THE AMERICAN GUIDE

NEAR WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA - I-90
Open year-round, Interstate 90 in Minnesota is 276 miles and traverses the southern side of the state, parallel to the Minnesota-Iowa state line. The route connects the cities of Worthington, Albert Lea, and Austin.
Near Worthington, Minn., Oil on Canvas, 20 x 42 inches, 2013
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Nate Burbeck is a State Guide to Minnesota and an At-Large Guide to the Midwest. he curates a few regionally-themed art tumblrs — beyond 9th avenue (Northeastern artists), fly over art (Midwestern artists) and in the new frontier (Western artists) and has himself been named one of “Ten Artists to Watch in 2013” on the Walker Art Center’s mnartists blog. Follow Nate’s work on Tumblr at nburbeck.tumblr.com or on his website.

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NEAR WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA - I-90

Open year-round, Interstate 90 in Minnesota is 276 miles and traverses the southern side of the state, parallel to the Minnesota-Iowa state line. The route connects the cities of Worthington, Albert Lea, and Austin.

Near Worthington, Minn., Oil on Canvas, 20 x 42 inches, 2013

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Nate Burbeck is a State Guide to Minnesota and an At-Large Guide to the Midwest. he curates a few regionally-themed art tumblrs — beyond 9th avenue (Northeastern artists), fly over art (Midwestern artists) and in the new frontier (Western artists) and has himself been named one of “Ten Artists to Watch in 2013” on the Walker Art Center’s mnartists blog. Follow Nate’s work on Tumblr at nburbeck.tumblr.com or on his website.

OUT OF THE LOOP: CHICAGO’S PILSEN NEIGHBORHOOD
In the shadow of the Sears Tower, oh sorry, I mean “Willis Tower”, lies the cultural gem of a neighborhood referred to as Pilsen. Just southwest of downtown Chicago, this neighborhood was originally settled by German and Irish immigrants. Eventually Bohemian people made their way there and named the area after Plzeň, a city in the Czech Republic.
By the middle of the 20th century, a large group of Mexican immigrants had settled in the area and created the foundation of what this neighborhood is today. The community is filled with taquerias, an occasional carnitas hot-spot (where you can find morsels of slow cooked pork goodness) and an abundance of other Mexican-American owned businesses. Architecture, both old and new contributes to the interesting infrastructure and the colorful murals on the sides of the buildings remind you of the strong culture surrounding you. Street art and graffiti along with handmade religious shrines are everywhere, telling every passerby a story and giving the area a look like no other neighborhood in the city.
Hidden behind the colorful graffiti, is a determined community of artists that were originally drawn to the area because of the inexpensive rent and cultural inspiration. In recent years, the neighborhood is slowly gentrifying like so many other Chicago neighborhoods have. But despite these recent changes, Pilsen is holding on to its original character due to the strong foundation it was built upon.
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Dan Caruso is a Guide to Illinois and Wisconsin. He grew up in Wisconsin and moved to Chicago to get his masters degree in architecture. He currently works as a project manager for a small local architecture firm, is trying to break into real estate, and wishes he was a photographer. You can see Dan’s photographs on flickr and his tumblr page, jonnyoptimo.tumblr.com. He also likes to keep his trigger finger loose on instagram.

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OUT OF THE LOOP: CHICAGO’S PILSEN NEIGHBORHOOD

In the shadow of the Sears Tower, oh sorry, I mean “Willis Tower”, lies the cultural gem of a neighborhood referred to as Pilsen. Just southwest of downtown Chicago, this neighborhood was originally settled by German and Irish immigrants. Eventually Bohemian people made their way there and named the area after Plzeň, a city in the Czech Republic.

