Merchants' National Bank, Grinnell, Iowa

This is my discovery for the week. I had never been to Grinnell, Iowa. It seemed a large brick building until you turned the corner and this fantastic terra cotta window and entry treated my eyes.
A little research when I got home told me about the wonder of this Jewel Box Bank and its architect, Louis Sullivan, of Adler and Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright's teacher creator of the Schlesinger & Mayer department store, now the Carsen Pirie Scott building in Chicago and the Chicago Board of Trade room.
This is an excellent place to start to learn about this building.



The detail in the building is extraordinary and I am very happy with the reach of the lens.


These pictures are taken with my new Kodak Z712IS and I am very satisfied with the reach of the zoom. My faithful old camera, the Kodak DX7440, veteran of 30,000 pictures, probably would have done just as well. More about the cameras another day.

Go out and take some pictures,
Kim

S. 401 Wyoming Valley Grammar School

This pictures were taken on a visit last September.
Little had changed since my first visit two years ago.

The S. 401, Wyoming Valley Grammar School was built in 1956. It is the only public elementary school that is a FLW design. It contains 2 class rooms with a central loggia. It was able to serve 6o students.

It is made of redwood and concrete block. The original playground equipment is still there, including a teeter-toter.

When looking in the windows the class rooms had a roomy look. I love the glass corners that I have found on so many of his buildings.

It is currently used at a studio of very large and extraordinary wood carvings. I believe they are the stumps and roots of redwoods? I believe there was a For Sale sign posted. I hope that the artist could hang on to the building or maybe he sold it to a caring owner. This is located only about 2 miles south of Hillside School on Highway 23. For more information Check out the Country School Association of America. Very interesting and informative.

If you know the current status of this school, please feel free to comment.

Go out and take some pictures,
Kim