Don Barrett (aka DBs travels)'s photos with the keyword: konomark

The first time I visited Pioche, in the summer of 2001, the theatre was still showing movies.

1959 Chevrolet in a garage above Bisbee.

Los Angeles Fire Station #1, on Pasadena Ave in Lincoln Heights area. Streamline moderne architecture, built by the WPA during the New Deal.

Wilshire United Methodist Church, across from Scottish Rite Temple. Though very conventional looking, the church offers services in three languages besides English (Filipino, Spanish, Korean. )

Scottish Rite Cathedral on Wilshire in Los Angeles, which is for sale. The cathedral was built in 1963 when the Masons had a high membership. The cathedral was built with less parking space than is required for a commecial structure of such size, but the Masons had successfully argued that it wasn't a commercial structure. As Mason membership declined in the 70's, the Cathedral was rented out more frequently for commercial activities. Those activities resulted in parking and noise problems, the neighbors complained, and the city limited the use of the Cathedral to religious activities. Due to those limits, the Masons are not able to keep the Cathedral in operation.

A classic example of the aesthetics that were once incorporated in the construction of public buildings. The school, a "middle" (formerly "junior high") school in the Hancock Park district of LA, opened in 1924

Aboard northbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner in area of Point Conception. A very narrow point that seemed to be some sort of military installation

Survival of the fittest... abandoned Renault in Darwin, Ca. The nearest Renault dealer would have probably been 200 miles away.

Oil rig in the Railroad Valley between Ely and Tonopah, NV.

Winter street scene in Tonopah, NV.

Hangar from Tonopah Air Field, which was a military base during WWII. Though the hangar is fairly deteriorated, it is still in use.

Crescent Dunes Solar project, just northwest of Tonopah. The project is an interesting approach to the problem of storing solar-generated energy. The solar power is used to create molten salt, which then can be used to run generators at any time regardless of sunlight. The tower (which was not finished when these photos were taken), is to be 553 feet high with a 100 foot high receiver on top. See notes with each picture. Taken from near the gate into the construction area. At the base of the tower is a mobile office and a semi-trailer. Given the length of each, it looks as if the tower is 30' to 40' in diameter.

Approaching Goldfield after a winter snowstorm.

Scenes from around Goldfield, Nevada, an abandoned mining town on US 95. Abandoned Dodge car, apparently from the 1920's.

Remains of 1920's automobile, Goldfield, NV

Winter, Pioche, NV

Just east of Niland is what is called 'Slab City'. Slab City is an unsanctioned, but unbothered, takeover of an abandoned military base. When the base was abandoned after WWII, what was left was simply the concrete slabs where buildings had been. Over the years the former base has developed a reputation as an area for retirees and other unemployed people to informally set up camp for the winter, as well as a permanent year-round home for some people who live in trailers, old buses, cars, and a variety of other informal housing structures (I saw one of wood and hay bales). Like many such areas scattered throughout the west, it can look like a junk yard -- stoves, refrigerators, and old computers just lying about; cars that have been stripped of upholstery and tires; travel trailers and mobile homes that were long ago gutted by fire. But, also like many of such places, there's surprising evidence of a continued effort to build community and/or monuments to particular individual's obsessions. In general, there isn't much indication of the military history of the area, except a series of ammunition bunkers downhill from Slab City.All of the ammunition bunkers look like they have been lived-in, at least for a short period of time. And, they seem to be good vehicles for public statements.

Modena had once been an important connecting point between the railroad and mining activities in the area. Best viewed with Utah Southwest set