By the middle of the 20th century, a large group of Mexican immigrants had settled in the area and created the foundation of what this neighborhood is today. The community is filled with taquerias, an occasional carnitas hot-spot (where you can find morsels of slow cooked pork goodness) and an abundance of other Mexican-American owned businesses. Architecture, both old and new contributes to the interesting infrastructure and the colorful murals on the sides of the buildings remind you of the strong culture surrounding you. Street art and graffiti along with handmade religious shrines are everywhere, telling every passerby a story and giving the area a look like no other neighborhood in the city.

Hidden behind the colorful graffiti, is a determined community of artists that were originally drawn to the area because of the inexpensive rent and cultural inspiration. In recent years, the neighborhood is slowly gentrifying like so many other Chicago neighborhoods have. But despite these recent changes, Pilsen is holding on to its original character due to the strong foundation it was built upon.

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Dan Caruso is a Guide to Illinois and Wisconsin. He grew up in Wisconsin and moved to Chicago to get his masters degree in architecture. He currently works as a project manager for a small local architecture firm, is trying to break into real estate, and wishes he was a photographer. You can see Dan’s photographs on flickr and his tumblr page, jonnyoptimo.tumblr.com. He also likes to keep his trigger finger loose on instagram.

SIGNS OF LIFE - MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
In the built environment, signs are ubiquitous and mostly spell out the names of products or the places where products can be purchased.
There was a time when actual human names were permanently displayed upon the facades of buildings. There was an optimism in these named buildings and they were built by craftsmen to last throughout the ages.
While some of these buildings survive, others have been destroyed to make way for more temporary structures without names. Perhaps part of the effort to preserve old buildings is because they have names like ours. They remind us of the human effort and pride that went into their construction.
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Ken Kornacki is a State Guide to Wisconsin. Follow him on Tumblr at aurum-design or on his website, aurum-design.com.

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SIGNS OF LIFE - MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

In the built environment, signs are ubiquitous and mostly spell out the names of products or the places where products can be purchased.

There was a time when actual human names were permanently displayed upon the facades of buildings. There was an optimism in these named buildings and they were built by craftsmen to last throughout the ages.

While some of these buildings survive, others have been destroyed to make way for more temporary structures without names. Perhaps part of the effort to preserve old buildings is because they have names like ours. They remind us of the human effort and pride that went into their construction.

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Ken Kornacki is a State Guide to Wisconsin. Follow him on Tumblr at aurum-design or on his website, aurum-design.com.

STEARNS COUNTY, MINNESOTA

ST. CLOUD (alt. 1,032; pop. 21,000), on the Mississippi River, which forms the eastern boundary of Stearns County, is the county seat and trade center for a large agricultural area that extends in all directions…In other parts of the country, St. Cloud’s importance rests on its numerous quarries, the stones of which have been used since the 1870’s by builders and architects throughout the United States for many of their most noteworthy structures.

— Minnesota, A State Guide (WPA, 1938)
Artist and Guide to Minnesota Nate Burbeck scouts around the country, shooting panoramic images to use as the basis of his paintings. Yesterday, we posted part one of his dispatch — the photos from his latest reconnoiter. Today, Nate provides images of the process and results:
Stearns County, Minn., Oil on Canvas, 24x50 inches, 2013.
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Nate Burbeck is a State Guide to Minnesota and an At-Large Guide to the Midwest. He curates a few regionally-themed art tumblrs — beyond 9th avenue (Northeastern artists), fly over art (Midwestern artists) and in the new frontier (Western artists) and has himself been named one of “Ten Artists to Watch in 2013” on the Walker Art Center’s mnartists blog. Follow Nate’s work on Tumblr at nburbeck.tumblr.com or on his website.

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STEARNS COUNTY, MINNESOTA

ST. CLOUD (alt. 1,032; pop. 21,000), on the Mississippi River, which forms the eastern boundary of Stearns County, is the county seat and trade center for a large agricultural area that extends in all directions…In other parts of the country, St. Cloud’s importance rests on its numerous quarries, the stones of which have been used since the 1870’s by builders and architects throughout the United States for many of their most noteworthy structures.

