The Urbanologist

Sunflowers, John St. John, and Some Others

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:08:03 +0000

I had a great time talking with new friends and travel enthusiasts at my talk in Kansas this past Sunday, and I got to meet the winners of the writing contest I sponsored for my visit to the Johnson County Library

I received over 30 entries, and the people of Johnson County took on my challenge with literary vigor, and sent in limericks, short prose pieces, and poems. Here are the winners, and as I couldn’t decided on the third place winner, I picked two of them.

A special thank you to Kasey Riley, Katerina Johnson, Margaret Ohmes, and Helen Hokanson for all of their help with the event. Without further ado, here are those prize-winning entries.

First Prize: Richard Huff

****************************************

** * Kansas Hot or Cold S **

** *** u **

**** *** n **

* ** ****** f **

* **** l **

* * o **

*** Kansas Hot or Cold w **

** e **

** J Kansas is hot r **

** o Kansas is cold s **

** h As a free state **

** n Kansas is bold B **

** r **

** S The land is bright i **

** t. Sunflower light g **

** h **

** J Flip the coin t **

** o Sunflowers bright **

** h Flip it again **

** n Sunflowers at night S **

** u **

** The coin has turned n **

** S Some join the KKK f **

** h John Saint John l **

** o Show us the way o **

** w w **

** Black store owner lynched e **

** u Black is the night r **

** s Sunflowers bow their heads s **

** Sunflowers at night **

** t a **

** h Kansas is bold t **

** e Kansas is hot **

** Kansas is cold N **

** w i **

** a Richard Huff g **

** y August 7, 2010 h **

** t **

** **

** Ad Astra Per Aspera – - To the stars through difficulties **

************************************************************

********************************************************* **

Second Place: Guanghao Yu

The Sunflower field

Sunflowers, all I could see are sunflowers. They were all around me .They’re all I could see. I don’t remember anything. I don’t remember who I am, where I’m from, nothing.

“Hello.” someone said.

I spun around, it’s a man in blue uniform .

“Who are you?”I asked.

“I’m John Saint John.”

The name sounds familiar.

“Where am I?”I asked.

“A sunflower field.”

“What year is it?”

“1865, the American Civil War is going on and you are a soldier in it. I’m too.”

I’m remembering. It’s the year of 1865,The Civil War, and I’m the drummer boy, I remember falling, falling, darkness all around me…

“Why I’m here?” I asked.

“You’re in a sleep coma. You lost your memories. And your face is messed up.

I remembered everything. John was beside me. Suddenly he shouted in pain and fell. His legs were bloody . Quickly, I started bandaging his legs. Then all of a sudden, a piece of metal came flying like a Frisbee and sliced half of my hat right off. A grenade exploded nearby. I felt a hotness expanding on my head. That’s when I realized that my hair was on fire. Just as I was trying to put the fire out, something flied toward me and I felt a sudden pain on my face. Everything went black, and the last thing I remember is falling, falling, darkness all around me.

“You’re in to a coma too, right?”I asked.

“Indeed. Someone dropped a bomb near me, send me flying, and here I am. We’ll have to wait to get out of the coma. Let’s hope we live.”

We waited 3 days, three days became 3 weeks,3 weeks became 3 months. The whole time we waited ,we didn’t get hungry or thirsty, but we will when we get out, IF we get out.

We talked, John and me. We talked about home, family, things we love. John said he wants to study law and become a governor. I want to become a doctor.

One day, I had trouble breathing, I felt weak, and it got worse. It keeps getting worse and my body felt light, it’s beginning to fade! I’m dying.

I found a pen and note book in my pocket, and began to write down everything I can remember after I got in the coma. I was fading fast. John wanted to help, but there’s nothing he can do.

The sky began to darkened, lightning flashed, wind blew, a hole opened in the sky and John was rising toward it, he’s getting out of the coma.

He tried to grab me and take me with him, but he’s hand went right through me. I looked exactly like a ghost.

Our eyes were both full of tears.I had just realized what good friends we’ve made with each other. John said how much he want to thank me for saving him. We said our last goodbye and parted.

A note by John :

That was a true story,it wasn’t a dream. After I woke up I found the notebook and the story appeared on it. My friend in the coma, Guanghao Yu died before he could finish the story, what he was going to say was: “and he was sucked right into the hole.” And, thanks again for risking your life saving me, hope you can hear me in heaven.

