gold and silver coins made their use unnecessary.

On the front side of the coin above the beaver were the letters "K.M.T.R.C.S.", the initials of the group of men who purchased the machinery, made the dies and minted the coins. Beneath the beaver, "O.T. 1849." (Oregon Territory). Oregon became a state ten years later.

A couple years ago one of the $5 coins was sold for $125K. [Read Story]

Timber

When my Dad was a teenager, he went on a 'gypsy tour' with a group organized by the local YMCA. On an old school bus, they toured through the west, stopping at national parks and any other, majestic wonders. Whenever available, Dad would buy a postcard, date it, and send it to himself. I loved looking through all these postcards when I was a kid, trying to imagine those far away places. One of my favorite cards was from Oregon. It was a photo of a log truck, with one log loaded on it. One log that filled the whole truck bed. I would be appalled to actually see that now.

From Railroad to Foot Bridge

The historic Union Street Railroad Bridge, built in 1913 across the Willamette River, is being converted into a pathway for bicycle, pedestrians, and wheelchair users. It will connect two large parks and their trail systems-Riverfront Park on the east bank and Wallace Marine Park on the west.

Construction started in March 2008. Friends of Two Bridges reports that it will be open by April 4th.



For More info:
City of Salem
Friends of Two Bridges

For the birds, or geese

Cloudy skies, honking geese.

Night Lights

Art

We've been passing by this objet d'art every weekday on our way to the Oncology Radiation department (thank you all for your encouragement and prayers). It was finally unwrapped, but the plate was not, so I have no information as to it's name or creater. This bronze sculpture sits in the new courtyard being built at Salem Hospital.

Moonshot

A jet trail over the moon. This was the waxing crescent from about a week ago. (Not too bad for hand-held.)

Wall art on display at Salem Hospital, named "Fabric of a Family" by Artist Anne Stecker, 1991,
6' x 6', done in clay.

Waiting for Spring

Bush Pasture Park.

Calvary

Calvary Baptist is a lovely old red brick building on Commercial St. a few blocks south of Mission St. I was inspired by Birmingham Daily Photo though we do not have church buildings quite so ornate and beautiful.

Royal House

This beautiful Queen Anne-style house sits along the west boundary of Bush Pasture Park.

The following information is from the Salem Historical Quarterly website:

"In 1882 the Rev. James H. B. Royal bought the whole block across from Bush’s pasture for $900. The house was built by Emma’s brother, Holly Austin Cornell. It had to be large enough to accommodate boarders as Rev. Royal was blind and could not work. Most of the boarders were teachers at the Lincoln School, where St. Paul’s Episcopal Church now stands. The house was purchased by Dr. James Moore in 1909 and a letter written in 1973 by his daughter contains memories of her childhood there. The letter was sent to Don and Verna Johnson, owners at that time who remodeled the house finding family records of previous tenants wedged in the bricks of the living room fireplace. The present owners have carefully preserved historical records of the house."

[edit] Nadine & Roger Heusser are the current owners and have cared for the house since 2001. Thanks goes to Ron and Jill Le Blanc who are credited with it's restoration. [Thanks to Stephanie Matlock Allen of the Salem Heritage Network for this additional information.]

Evening Sky

We have been having beautiful sunsets lately. We never noticed these as much before our trees were taken down by the ice. Now we have a more open view toward the SW.

Theme Day - Paths and Passages

The first day of each month is Theme Day among the hundreds of City Daily Photo Bloggers around the world. Click HERE to view thumbnails for all participants and see how they have interpreted the theme.