Few people truly appreciated it until it was (nearly) gone. And now it celebrates its centennial. Across nearly 2,450 miles, Route 66 linked two of the nation’s largest cities, allowing uninterrupted automobile travel across the nation’s sparsely populated western interior for the first time ever. Prior to April 30, 1926, the date the American Association
I usually shy away from timely subjects because I want my articles to have staying power. And there’s no better way to do the opposite than to cover a subject “hot off the presses” with a clear, almost immediate expiration date. It generates great buzz for 48 hours…at most. Time-sensitive subjects evoke those “presses” far
Not every city of 160,000 people commissions a nationally-recognized architect for its library, unless it’s the state capitol or largest city. Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, Alexandria is neither of these, but its proximity to the nation’s capital, its popularity among tourists, its historical importance, and—there can be no denying—its affluence have helped ensure that
As is the case in many US capital cities, the Arizona State Capitol complex doesn’t sit squarely in the heart of downtown; it’s about a mile west of the absolute center, where Central Avenue meets Washington Street. The City of Phoenix gets that coveted space for its government campus instead, amidst downtown skyscrapers. A mile
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
Visitors to the US—particularly those from Europe—have long criticized the Stars and Stripes for the dearth of public restrooms in tourist-rich urban districts: only about 8 per 100,000 people. This ratio places this US on par with Botswana, but also Netherlands, Georgia, and Poland (so it’s not a uniquely American program, to all those Eurocritics).
In an era when almost every interstate exit offers the requisite gas/food/lodging, what is the function of publicly financed rest areas? I ponder this subject not because I have any major beef with their existence. I still use rest areas fairly often and have featured more than a few in my blog. Though most operate
The designers of the Wilkes Street Tunnel surely didn’t expect that its novelty would someday elevate it into a tourist attraction. For over a century, it was functional infrastructure. But in 2025, what more could anyone call it? After all, it contributed to the economy of Alexandria, Virginia as a segment within an early railway,
Over the years I have unintentionally amassed photos of quite a few of the states’ capitol buildings, including some of the more obscure, lightly populated ones in remote locations. Yes, I’ve been to Pierre, South Dakota; I’ve stood in front of the state house in Concord, New Hampshire (the humblest of buildings from my recollection).
I hate to title a blog article with superlatives, because they’re so often redolent of clickbait. Everyone knows an example: “the biggest box office flop”, “the most dangerous bridge”, “the ugliest dog”, “the heaviest married couple”. Guinness Breweries managed to build a spinoff empire out of its initial 1955 Book of Records, which according to
Few people truly appreciated it until it was (nearly) gone. And now it celebrates its centennial. Across nearly 2,450 miles, Route 66 linked two of the nation’s largest cities, allowing uninterrupted automobile travel
I usually shy away from timely subjects because I want my articles to have staying power. And there’s no better way to do the opposite than to cover a subject “hot off the
Not every city of 160,000 people commissions a nationally-recognized architect for its library, unless it’s the state capitol or largest city. Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, Alexandria is neither of these, but its
As is the case in many US capital cities, the Arizona State Capitol complex doesn’t sit squarely in the heart of downtown; it’s about a mile west of the absolute center, where Central
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
Visitors to the US—particularly those from Europe—have long criticized the Stars and Stripes for the dearth of public restrooms in tourist-rich urban districts: only about 8 per 100,000 people. This ratio places this
In an era when almost every interstate exit offers the requisite gas/food/lodging, what is the function of publicly financed rest areas? I ponder this subject not because I have any major beef with
The designers of the Wilkes Street Tunnel surely didn’t expect that its novelty would someday elevate it into a tourist attraction. For over a century, it was functional infrastructure. But in 2025, what
Over the years I have unintentionally amassed photos of quite a few of the states’ capitol buildings, including some of the more obscure, lightly populated ones in remote locations. Yes, I’ve been to
I hate to title a blog article with superlatives, because they’re so often redolent of clickbait. Everyone knows an example: “the biggest box office flop”, “the most dangerous bridge”, “the ugliest dog”, “the