—John Saint John

Third Prize:Kirsten Hobbs

New Brunswick

Vulnerable as the purple violets

Dripping softly from green New Brunswick stems

I breathe the air, sweet and new and promising

A mother, a wife, among the sunflowers of my home

Now alone, but for the violets—

pretty, purple on this shore

Thoughtful as the waves

Smoothing white over the red beach

I stretch my musings onto the land, strange and new and worrisome

A sister, a friend, among the sunflowers of my home

Now afraid as I journey through the violets—

pretty, purple on this shore

Reverent as the high grasses

Hushing, so tender, through my fingertips

I gaze far onto this land, bright and new and open

A member, a citizen, among the sunflowers of my home

Now unmarked as I pluck a violet—

pretty, purple on this shore

Warm as August evening

Sharing happy laughter away from the soft red beach

I make my home on this land, fine and new and friendly

Familiar as Hemingway among the sunflowers of my home

Now as determined as John St John beyond the violets —

pretty, purple on the shore

Third Prize: Gene Ann Newcomber

IS A KANSAN SUNFLOWER JUST A WEED TO AN EASTERNER?

&/OR DID A 19TH CENTURY KANSAS GOVERNOR STAND TALLER THAN A 16TH CENTURY PADUAN SUNFLOWER

A SHORT ESSAY by Gene Ann Klier Newcomer

Fact: I am a New Yorker. But before you place me in the concrete jungle of the city, listen to my flat A and you just might be able to guess:

” She is from Upstate NY & probably Syracuse.”

“Does it really matter?” ~ you may ask. BUT once you pose that question we will know that you are NOT one of us because in the East everyone knows that information like this is INDEED VERY important. Where you go to school~ What book you are reading~ Who you know, my friend, these things DO matter in the East.

Updated fact: I now live in Kansas. I have two daughters both of whom, like a sunflower in in its bud stages, exhibited heliotropic qualities and turned towards the sun in search of their college homes which they found in Virginia and Pennsylvania respectively.

True Story: Brilliant students at Ivy League Schools who otherwise easily could explain Einstein’s Theory of Relativity could be stumped if you asked them to locate Kansas on the map. My daughters know this is true because they did!! “Shawnee Mission !”, these college students would sigh~ ” Poor people ; they must live in huts there!!! Kansas City ~ How do they cope with the cattle in the streets? ”

I contend that there is more chance that an educated Easterner would know that a 16th century Paduan sunflower from Northern Italy (where the famous scientist Galileo Galilei once lectured, and where Shakespeare set his play, TAMING OF THE SHREW) , is documented in scientific literature to have been 40 feet tall !!! than to be curious about the 8th governor of Kansas. And in conclusion, I believe that if the life of 19 century Kansas Governor John Saint John, who championed Women’s Suffrage and helped create the Kansas Freedmen’s Relief Association during the Great Exodus of African Americans from the South to Kansas in 1879, was measured in achievements and not meters, he would indeed stand taller then Padua’s award winning flower.!!!!!

And an Honorable Mention to Warren Walker for this piece:

A Shot for the Candidate

A distant rumble on the nearby track announced the approach of a train. “That’d be the southbound outta Terre Haute,” said Lew, cradling his rifle in one arm.
“Yeh,” answered his brother Mike, pointedly taking a swig from their shared whisky bottle. ”You know who’s on that train?”

“Don’t care. Gimme bottle,” said Lew. They’d come out beside the tracks at dusk, hunting for the skunks that had been helping themselves to the grain bin.

“On that very train is Mister Holier-Than-Thou John Saint John hisself.”
“He’s that Kansas fella running for President, wanting to prohibit hooch?” asked Lew, taking a long gulp.

“Very same. Running next month against Cleveland and Blaine”

The train came into view, and true enough, one car was bedecked with bunting and sunflowers, and a banner ‘St. John for President.’

Passing the nearly empty bottle to his brother, Lew sneered. “Well, there’s just enough left to offer a shot to the candidate!”

With that, Lew raised his rifle and fired a ball through the train window. Mike whooped and threw the bottle after the passing train.

On board, St. John was startled by breaking glass and a thud in the paneling nearby. “Lord almighty,” he exclaimed, crouching low in his seat. Someone’s shot at me.” His wife and secretary ducked too, but there were no more shots.

Watching the train recede, Lew and Mike howled for a few minutes. “Now,” observed Mike. “Back to them other skunks.”

An August Afternoon in the Shadow of the Cellblocks

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:31:32 +0000

We’re standing out in the very hot, very humid Missouri sun when our guide stops to narrate another moment in prison life. The scene as it is described is set in a television room for prisoners, and even those who are devoid of imagination can picture what might happen next (Hint: It’s not a Tupperware party). After a bit of germane background, a few asides about our setting, and the overall milieu, the critical piece of dialogue arrives :

“I told you not to turn the dial on that TV”

A “WHAAAAAAAAP!” erupts from Bill Green as he turns to imitate a bit of the unwritten prison justice that governed life for inmates at the Missouri State Penitentiary for 168 years.

