Snow Angels - Day 65

Where I Stand - Day 106 #CY365

Today I stand on one of two large bronze compass point maps of downtown Norfolk's historic sights. This one is located directly opposite of the Freemason Street Baptist Church. Gabriel's bright gold horn is atop the church's steeple which was the tallest point in the City in the later half of the 19th century. The Freemason Street Baptist Church is one of three buildings in Norfolk Virginia designed by Thomas U. Walter who was famous for his design of the dome for the U.S. Capital Building. The church was completed in May 1850 in a revival of the style known as "Perpendicular Gothic." This Victorian period revival style was characterized by its reliance on decoration and ornamentation rather than structure. iPhone 5s, Camera+ app two images combined in Photoshop Elements.

Look Up - Day 94 # CY365

I always look up when taking the short cut through the Monticello Arcade and it never disappoints. One of Norfolk Virginia's coolest buildings. iPhone 5s, Camera+ app.

Old & New Norfolk @ Night

The old Norfolk Academy Building was completed in 1840 and designed by architect Thomas U. Walter, famous for his design of the U. S. Capitol dome and two other nearby surviving Norfolk landmark buildings. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The brick building is in the Greek Revival style modeled on the plan of the Temple of Theseus. The facade has a double portico supported by six Doric columns. Today the building is home to the Hurrah Players and it previous housed the Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. Rising behind it is Norfolk's newest skyscraper, the Wells Fargo Center completed in 2010. Canon G15, 1/3 second @ f/4.0, ISO 800, handheld with shutter released by the two second timer.

Holiday Arcade

The Monticello Arcade in Norfolk Virginia decked out and celebrating its 105th Christmas holiday season. That a pretty good run. iPhone 5, 1/15 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 800, Camera+ App.

Guiding Angel

- Victorian Funerary Arts produced interesting and beautiful cemeteries during the 19th Century. Many of the customs of the day carried forward into the first half of the 20th century and some still influence how funerals are carried out today. The Victorian cemeteries of the 19th century were treated as parks are today with family outings and picnics often held on their carefully landscaped and maintained grounds. Norfolk has several historic cemeteries from this time period including Magnolia Cemetery in the Berkley neighborhood where this guiding angle can be found. The guiding angel points a finger heavenward to direct the deceased's soul. Canon G1x, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, converted to black and white in Lightroom 4 using Silver Efex Pro 2.

Blues Armory

- The Blues Armory is a large brick armory in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Housing the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, the castle-like structure originally served multiple purposes, with a food market on the ground floor and a drill hall for the National Guard on the top floor. Completed in 1910, it was designed by the Washington, D.C. firm of Averill and Hall. The castellated design was not entirely whimsical, as the structure was designed to withstand attack during riots. The University of Richmond Spiders basketball team played home games in the Blues Armory from 1947 to 1950. The Nation Guard moved out in the 1960's and the building is mostly empty today. iPhone 4, 1/125 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80.

Lion Facade

- This lion's head is part of the facade of one of the Victorian era buildings in the 100 block of Norfolk Virginia's Granby Street. These buildings are collectively referred to as "heritage row" and represent some of the oldest of Norfolk's remaining commercial buildings from the late 1800's. Similar neighboring buildings fronting Main Street were torn down in 2007 to make way for a hotel/convention center that never came about leaving a vacant fenced in lot on the site. The lot now referred to as "The Plot" is being converted into a pop-up park using shipping containers. That's progress, I guess. Canon G1X, 1/125 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 200, 60mm focal length.

Perpendicular Gothic

- The Freemason Street Baptist Church is one of three buildings in Norfolk Virginia designed by Thomas U. Walter who was famous for his design of the dome for the U.S. Capital Building. The church was completed in May 1850 in a revival of the style known as "Perpendicular Gothic." This Victorian period revival style was characterized by its reliance on decoration and ornamentation rather than structure. I made my first visit to the interior of the church today and was struck by its beauty. This photo shows the side aisle under the overhead gallery with the east facing stained glass windows. The large Gothic windows with the simple single colors is really unusual for a church of this period. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, 50mm prime lens.

Wake Forest

- The historic downtown of Wake Forest North Carolina. This is the 200 block of South White Street. Cindy and I paid a quick visit on our way home from a weekend in Raleigh. Canon G1X, 1/500 sec @ f/13.0, ISO 400.

Pleasant Hall

- Pleasant Hall has been a constant in my neighborhood since 1769. Witness to the Revolutionary War and everything since, it now overlooks yet another rebuilding of the Kempsville - Princess Anne intersection. While everything around it has changed, and changed and is still changing this beautiful example of Georgian architecture remains the only constant. Another 365 project done. Canon G11, 1/125 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200, converted to B&W using Silver Efex Pro 2 and Lightroom 3.

Nimmo

- Nimmo United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia was built in 1791. The original structure still stands as the sanctuary, although it has undergone many changes over the years. It is the oldest surviving Methodist Church in continuous use in Virginia. Around 1840, the balcony was added as a slave gallery. It survives today as the only remaining structure directly related to the period of slavery in Princess Anne County, now part of modern day Virginia Beach. Records show that in 1846 Nimmo had 170 white members and 42 "colored members." During the civil war Nimmo used to house Union troops and as a hospital. Some of these troops left initials and names of their sweethearts carved into the posts supporting the balcony. Information from the church website. Canon G11, 1/250 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 100

Tabacco Company

- The atrium in the Tabacco Company restaurant in the Shockoe Slip area of Richmond Virginia. The old tabacco warehouse was converted into a fine restaurant and club over 30 years ago. The large brass chandelier came from the Federal Reserve Bank in Cincinnati while the antique Otis brass elevator on the right edge of the photo was made for the Con Edison building in New York. Canon G11, 1.0 sec @ f.3.2, ISO 100.

Cold War

- This is a static display of an old Nike Ajax surface to air missile. Developed and deployed in the 1950's these missile systems resulted in my Dad's transfer to Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas where he was assigned to the Air Defense Command. There he became a trainer of National Guard troops operating Nike sites throughout the country. He remained involved with the Nike systems though his retirement from the Army in 1966 and then with the Civil Service maintaining the radar tracking systems until they were deactivated in the mid 1970's as part of the SALT I treaty. This one still points to sky at Air Power Park in Hampton Virginia. Canon 40D, 1/100 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 100.

Better Off Here

- "Better off here than across the street claims" the neon sign at Payne's Biker Bar in Leesburg Virginia. The "across the street" is the Loudoun County Courthouse. Canon G11, 1/320 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Knock - Knock

- Knock if you dare. This door knocker is at the Norfolk Historical Society offices at the corner of W. Freemason Street and Duke Street in Norfolk Virginia. It's big bold and intimidating. Symbolically, the lion's head acted as guardian, representing protection as well as pride. Canon 7D, 1/80 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, 200mm focal length, converted to B&W in Silver Efex Pro.

County Court

From 2010 Blog

- Many of Virginia's counties have 300+ year histories and Northampton County on Virginia's Eastern Shore is one of the oldest. The building in the foreground is the 1731 Courthouse while the building in the background is the 18th century Clerk's Office once home to the oldest continuous county court records in the country which have been maintained since 1632. The entire courthouse green complex is one of the best preserved in Virginia and so ends today's Virginia history lesson. Canon G11, 1/640 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.