— Minnesota, A State Guide (WPA, 1938)

Artist and Guide to Minnesota Nate Burbeck scouts around the country, shooting panoramic images to use as the basis of his paintings. Yesterday, we posted part one of his dispatch — the photos from his latest reconnoiter. Today, Nate provides images of the process and results:

Stearns County, Minn., Oil on Canvas, 24x50 inches, 2013.

* * *

Nate Burbeck is a State Guide to Minnesota and an At-Large Guide to the Midwest. He curates a few regionally-themed art tumblrs — beyond 9th avenue (Northeastern artists), fly over art (Midwestern artists) and in the new frontier (Western artists) and has himself been named one of “Ten Artists to Watch in 2013” on the Walker Art Center’s mnartists blog. Follow Nate’s work on Tumblr at nburbeck.tumblr.com or on his website.

WHITE BEAR LAKE / STEARNS COUNTY, MINNESOTA

WHITE BEAR LAKE, 142.9 m. (941 alt., 2,600 pop.), is a resort town favored by St. Paulites. Indians believed that the lake, whose shores are lined with summer homes, was haunted by the spirit of a white bear, slain by a brave as it was about to attack his beloved.

— Minnesota, A State Guide (WPA, 1938)
Artist and Guide to Minnesota Nate Burbeck scouts around the country, shooting panoramic images to use as the basis of his paintings. We’ll be bringing you another post with the results of this expedition, but for now, part one of his dispatch:
The first cluster of photos I took was in White Bear Lake, Minn., a northern, “inner-ring” suburb of St. Paul that I suppose I would categorize as older (post-War housing boom), with maybe even slightly blue-collar type of neighborhoods — at least when compared to some of the further out, newer exurbs I’ve photographed before.
A few weeks later I drove up I-94 to Stearns County, Minn., to take pictures of a small cluster of houses just outside the St. Joseph/St. Cloud area. This part of Central Minnesota (and Stearns County in particular) is considered by many to be one of the more politically conservative areas in the state. I even saw a yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flag flying on a pole in one of the neighboring yards (not pictured here). Though still mostly rural, the area’s been steadily growing as more people have flocked to commuter towns spilling out of the Twin Cities Metro. The housing sites I photographed here worked very well and thankfully the weather was nice and gloomy — just what I was hoping for. It’s a lot more open than the more established suburb of White Bear Lake, and the house/backyard I ended up using for my painting is right next to unused wooded areas and small-scale farmland that surrounds it.
* * *
Nate Burbeck is a State Guide to Minnesota and an At-Large Guide to the Midwest. he curates a few regionally-themed art tumblrs — beyond 9th avenue (Northeastern artists), fly over art (Midwestern artists) and in the new frontier (Western artists) and has himself been named one of “Ten Artists to Watch in 2013” on the Walker Art Center’s mnartists blog. Follow Nate’s work on Tumblr at nburbeck.tumblr.com or on his website.

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WHITE BEAR LAKE / STEARNS COUNTY, MINNESOTA

WHITE BEAR LAKE, 142.9 m. (941 alt., 2,600 pop.), is a resort town favored by St. Paulites. Indians believed that the lake, whose shores are lined with summer homes, was haunted by the spirit of a white bear, slain by a brave as it was about to attack his beloved.

— Minnesota, A State Guide (WPA, 1938)

Artist and Guide to Minnesota Nate Burbeck scouts around the country, shooting panoramic images to use as the basis of his paintings. We’ll be bringing you another post with the results of this expedition, but for now, part one of his dispatch:

The first cluster of photos I took was in White Bear Lake, Minn., a northern, “inner-ring” suburb of St. Paul that I suppose I would categorize as older (post-War housing boom), with maybe even slightly blue-collar type of neighborhoods — at least when compared to some of the further out, newer exurbs I’ve photographed before.