Bill Green isn’t really a tour guide. He’s the Man of 1000 Prison Voices, Master Narrator, and Keeper of the Keys. Bill doesn’t “lead” guests on tours, as much as he envelops them with stories of former inmates of the penitentiary, prison culture, penal reform, dank abandoned cells, and general pieces of historical ephemera.

Yes, Bill Green was a guard here for decades. Yes, you will find him clad in a red polo that commemorates the start and the end of the Penitentiary’s service. Yes, his skill at humorous and dramatic recreation of events long past within these walls is prodigious. Yes, it is hard to keep up as you walk around cell blocks, enter the execution chamber, and enter the “Dungeon”.

I am still in the process of intellectually and emotionally processing all that was discussed on our two hour peripatetic journey through the Missouri State Penitentiary this hot afternoon. The tour is not for the faint of heart, but then again, neither is prison.

Whether you are in Topeka or Tokyo, Pretoria or Peoria, Moscow or Memphis, come and visit the Missouri State Penitentiary.

And please say hi to Bill for me.

What makes a great city? A conversation about Kansas City and Chicago on KCUR

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 03:18:19 +0000

This week finds me visiting Kansas City (MO) and I’m also giving a talk at the Johnson County Library in Overland Park, Kansas. Of course, since the Southwest Chief comes down through KC on its way to LA, that’s how I rolled down to the Show Me State from the Windiest, Hot-Dog-ing-est, Urbs-in-Horto-ing-est City of Them All. (PS: I’m talking about Chicago here, in case there’s any confusion)

It’s been a great trip so far, and I’ve squeezed in a visit to the excellent Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, a journey down to City Hall, and a trip over to the City Market.

I also found time to talk with KCUR’s Stephen Steigman about what makes a great city, my favorite buildings in Chicago, and how important it is to have people living downtown, whether it’s in shiny new condos or more humble residences.

Here’s the complete program, and a hearty thanks to Stephen and I’m looking forward to coming back to KC again soon!

A Visit to the Jackson Homestead and Museum

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:26:19 +0000

As part of the research for my new book, I have been carrying around the Federal Writers Guide to Massachusetts from 1937 with me as a form of inspiration and lodestone for my various wanderings around the Boston area.

Recently, the guidebook (and the MBTA) took me to Newton, Mass. On page 301, the book offered this curious description of an old home in this fair leafy village:

“The Jackson House (private), 527 Washington St., was said by the late Robert N. Cram to look ‘like Mrs. John Hancock, making up her mind whether she would speak to the neighbors…’”

The description goes on from there, but I was already hooked. Any anthropomorphizing of a building is good copy as far as I am concerned, and it piqued my interest.

I set off on a very humid day down Washington Street to check out the Jackson House (now known as The Jackson Homestead and Museum) and when I got there I was very kindly greeted by Susan Abele, the curator of manuscripts and photographs at the Museum.

Susan gave me a nice introduction to the Homestead, and we talked about the many “hats” the home has worn over the past several hundred years. During this time, it has served as a stop on the Underground Railroad, a family residence, and before it was donated to the city of Newton, it also did duty as a dental office.

Sometimes I think of house museums as fussy and a bit proper. They are not usually the first thing I think of checking out as I make the rounds of a new place. Imagine my surprise when I was thoroughly engaged by the interesting and thoughtful exhibits in the Jackson Homestead and Museum.

Some of the highlights included an exhibit that looked at the history of toys, complete with a few favorites from the past, like the old board-game chestnut, Life. Oh yes: There are even some toys THAT YOU CAN SIT DOWN AND PLAY WITH TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT (And yes…I played with some of these toys….see photo below for the evidence)

I was also rather enamored of an exhibit about Norumbega Park, which was an elaborate amusement park which graced the banks of the nearby Charles River from 1897 to 1963. The exhibit traced the history of this local pleasure-land through photographs, maps, and postcards.

All in all, it was time well spent at the museum, and I have a few photos below which I hope will encourage others to wander down Washington Street to take a look.

The Jackson Homestead and Museum

One of my favorite parts of the toy exhibit

I had to test this exhibit out to make sure it worked properly...

Some relics from Norumbega Park

Line from Lyons

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 04:12:58 +0000

I had a great time talking with the patrons of the Lyons Public Library this past Wednesday. What, pray tell, did we talk about?

