Scarritt Spring - Lost and Found

Above, what Scarritt Spring looked like in the early part of the last century. Below, what it looks like now. This site is located directly below Cliff Drive just east of the DiCapo Fountain (the waterfall). It commemorated the site of the spring (still flowing) which the Scarritt family used for water and to keep things cool. As late as the 1950s you could still go down there and get watercress for salads. But, when the Cliff Drive Spring above was closed due to contaminated water, so was this one below.
The walls shown in the postcard view are still there and in remarkably good shape. At some point it would be fun to clear away some of the debris and brush to see if any of the walking paths still exist. There is the desire to bring this back to its 20th Century condition... but it will take some time.

The original spigot (left in the image) is still there with ample water coming forth. The spring had a mind of its own though and opened a new channel on the right.
I wouldn't be surprised if some of the original stonework that made up the basin is still in place under the dirt and debris.

Above, closeup of the spigot and, below, much of the original granite is still in place lining the channel.


The pieces below "crawled" about 50 yards to the east.... probably a failed attempt at "recycling".
I'll keep you posted on any efforts toward restoration.

So Long to the Gladstone Theatre

UPDATE: The Kansas City Fire Department has ruled the fire accidental. Started on the first floor and probably electrical in nature.Yes, I know it was a Mosque, but I will always remember last nights loss to fire as the Gladstone Theatre. It was originally called the Gladstone Hall and was used for live performances. Later it went to moves. It opened in 1913 and seated 602 in orchestra and balcony seating. I went to movies there many, many times as a kid and my Grandfather was the ticket taker there for a few years in the 50s. After the buildings used as a theatre it was first a roller rink, then a Christian church, then a beauty school and lastly a Mosque. A Kimball organ was installed in the Theatre in 1916 and, in 1927, a Wurlitzer organ Opus 1693 Style B replaced the Kimball. (Facts from onlines' Cinema Treasures)
Looking southeast from the back of the building.

The view of the back looking east.
The front. The building sits at 4608 St. John Avenue in between Elmwood and Lawn Avenues. The fire was reported about 3am and eventually became 3 alarms. The ATF and Fire Inspectors were on scene this morning as the fire is considered of suspicious origin.



Karen's Kozy Cabin (known as the Log Cabin over here for years ) was spared.

Snojourn

A wet snow is a photographer's friend outlining the trees with soft white. Went down to Indian Mound and the Museum to capture what I HOPE is the last snow of the season. Above and below, Indian Mound.

Above, Kansas City Museum, below, Kessler Park. All shots taken with Nikon D3 and 24-70mm lens. F11 at 1/500th basic exposure with HDR intervals at 1 stop for 5 shots. ASA 200.

Puss Puss

It's time once again for the First Annual Companion Animal Portrait featuring his inimitable self.... Mr. Daisy. He acquired his name because when he was a kitten I thought he was a girl. He wasn't. I hate learning new things so daughter and I added the "Mr.". He doesn't know the difference. He's 15. Above is the, "And exactly what are we going to be doing here pose."

Above, standard profile with eyes glazing longingly toward the horizon. Below, moderately threatening look which I receive 10-12 times a day and every time I fetch the cat carrier.

Above, alert, forward facing... standard for Urban Feline Uprising ID photo. Below, pensive and/ or "this is crap" look.
Below, good headshot with a nice steady gaze that seems fairly neutral. No animals were hurt in the making of this series although we came really, really close once.
All studio shots with the Nikon D3 and 105mm macro lens... 1/250th at F16 ASA/ISO 200.

Indian Mound 360

Giant and really pointless 360 view from the top of Indian Mound at Gladstone Boulevard and Belmont Avenue. The left and right edges of this image would join together if this was circular. It's composed of 15 images all of them F7 at 1/400th of a second, ASA/ISO 800. The large white building center left is the old Wards Catalogue Center and now Super Flea... The Mound itself is of Indian origin (thus the name) although I believe it is just the result of generations of Native Americans living at the site and was not deliberately constructed for any specific purpose. The original Mound was only five feet above grade and numerous digs in the last century and earlier turned up animal bones and charcoal from fires and a few tools and such. In the 1930's the original Mound was covered with layers of dirt that resulted in the larger hill we see today.

Indians occupied the ridge that is Gladstone Boulevard for years and years with ample artifacts having been found in various locations and even a dance floor found when the excavation for Gladstone School was begun in 1913.

This image is 8 inches by 46 inches and 368 megabytes.... greatly reduced before uploading to the blog.

My home is in the Indian Mound Neighborhood Association which takes its name from.... yup.

http://clvr.eu/k6r

Above is a link to view the panorama close up and in 360 degrees.

Panoramarama

Lately obsessed with the genre.. if it can be called a genre. Above is the view from Cliff Drive north about a 1/4 mile east of yesterday's shot. Right foreground is the Purina plant (I've heard they make dog food there). The red-brick buildings left of center are what's left of the old Heim Brewery which operated under that name from 1887 to 1905 when it merged with another organization... it stopped operating with the advent of prohibition. Just north of those buildings was the original site of Electric Park. A turn-of-the-last-century amusement park operated by the Heim Brothers.
Above, I've shot this many times before... is the hill directly above Scarritt Point looking northeast.

East Bottoms Rail Yard

View from the bluff at roughly Sunrise Drive and Gladstone Boulevard looking north. Yard for assembling trains. Busy 24/7. Nikon D5000 six images stitched together.