Sunday, September 06, 2009

Homestead Museum, Fort Rock


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From the archives: A few photos from the Fort Rock Valley Historical Homestead Museum, near Fort Rock in remote Eastern Oregon. These were taken during the Great 2007 Mini-Roadtrip. On the map, above, the museum is the area on the left with a sort of loop road around it.

Homestead Museum, Fort Rock

The museum wasn't open when I was there, and I'm not sure I would've taken the time to visit if it had been. I'm not really that fascinated by pioneer and homestead history, quite honestly. But there's a real visual appeal to weathered buildings in the desert. This is common knowledge among photographers, to the degree that it's hard to take a really original photo of weathered buildings in the desert anymore. I do kind of like the big scary signs for the security fence, which make for a fun contrast with the buildings from the rugged, independent Old West.

Homestead Museum, Fort Rock

Despite what you might think, no social commentary is intended here. Irony, maybe. And even then, I can see a legitimate practical argument for the security fence, in that the buildings would probably be picked clean by vandals and souvenir hunters if there wasn't a fence. Also, when the zombie apocalypse comes, the fence might make this a good place to hole up for a while. Sort of like Resident Evil: Extinction, come to think of it -- which I just happened to watch last night. Although if you expect a long siege by the legions of the undead, you'd probably want to move the buildings and security gear over to Fort Rock itself if possible. Just sayin'.

Homestead Museum, Fort Rock

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