Bodie, California (pop. 0)…watercolor sketch
Located in the eastern Sierra Nevadas, now it is a ghost town.
1876 saw it as a boom town after a historic gold strike
Designated a State Historic Park.
Sketch © Gloria Osterloh
Month: January 2018
Coles Watch Tower
Coles Watch Tower is located on Highway 21 on the outskirts of Omro, Wisconsin (pop-3,577)
The Italianate-style house was built in 1870’s where the King family lived and farmed.
In 1924, the Cole family bought the house and started a silver fox and dairy farm. The 7 story tower was added to the home in 1935 to watch over the valuable fox.. . . Read more of Teri’s post at the link below
Sketch© Teri Casper
Graton, CA
Memorial Park
Memorial Park, Ballston Spa, NY (pop. 5556) Looked for a geo-cache here unsuccessfully, but enjoyed sketching in the park followed by tea at the Whistling Kettle.
Sketch© Marieanne Coursen
Clock Tower – New Berlin
Another sketch in New Berlin NY done during my lunch break. I have seen two old buildings demolished in this town, but this one seems to be in good shape.
Sketch© Marieanne Coursen
School House
Back in 2006 my husband and I traveled to revisit his grandfather’s farm in North Dakota -located in Walsh county (pop-11,119). The Red River bordered the farm and across the river stood the one-room schoolhouse, now abandoned.
As the story is told . . . (follow Teri’s link for the rest of the story)
Sketcher© Teri Casper
The Mail Boat
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (pop. 7,148) is a popular tourist attraction in southern Wisconsin, and probably the most fun thing to do is ride the mail boat tour. It travels along the shoreline for 2 reasons: to see the mansions built along the lake and to deliver their mail. As the boat nears a dock, but never stops, the mail person jumps off the front of the boat, puts the mail in the box and then a jumps back on the back of the boat. Everyone always waits to see them miss the boat and fall in the water. It happens but not very often.
Sketch© Teri Casper
The Aerie 1905
I just joined #smalltownsketchers because I live in a small town and love all the small towns in western NC. This is a sketch I did a few years ago of “The Aerie” in Glenn Alpine, NC ( population about 1,525). This was the home of Dr. “Gus” Hennessee who was assassinated at the Glenn Alpine Depot after visiting a patient in Greensboro in 1918.
Sketch© Deb Austin
Davidson’s Fort . . .
Davidson’s Fort, Old Fort, NC (pop. 908). My sketch is of the reconstructed fort. The original fort was built in 1776 and was the western most outpost in Colonial America. I enjoy visiting during the civil war reenactments with everyone in full costume. Old Fort is located between Asheville and Marion, NC.
Sketch© Deb Austin
Whose Castle? No Princess in Sight. . .
Clovis, NM is a town I pass through every time I go to the Hill Country in Texas. It’s population is too high to qualify it as a small town, and it really has very little personality anyway, but this “roadside distraction” sits on Hwy 60 as you pass by the town. It has been empty for as long as I remember and I can’t find much info about it.
Sketch© Jessica Wesolek
Promenade Hill Park
Red Church
Watercolor sketch of St James Episcopal Church in Sonora, CA. It’s the oldest Episcopal church in the state. Sonora (pop. 4823) is a charming gold rush town about 130 miles east of San Francisco.
Sketch© Diane Perin
Pescadero Gallery
I used to bicycle through Pescadero, a small town (pop.643) all the time. Fall or early winter is the best time to visit if you want to enjoy a day without fog. If you like a delicious piece of pie, antique shopping, or browsing a very fine art gallery called Luna Sea, you ought to stop by.
Sketch© Vivian Aldridge
Ten Pin Fence?
Someone in Bowler, Wisconsin (pop. 293) was very creative when they made this fence with bowling pins. I just had to paint it in my journal.
Sketch© Teri Casper
New Berlin, NY
Sketched from my car in New Berlin NY, population 2682. I drive through this town on my way to work.
Sketch© Marieanne Coursen
Duncan’s Mills Country Store
Duncan’s Mills is a tiny town (pop. 150) in Northern California, about 4 miles from the ocean. It started as a mill and railroad stop. Now it’s a fun stop for some charming shops, a few restaurants, and an annual rodeo.
SKetch© Diane Perin
Stone Wheels
These huge stone wheels (old millstones) can be found all over the grounds at the Tubac Presidio Historic Park, many with varied carved designs. Two wheels would be mounted horizontally on a center post – one was secured and the other could rotate above it – turned by horses or donkeys tethered to a crossbar. The grain was ground between the two wheels.
Tubac, Arizona (pop. 1191)
Sketch© Jessica Wesolek
Upper Lake
Met a friend for lunch at Upper Lake and found this unusual holiday “decoration.”
Upper Lake, CA (pop. 1052)
Sketch© Vivian Aldridge
Potato Barn
This is a sketch of a potato barn built into a small hill to preserve potatoes through the winter. I’m guessing it was built in the early 1900’s and is still there in 2017! Town of Monroe Center with a population of 398.County of Adams, State of Wisconsin.
Sketch© Teri Casper
Pink and Purple?
This building in Ft. Sumner, NM (pop. 915) does not look like this now. It is abandoned? and falling apart, but that someone once loved it, is obvious. Who wouldn’t love a pink door and purple lattice window covers? Was this once a salon? The tulips are wooden and surviving. So far, no one has picked them.
Sketch© Jessica Wesolek
Sattley Cash Store
Needles on Route 66
Needles (pop. 4988) is located very near where I-40 crosses the border into California. Being on I-40 in these parts, usually means you used to be on Route 66. Needles is a nondescript town of sun baked colors and not much contrast of any kind, so imagine my surprise to find this very colorful sculpture along the I-40 Business Loop.
Sketch© Jessica Wesolek
Moss Beach Distillary
This is the Moss Beach Distillery, a restaurant in Moss Beach, California (pop.3103), where the ghost known as the “blue lady” floats around. However on a sunny warm day I am sure she would be impossible to spot.
Sketch© Vivian Aldridge
Vineyard Barns
When you take Highway 88 off Interstate 99 in California, you enter a different world of tiny towns and bucolic scenery. This vineyard is just outside of Lockford, CA (Pop 3233). The Shenandoah Valley in The “Gold Country” foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, is being called the next “Napa” with its 51 wineries.
Sketch© by Jessica Wesolek