Here’s a partial list:

-The cheapest way to get out on the Chicago River (Hint: It doesn’t involve jumping off the Wells Street Bridge)

-Free walking tours of Chicago, courtesy of the city of Chicago Greeter program.

-The new and exciting exhibits at the Chicago History Museum.

-The French Market next to the Oglivie Transportation Center.

-The location of the “Lil Bean” (aka the model for the Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park) I can’t tell you where it is unless you come to one of my talks….it’s still somewhat of a secret.

-Where to get the best pierogies in Chicago.

Hey, that's me!

Hot Doggery

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:22:32 +0000

The challenge of cooking Chicago-style hot dogs in Boston is that, well, some ingredients are only available in Chicago! So, in a quick supermarket run, I made some executive decisions No Vienna beef? I’m using Nathan’s all-beef dogs.
My ingredients:

Step One:

Step Two: A crisp garlic pickle spear

Step Three: Yellow Mustard

Step Four: Fresh Juicy Tomato Wedges

Step Five: Onion Slices

Step Six: Hot (Sport, if you can get them) Peppers

Step Seven: Relish

Step Eight – ALMOST THERE! – Celery Salt

And now, YUM, YUM, YUM! Bring out the cold ones!

Driving along the Housatonic and some day trips around New England

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:46:35 +0000

I drove over to the Derby Neck Library last night from New Haven to give a talk, and I was immediately amazed at the beauty of the Housatonic River. I remember seeing it on a map when I first started traveling around New England, and this was my first up-close-and-personal contact with the actual river. I also had a moment of powerful recall as I crossed over the river into Seymour, CT and I was reminded of Wynoochee Lake in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula where I spent many summers growing up.

Next time I’m in the area, I may have to borrow a set of oars from the good folks at the Yale Gilder Boathouse and see if I can row around for a bit. (Note to self: keep an eye out for the dams…)

After the talk, a few people talked about the restorative nature of travel, and how they use travel to “reboot” their mind and body. With that in mind, here are a few suggestions for future “reboots” in Providence and Boston.

Providence

Providence is just a short train ride away from Boston or New York, and for my money, it’s a city well built for walking. There’s a diverse set of institutions here, including the Rhode Island School of Design and Johnson & Wales University, which runs the fine Culinary Archives & Museum.

Any place is enhanced with a bit of background material, so why not pick some of H.P. Lovecraft’s creepy tales before heading over to Providence? This native son was known for his interest in brooding over New England history and his crazy-all-mixed-up creatures, and general love of spooky stuff. To truly channel his spirit, visitor can walk on over to the Providence Athenaeum on Benefit Street, where Lovecraft spent some of his formative years gathering material for his future works.

If you’re in the mood for a bit of architectural history, go ahead and pick up the PPS/AIAri Guide to Providence Architecture and plan a walking tour of Federal Hill, Benefit Street, or downtown and environs. Also, with a bit of planning, you can reserve a space on one of the Rhode Island Historical Society walking tours around the city.

Boston

Obviously, Boston is a city that is built for walking and for “reboots”, and walking along the Charles River in the morning is a good way to get started. Just watch out for the aggressive cyclists and people training for the Boston Marathon, and you’ll be okay.

After that, you’ll want to wander down Massachusetts Avenue (”Mass Ave” to locals and those mindful of saving a syllable or two) to the Mary Baker Eddy Library. This is all part of the Christian Science headquarters, and within these spiritually compelling confines you’ll find the positively stunning Mapparium.

The Mapparium is essentially a massive painted globe created in 1935, and as such, it has all of the world’s political boundaries from that time inscribed on its many glass panels. You walk through the globe on a walkway that recalls “Star Wars”, and there’s some booming narration, but the real draw is all of the fantastically colored panels.

After all of this geo-political-globe-ry, hop on the MBTA’s Red Line down to the JFK/UMass station. Take the shuttle bus over to the campus of the University of Massachusetts-Boston (whew, let’s stick with “UMass-Boston”) and hop on their excellent harbor tour aboard the ship Columbia Point.

The tour is only offered on Mondays, and it’s $10. It’s definitely worth calling ahead to check on the times, and more information on the harbor tours can be found here.

From Picasso to Dubuffet: The Art of Chicago’s Loop

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:13:52 +0000

Hi all-

Frommer’s has created a nice slideshow based on one of the walking tours from my last book. Take a look here to check out works by Louise Nevelson, Marc Chagall, and Pablo Picasso, all located in Chicago’s Loop.

