Back in March, I stuck my leg out with an article that I expected to generate a “much ado about nothing” or “marking a mountain out of a molehill” response. I do have that tendency. I had stumbled upon an unusual stairway configuration during a visit to the North Dakota State Capitol complex in Bismarck.
By 2026, it has achieved a cult following, receiving more attention from dead mall aficionados than most of its peers. In fact, most of the vloggers who make a career out of documenting liminal spaces feel compelled at some point to visit this one. It’s hard to say why this particular dead mall is so
The North Dakota State Capitol is an exception among capitol buildings by not offering the standard references to neoclassicism: no columns, no dome, no spires. Like three other states, the primary capitol structure in Bismarck is a tower deploying many Art Deco elements emblematic of its date of construction (1932 to 1934), a time period
It’s hardly earth-shattering for a storefront to have two separate entrances, if it’s over a certain size. Sometimes even smaller establishments decide that they want two doorways for customers. (Building and safety codes often require a distinct fire/service entrance in the back of the establishment, if its over a minimum size.) Then again, this is
I generally try to avoid two consecutive posts in the same state, but I can’t help myself this time around. And frankly, the location—the geography, the jurisdiction—isn’t really all that significant. Though these images come from upstate New York (as the title indicates), the issues that they raise could just as easily be anywhere in
I rarely feature material as timely as this; in fact, I deliberately avoid content with a short shelf life, mainly because, if one posts as infrequently as I do, one has little to gain from an article whose relevance will fade within 72 hours, as advancements on the subject quickly supersede it. But in mid-March
I have yet to create a special tag or keyword on my blog for my numerous articles on public restrooms. Perhaps I should. Sometimes I feel like a letch for writing about them so much, and yet I know I’m hardly alone having a certain fascination—not only in the interior design, but the engineering for
A railing on a sidewalk may seem like a humble installation, in the context of the vast strip mall that surrounds it. And it is. But it does seem odd, almost random, based on the environment. Why does this twelve-foot stretch of sidewalk need two railings when nothing around it has them? A view from
Public accommodations for persons with disabilities have expanded so significantly in recent years that the juxtaposition of a staircase and a ramp scarcely raises an eyebrow. We see it all the time. And that’s perfectly normal: after all, it’s been the law since 1990. But how are we supposed to respond when we see handicapped
In an era when unisex facilities have escalated into a nationwide debate, it’s comforting to see that one family operation hasn’t forgotten what its like to be a little lighter on its feet. This sign was quite the novelty when I saw it at a café in southern Mississippi several years ago; since then I think
Back in March, I stuck my leg out with an article that I expected to generate a “much ado about nothing” or “marking a mountain out of a molehill” response. I do have
By 2026, it has achieved a cult following, receiving more attention from dead mall aficionados than most of its peers. In fact, most of the vloggers who make a career out of documenting
The North Dakota State Capitol is an exception among capitol buildings by not offering the standard references to neoclassicism: no columns, no dome, no spires. Like three other states, the primary capitol structure
It’s hardly earth-shattering for a storefront to have two separate entrances, if it’s over a certain size. Sometimes even smaller establishments decide that they want two doorways for customers. (Building and safety codes
I generally try to avoid two consecutive posts in the same state, but I can’t help myself this time around. And frankly, the location—the geography, the jurisdiction—isn’t really all that significant. Though these
I rarely feature material as timely as this; in fact, I deliberately avoid content with a short shelf life, mainly because, if one posts as infrequently as I do, one has little to
I have yet to create a special tag or keyword on my blog for my numerous articles on public restrooms. Perhaps I should. Sometimes I feel like a letch for writing about them
A railing on a sidewalk may seem like a humble installation, in the context of the vast strip mall that surrounds it. And it is. But it does seem odd, almost random, based
Public accommodations for persons with disabilities have expanded so significantly in recent years that the juxtaposition of a staircase and a ramp scarcely raises an eyebrow. We see it all the time. And
In an era when unisex facilities have escalated into a nationwide debate, it’s comforting to see that one family operation hasn’t forgotten what its like to be a little lighter on its feet. This