Historic Buildings, Everywhere You Look

When people think of historic buildings, they mostly think in terms of the White House, the Empire State Building or Independence Hall. But if you just look around as you are traveling, they are really all over the place, almost everywhere you look. Here are a few of my favorites that I found as I wander around the good ol' USA. I hope you enjoy them!


Remnants Of The Grapes Of Wrath John Steinbeck Quote by Barbara Snyder

If you take River Road out of Soledad California and drive across the farm fields towards Carmel, you will see many remnants of the 1940 Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath era. This old barn above is one of many. Talked to the owner of this property that has been in his family for generations. The building was in much better shape during the depression and when it was not full of produce during the harvest season, they allowed the homeless farm workers to use it for shelter during foul weather conditions. Both his father and grandfather had passed down stories of the Steinbeck era and he was willing to share those stories with any that would listen. I spent about two hours with him and it was very enlightening.


Image Above: Mission Santa Barbara by Barbara Snyder

Mission Santa Barbara, also known as Santa Barbara Mission, is a Spanish mission founded by the Franciscan order near present-day Santa Barbara, California. It was founded by Padre Fermin Lasuen on December 4, 1786, the feast day of Saint Barbara, as the tenth mission for the religious conversion of the indigenous local Chumash-Barbareno tribe of Native American people. The mission is the namesake of the city of Santa Barbara as well as Santa Barbara County. The Mission grounds occupy a rise between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains and were consecrated by Father Fermin Lasuen who had taken over the presidency of the California mission chain upon the death of Father Presidente Junipero Serra. Mission Santa Barbara is the only mission to remain under the leadership of the Franciscan Friars since its founding, and today is a parish church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.


Pitkin Conrow Victorian Mansion Arroyo Grande California by Barbara Snyder

If haunted houses are your thing, you can visit this beautiful, restored victorian mansion on Valley Road in Arroyo Grande, California. A laughing ghost by the name of Alice is said to occupy the tower room. She also loves cats and also plays with her young male friend that also lives in the mansion. If you want to read more about this historic treasure and the ghosts that haunt it, click on the click to purchase link. No purchase necessary just to read the story.


Paul’s Place by Barbara Snyder

Paul's Place is located just off Highway 176 in Waldon California just east of Lake Isabella in Kern County California. It has been a family run business for over 75 years.This particular building is of significant historic interest because it once served as the shower and bathing house for dam workers during construction. You can click the purchase link above for more details, no purchase necessary.


Creek Street Ketchikan Alaska by Barbara Snyder

Creek Street is a historic area of Ketchikan, Alaska. The street is actually a boardwalk mounted in stilts on a high slope on the east side of Ketchikan Creek, east of the city's downtown.Creek Street is infamous as being Ketchikan's red light district, roughly between 1903 and 1954, and some of its attractions are commemorations of this past. Its origins lie in a 1903 city ordinance banishing brothels from the city center to the "Indian Town" area on the east side of the creek, and it operated until the brothels were outlawed and shut down in 1954. Numerous houses of prostitution sprang up on this difficult terrain, supported by wooden stilts. Famous among them is The Star, which was one of the largest of these businesses, and Dolly's House, which is now a museum. Winding into the hills above Creek Street is Married Man's Way, a trail used by patrons of the brothels to escape raids. Click the purchase link for more details. No purchase necessary.These are only a few of the hundreds of historic buildings I have photographed over the years. To see more great photography and art from around the world including the Old Masters, visit FASGallery.com. Enjoy!