A few weeks later I drove up I-94 to Stearns County, Minn., to take pictures of a small cluster of houses just outside the St. Joseph/St. Cloud area. This part of Central Minnesota (and Stearns County in particular) is considered by many to be one of the more politically conservative areas in the state. I even saw a yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flag flying on a pole in one of the neighboring yards (not pictured here). Though still mostly rural, the area’s been steadily growing as more people have flocked to commuter towns spilling out of the Twin Cities Metro. The housing sites I photographed here worked very well and thankfully the weather was nice and gloomy — just what I was hoping for. It’s a lot more open than the more established suburb of White Bear Lake, and the house/backyard I ended up using for my painting is right next to unused wooded areas and small-scale farmland that surrounds it.

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Ain’t it the truth. (Source: Library of Congress)

KIOWA CALENDAR

…the Kiowas set their life to the rhythm of the chase. As soon as the grass on the prairie was green enough to fatten their ponies, they formed small hunting parties and organized raiding expeditions that extended sometimes as far as Durango, in Mexico. In the fall the whole tribe engaged in a great buffalo hunt, the men killing and the women drying the meat and packing it in skin containers, and stretching the green hides to dry. At the end of this busy season they established winter camps in sheltered places on the upper tributaries of the Red River. Here the men chipped out flint weapons, made buffalo-hide shields, repaired saddles, and perfected their marksmanship, while their ponies cropped dried grass or nibbled cottonwood twigs. … The Kiowas, more than any other hunting tribe, had a sense of historic sequence.

— Oklahoma, A Guide To the Sooner State (WPA, 1941)
These calendars were drawn in 1904 by Silver Horn and are part of a larger work recording important events between 1828 and 1904. Most years depict summer, indicated by the green, forked pole, and winter—the dead tree.
Both the Smithsonian and the Sam Noble Museum at the University of Oklahoma have further examples of Silver Horn’s work. We encourage you to flip through the pages to see the records of cold seasons past—seasons with names like Shot Mustache Winter and Horses Ate Ashes Winter.

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KIOWA CALENDAR

…the Kiowas set their life to the rhythm of the chase. As soon as the grass on the prairie was green enough to fatten their ponies, they formed small hunting parties and organized raiding expeditions that extended sometimes as far as Durango, in Mexico. In the fall the whole tribe engaged in a great buffalo hunt, the men killing and the women drying the meat and packing it in skin containers, and stretching the green hides to dry. At the end of this busy season they established winter camps in sheltered places on the upper tributaries of the Red River. Here the men chipped out flint weapons, made buffalo-hide shields, repaired saddles, and perfected their marksmanship, while their ponies cropped dried grass or nibbled cottonwood twigs. … The Kiowas, more than any other hunting tribe, had a sense of historic sequence.

— Oklahoma, A Guide To the Sooner State (WPA, 1941)

These calendars were drawn in 1904 by Silver Horn and are part of a larger work recording important events between 1828 and 1904. Most years depict summer, indicated by the green, forked pole, and winter—the dead tree.

Both the Smithsonian and the Sam Noble Museum at the University of Oklahoma have further examples of Silver Horn’s work. We encourage you to flip through the pages to see the records of cold seasons past—seasons with names like Shot Mustache Winter and Horses Ate Ashes Winter.

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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

Our friend at milwaukier-than-thou shares scenes of discarded or disregarded locations around Milwaukee by artist Sarah Luther.

From the exhibition catalog of a recent gallery show:

Luther has spent the past year exploring hundreds of abandoned plots, eventually selecting five pieces of land for their particular feel, interest, or beauty. She then memorialized each plot in a field guide. The guides ponder the land’s history, surrounding neighborhood, points of interest or curiosity—and then ask how each plot could be transformed into a public space.

Luther’s work seeks to appreciate and explore the often overlooked everyday scenes of the city. We like that idea. For more on Luther, and images of her micro-guides, check out this profile from Urban Milwaukee.