Urban Adventures and the Boston Post Road at the Ferguson Library

admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:17:47 +0000

Last night I gave a talk at the Harry Bennett Branch of the Ferguson Library in Stamford, CT. We had a great turnout, and as usual, I learned a great deal about the region from audience members who shared stories of the area’s industrial past and the legacy of urban renewal plans (including the construction of I-95) throughout the city.

I was joined by fellow writer Eric Jaffe, who has just finished his new book, “The King’s Best Highway: The Lost History of the Boston Post Road, the Route That Made America”. He spoke for a few minutes about his work, and he also brought a nice prop to use during his talk.

His remarks reminded me of my own fascination with the Boston Post Road, which began when I encountered a fold-out map of the Road featured in the August 1962 issue of National Geographic Magazine. I think I found it in a pile of old magazines at one of the libraries my mom worked at when I was growing up. I distinctly remember poring over every town on the map (Old Saybrook, New Haven, Worcester, etc.), and thinking about my own future adventures along this highway.

I now also have a few new ideas for future writing projects (more to add to the pile), and thanks again to Carolyn Karwoski and her colleagues at the Ferguson Library for inviting us to Stamford!

Preparing for my talk by reading the Stamford Times

Post-talk with Eric

"New England Tradition" mural by artist James Daugherty. Created as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) arts program in 1934, this fantastic mural is in the main branch of the Ferguson Library

Great American Road Trips I Have Known

admin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:40:57 +0000

Recently, the Guardian asked me for my favorite off-the-beaten road trips in the US. After finishing up this piece, I thought it would be fun to also chime in with a few more, along with offering up some other details, such as my favorite album for each journey, etc.

Without further ado, here are my top five picks. Feel free to chime in with your favorite road trips!

1. Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway

With bald eagles above and grey whales off in the water a few hundred meters away, the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway in Washington offers one of the best drives in the Pacific Northwest. Stretching out from Port Angeles out to Neah Bay, visitors can get out and climb the Pysht Forestry Trail and then spent the night at the nearby Winter Summer Inn B&B in Clallam Bay.

Dream car? A black Saab 900.

Dream companion? Rick Steves, native Washingtonian and noted travel guru.

Ideal album? “Badmotorfinger”, by native sons Soundgarden.

2. Blue Ridge Parkway

Wandering for 755 kilometers along the Blue Ridge mountain chain from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, this is a trip to take over several days. Stop in the Southern Highland Folk Art Center for hands-on demonstrations and general down-home craftiness. Make a turn off the parkway to Asheville for fried green tomatoes and goat cheese grits at the Tupelo Honey Café, and you’ll be ready for the next leg.

Dream car? A red 1969 Gran Torino GT convertible

Dream companion? Absurdist comedian and Tar Heel Zach Galifianakis

Ideal album? “Foggy Mountain Jamboree” by Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs

3. North Shore Scenic Drive

From a formal faux-English style mansion to a precariously perched lighthouse, the North Shore Scenic Drive has the type of attractions that make driving along the largest freshwater lake in the world that much more enjoyable. The drive starts in Duluth, Minnesota and moves north along Lake Superior to the tiny town of Grand Portage. The drive offers outstanding views of the craggy shoreline, and waterfalls pass by along the way. Save time for the Grand Portage State Park, which has the tallest waterfall in Minnesota.

Dream car? 1962 Studebaker Avanti

Dream companion? Garrison Keillor

Ideal album? Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” (even though it’s about another roadway in Minnesota)

4. The Mohawk Trail

Western Massachusetts has one of the most storied highways in the United States dedicated to automobile touring in the Mohawk Trail. From Greenfield to North Adams, driving enthusiasts can take in the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and a clutch of notable gorges, including the Zoar Gap. Peaceful and luxurious dining can be had at the Gypsy Apple Bistro in Shelburne Falls, which is worth a stop.

Dream car? 1935 Duesenberg Convertible SJ

Dream companion? Emily Dickinson (beyond the grave, of course)

Ideal album? Charles Ives’ “Three Places in New England”

5. Natchez Trace Parkway

As it gently meanders from Natchez, Mississippi to right outside of Nashville, Tennessee, the Natchez Trace Parkway takes a 715km path through the heart of the old American Southeast. On this bucolic journey, visitors will find it easy to pull off alongside prehistoric Native American mound formations, an old tobacco farm, and a reconstruction of the log cabin home of explorer Meriwether Lewis.

Dream car? 1963 Chrysler Crown Imperial

Dream companion? William Faulkner (again, from beyond the grave)

Ideal album? “Classic Southern Gospel: Various Artists” from Smithsonian Folkways