St. Louis: The Old State Courthouse

We made the time to visit the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. I had never been but my wife had spent some of her childhood in the state of Missouri and had some memories of past visits.

Copyright James E. Martin 2015  Starting the St. Louis Arch Tour Day

Itsy-Bit was anxious to begin the day tour of the St. Louis Arch.

 Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Itsy Bits Photogenic Pose

The Old State Courthouse was well-maintained and reflected well against the modern glass buildings. Getting tickets for a paddle-boat ride or a tour of the Arch is accomplished currently in the Old State Courthouse while the waterfront National Park area is under renewal construction.

 Copyright James E. Martin 2015  The Old State Courthouse

The interior of the Courthouse is majestic with cool, limestone floor blocks and soaring columns to the capital dome. There were lots of opportunities to view historical displays in different wings of the building.

Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Old State Courthouse Interior

A view of the old staircases in the Courthouse wing. 

Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Old State Courthouse Staircase

A mural in the Courthouse depicts the Intercontinental railroad and buffalo, two factors influential in the westward expansion of the United States through St. Louis, the gateway to the West.

Original Photo: Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Old State Courthouse Mural

And mural detail of train and buffalo.

 Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Courthouse Mural Detail 01

And mural detail of buffalo.

Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Courthouse Mural Detail 02

The Courthouse had a buffalo skull on display.

 Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Buffalo Skull Display

My youngest child, Itsy Bit, was surprised to see a full-size Conestoga wagon, an old-fashioned version of our Honda Odyssey, that brought families ad their belongings westward from the big cities.

Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Conestoga Wagon Display

A mural reproduction depicts the Golden Land of milk and honey with a view to riches untold in the Western mining fields.

 Copyright James E. Martin 2015  Immigrants Guide to the Golden Land

And miner detail.

Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Golden Land Mural Detail 01 

Some more detail of the gold miners.

 Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Golden Land Mural Detail 02

And more detail of the gold miners.

 Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Golden Land Mural Detail 03

And a final view of the gold miners in detail.

Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Golden Land Mural Detail 04

Today's blog entry reminds me of the previous blurb I did on Precious Dust: The True Saga of the Western Gold Rushes by Paula Mitchell Marks(1994).

Boston Morning Photos: The North End

Strolling from the Boston Common with a goal to reach the Old North Church in the North End of Boston means traversing the financial district with a view of the urban skyscrapers.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 The Old Prison

A bit more modern than Beacon Hill but still provincial..

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Skyscape in Shadow

The plaque below indicates the location of the first meetinghouse in Boston in 1632. Preachers were John Wilson, John Eliot, and John Cotton. To read these biographies is to gain substantial insight into the early religious controversies and theological debates of the New England church as it transitioned from the Old World lineage including the issues of free will versus free grace, the commingling versus separation of powers between church and state, the mission field to the native american Indians, and the expansion of the colonies as a direct result of dissensions and disagreements.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Location of Boston's First Meetinghouse

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 A Mirrored Facade

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 A Towering Brownstone

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 A More Traditional Tower

Who can forget the elementary school teachers reciting the lantern signals to Paul Revere of "one if by land, and two if by sea" in the Old North Church?

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Old North Church

Lots of tourists at the Old North Church so we moved on toward the waterfront.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Chiascuro Behind Old North Church 01

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Chiascuro Behind Old North Church 02

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Paul Revere

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Saint Stephens Church

We walked out to Sargent's Wharf on the waterfront.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 A Condo Slip and Sailboat

There is a tiny part of me that thinks that a small condominium on the wharf, a slip on the canal to dock a sailboat, and not much else in life would be a deliberate way to live life on the water. It could take a lifetime to explore the upper east coast by sail.

We circled back along  Commercial Street. Lots of tour buses parked from FL, PA, NY, NJ, CT loaded with sightseers. 