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Pennsylvania WPA poster, designed by Hugh Stevenson. 1937. (Source: Library of Congress)

BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS
A guide to Bentonville, Arkansas, using Arkansas: A Guide to the State (WPA, 1941) as your map.
Before Sam Walton opened a 5 & 10 store in 1950, Bentonville was a quiet poultry and dairy-producing center. Or, as the WPA guide put it, “The town’s shipments of broilers and dairy products now overshadow apples in cash importance. Two hatcheries and several feed mills serve poultry and stock raisers. Much of the poultry and dairystuff goes directly to the Chicago market.”
Years later, while the town is now the headquarters of Walmart, there are still a lot of farms. A sense of the old Bentonville lingers. When you land at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, your route to town is so rural you can’t believe you’re about to drive into a city of 35,000 people. And as you arrive downtown, you’ll find a town square still home to a statue of a Confederate soldier, a courthouse and small, friendly shops.
The Waltons may now be more famous residents, but the Benton family name permeates the place. Named for Missouri senator Thomas Hart Benton, who helped create the original territory of Arkansas, Bentonville is also the county seat—of Benton County, of course.
The senator’s nephew, also Thomas Hart Benton, was a painter. In the 1920s, he was one of the first proponents of the school of Regionalism, which celebrated rural American life during a time of uneasy technological change.
And why is this important to our story? Because in 2005 the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art was opened in Bentonville (with free admission, courtesy of Walmart). And hanging on its walls—amidst Charles Wilson Peale’s portrait of George Washington and Norman Rockwell’s Rosie the Riveter—are two of Thomas Hart Benton’s paintings: “Ploughing It Under” (1934) and “The Steel Mill” (1930).
Full circle.
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Editor’s note: ”Ploughing It Under” (Thomas Hart Benton, 1934) and “The Steel Mill” (Thomas Hart Benton, 1930) are courtesy of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas.
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Lynn Downey is an At-large Guide to the West for The American Guide. She’s a writer and archivist based in Sonoma, California. Follow on her website, LynnDowney.com.

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BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS

A guide to Bentonville, Arkansas, using Arkansas: A Guide to the State (WPA, 1941) as your map.

Before Sam Walton opened a 5 & 10 store in 1950, Bentonville was a quiet poultry and dairy-producing center. Or, as the WPA guide put it, “The town’s shipments of broilers and dairy products now overshadow apples in cash importance. Two hatcheries and several feed mills serve poultry and stock raisers. Much of the poultry and dairystuff goes directly to the Chicago market.”

Years later, while the town is now the headquarters of Walmart, there are still a lot of farms. A sense of the old Bentonville lingers. When you land at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, your route to town is so rural you can’t believe you’re about to drive into a city of 35,000 people. And as you arrive downtown, you’ll find a town square still home to a statue of a Confederate soldier, a courthouse and small, friendly shops.

The Waltons may now be more famous residents, but the Benton family name permeates the place. Named for Missouri senator Thomas Hart Benton, who helped create the original territory of Arkansas, Bentonville is also the county seat—of Benton County, of course.

The senator’s nephew, also Thomas Hart Benton, was a painter. In the 1920s, he was one of the first proponents of the school of Regionalism, which celebrated rural American life during a time of uneasy technological change.

And why is this important to our story? Because in 2005 the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art was opened in Bentonville (with free admission, courtesy of Walmart). And hanging on its walls—amidst Charles Wilson Peale’s portrait of George Washington and Norman Rockwell’s Rosie the Riveter—are two of Thomas Hart Benton’s paintings: “Ploughing It Under” (1934) and “The Steel Mill” (1930).

Full circle.

* * *

Editor’s note: ”Ploughing It Under” (Thomas Hart Benton, 1934) and “The Steel Mill” (Thomas Hart Benton, 1930) are courtesy of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas.

* * *

Lynn Downey is an At-large Guide to the West for The American Guide. She’s a writer and archivist based in Sonoma, California. Follow on her website, LynnDowney.com.