Internet Fair Use - Map of Boston's North End

Viewed the Coast Guard ships at the CG Station, walked through the North End, picked up cannoli and blueberry scone at Mike's Pastries. There was so much to see and do but the camera's were running out of memory and battery! Between us, we took over 1200 pictures on this jaunt. And there was so much more to do!

Internet Fair Use - Mike's Pastry

So we rode the transit back to Cambridge to get the car and head out to Jamaica Pond before returning home. Gave us time to recharge our batteries!

The Boston Jaunt: The Backdoor to Beacon Hill

As my daughter, Little Bit, and I continued our early morning, photo-taking jaunt  through Boston, the city was waking up in proper fashion. We decided to work our way up through the Beacon Hill townhouses, worm our way through the streets, and come up onto the back-side of the Massachusetts Statehouse to the Boston Common.

This was her first introduction to the the architecture and style of the area and she was enamored. There are gated cubbyholes.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Gated Cubbyhole

And odd-shaped, quaint entrances that don't meet current design standards.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Odd Quaint Entrances

There were colorful window boxes of all dimensions with in-season trimmings. Colorful peppers abound to spice up the color.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Window Box 01

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Window Box 02

Some of the entrances were bright, inviting, and traditional with whale-shaped door knockers.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Traditional

Some entrances were under construction. Fun to peek inside as the construction crews started their day.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Under Construction

Some entrances had secure but cozy and tidy surrounds.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Secluded and Secure

Some entrances had just the right touch of distinctive accessories.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Accessories

Some entrances were more formal.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Formal

Some entrances were more quaint and seasonal.  As I was snapping this photo, the door opened and the owner commented her disappointment and chagrin for how some of her pumpkins and gourds were missing over the last few weeks. I could only offer her a compliment on her style and charm.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Quaint and Complimented

There are numerous landscaping features. Some in disarray over seasonal frost heaving but quaint patterning nonetheless.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Tree Trim

Many trees have low fencing and delightful foliage trim amidst the brick walkways and granite curbstones.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Tree Trim 02

The diversity of wrought iron and cast fences and finials is a true delight to characterize the neighborhoods.

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Iron Fences and Finials 01

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Iron Fences and Finials 02

 Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Iron Fences and Finials 03

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Iron Fences and Finials 04

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Iron Fences and Finials 05

Copyright James E. Martin Iron Fences and Finials 06

Amidst the dawn, the cool shadows amidst the brick buildings, and the emerging early morning bustle, I thought for sure I saw some stoop-shouldered individuals with poufy-sleeved french shirts, vests, calf-leggings, buckled shoes, and tri-cornered hats rounding the intersecting streets while heading off to tool the silver and pewter plate-ware and publish their revolutionary diatribes to throw off oppressive  governments and taxation. I can at least ardently hope for those things in Massachusetts.

There were numerous buildings most of which were trim and neat and offered many attractive features. Love the bay windows!

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Architecture 01

 Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Architecture 02

 Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Architecture 03

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Architecture 04

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Architecture 05

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Beacon Hill Architecture 06

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Narrow Private Way

Copyright James E. Martin 2014 Tidy Access Way

Beacon Hill offers some great patterns and color palettes. Brick structures and walks, granite curbs and foundations, stone architectural garnishes, wrought iron fencing and hinges, multi-paned twelve-over-twelve window glass with shutters, tiny gardens, narrow sidewalks and alleys, and copper-oxidized bay windows.

The color palette includes the wrought iron and shutter black and crisp trim white. The mud-red, chalky brick with blackened soot stains. Cobblestone and granite grey. Foliage green. And the Bullfinch butter yellow and cream-colors of the Massachusetts Statehouse. And the vintage browns of aged fine, tight-grained furniture woods such as cherry, mahogany, walnut, and poplar.And the glint of burnished bronze, polished brass, vintage pewter, polished silver, and the sunlight glinting off the gold-leaf cupola of the Statehouse. 

I have an idea of what to use that palette for in the future.