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#AmericanGuideWeek touches down in Topeka, Kansas, courtesy of tubercul0sis:

When I was young I would always wonder what he was yelling about.

You’re looking at John Steuart Curry’s painting, Tragic Prelude (1938-1940), depicting John Brown and housed in the State Capitol.

Thanks to tubercul0sis for the glimpse inside the Kansan corridors of power. You can follow him on Tumblr, Instagram, or Twitter.

A WORKER READS HISTORY
Who built the Model T?The books are filled with the names of flivver kings.Was it the kings who hauled the engine blocks and turned the dies?Who built the city up? In which of Detroit’s housesLived those who built it?In the evening when Grand Boulevard was finishedWhere did the masons go? New CenterIs built upon vaulted domes. Who reared them up? Over whomDid the Captians of Industry rule? The Roaring Twenties live in song,Was everyone a flapper? And even in 1929The night the market crashed, didn’t The money brokers still bellow for their servants?
-With thanks to Bertlot Brecht
Credit: Union Town A Labor History Guide to DetroitWritten by: Steve Babson and Dave ElsilaCopyright, Workers Education Local 189, Michigan Chapter
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#AmericanGuideWeek dispatch from the Motor City, care of Detroit Maintenance Man, Jonathan Miller. His drawings, mixed media art, and photographs are well worth your time. You can find his handiwork on Tumblr or his website, DetroitMaintenance.blogspot.com.

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A WORKER READS HISTORY

Who built the Model T?
The books are filled with the names of flivver kings.
Was it the kings who hauled the engine blocks and turned the dies?
Who built the city up? In which of Detroit’s houses
Lived those who built it?
In the evening when Grand Boulevard was finished
Where did the masons go? New Center
Is built upon vaulted domes. Who reared them up? Over whom
Did the Captians of Industry rule? The Roaring Twenties live in song,
Was everyone a flapper? And even in 1929
The night the market crashed, didn’t
The money brokers still bellow for their servants?

-With thanks to Bertlot Brecht

Credit: Union Town A Labor History Guide to Detroit
Written by: Steve Babson and Dave Elsila
Copyright, Workers Education Local 189, Michigan Chapter

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#AmericanGuideWeek dispatch from the Motor City, care of Detroit Maintenance Man, Jonathan Miller. His drawings, mixed media art, and photographs are well worth your time. You can find his handiwork on Tumblr or his website, DetroitMaintenance.blogspot.com.

The Roper

#AmericanGuideWeek dispatch from our friends at Lucid Inc.: The story of Kendrick, a young calf roper in Lafayette, Louisiana, who dreams of one day making it to the Las Vegas rodeo finals.

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Let Lucid Inc. be your guide. Follow on their website, Twitter (@todayislucid), and Facebook.

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#AmericanGuideWeek is a week-long project of Tumblr images and words to document the 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the principal cities and major regions and roadways of the United States. It’s also a throwback to the original American Guide Week that took place nationwide in November of 1941.

THE AMERICAN GUIDE on Tumblr is a revival of the Depression-era guidebook series by the same name — keeping a state by state record of America emerging from the Great Recession; documenting our national way of life, but cherishing local variety; finding people and places both pretty and hard because, all things being equal, that’s what makes America, America.

Starting Thursday, Nov. 15, BE A GUIDE and tag your related posts “AMERICAN GUIDE WEEK” and you’ll be reblogged or featured on The American Guide.

Join our 13,000 followers on Tumblr—Follow your guide and see America.

Click here for more on The American Guide media project; click here for more on how to become an American Guide. REBLOG THE POSTER AND SPREAD THE WORD.

Who’s Who in the Zoo — $1.69 (WPA, 1936-37)
Source: National Archives

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Who’s Who in the Zoo — $1.69 (WPA, 1936-37)

Source: National Archives

THE AMERICAN GUIDE

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