Pictures of the Week 2009-4
Hello All,
Mid-summer our friends Ken & Elyse from Florida visited us for a few days. It was fun showing them some of the sites in our neck of the woods. We also took in some venues that were new to us. One such stop was the Wright-Rosenbaum House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in downtown Florence.
In 1939, Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum commissioned Wright to design their home, the only Wright-designed structure in Alabama. One of the earliest Usonian designs, the house has been called one of the purest examples of Wright’s unique style.
As the Rosenbaum family grew, so did their need for more space. The original house was completed in 1940, and in 1948 the Rosenbaums approached Wright to design an addition to the house, which included two new wings. The Rosenbaums were the sole owners and occupants of the house until 1999.
The house is constructed of cypress wood, glass and brick, and has been meticulously restored by the City of Florence. The flat roofs and large overhanging eaves, the expanses of glass, the flowing space and a heating system that included circulating hot water through pipes imbedded in the concrete floor are all hallmarks of the Usonian style, and are found in this home.
Mid-summer our friends Ken & Elyse from Florida visited us for a few days. It was fun showing them some of the sites in our neck of the woods. We also took in some venues that were new to us. One such stop was the Wright-Rosenbaum House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in downtown Florence.
In 1939, Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum commissioned Wright to design their home, the only Wright-designed structure in Alabama. One of the earliest Usonian designs, the house has been called one of the purest examples of Wright’s unique style.
As the Rosenbaum family grew, so did their need for more space. The original house was completed in 1940, and in 1948 the Rosenbaums approached Wright to design an addition to the house, which included two new wings. The Rosenbaums were the sole owners and occupants of the house until 1999.
The house is constructed of cypress wood, glass and brick, and has been meticulously restored by the City of Florence. The flat roofs and large overhanging eaves, the expanses of glass, the flowing space and a heating system that included circulating hot water through pipes imbedded in the concrete floor are all hallmarks of the Usonian style, and are found in this home.
Our next stop was Pope’s
Tavern. This one-time stagecoach stop, tavern, and inn, is one of the oldest
structures in Florence. It was constructed in 1830 by LeRoy Pope. Both
Confederate and Union forces used it as a hospital during the War Between the
States. In 1874 it was purchased for a
residence by Felix Lambeth whose descendants owned it until 1965 when it was
purchased by the City of Florence and restored by public donations and city
funds. It is now a museum housing many antiques and period furnishings.
Here is an old outboard boat motor that was on
display at the Tavern. Wonder how much it weighed.
Huntsville, AL, played a key
role in the making of the moon rocket, the space race, the Apollo missions, and
onto the next beginnings with NASA’s Constellation project. So the Space &
Rocket Center there was another place we ventured to.
We saw the “full stack” of the Space Shuttle Orbiter, external tank and two solid rocket boosters. We checked out the SR-71 Blackbird, the sleek U.S. Air Force spy plane that flew coast to coast in less than 68 minutes. There were moon rovers, space capsules and many other exhibits concerning space exploration.
In one building suspended 10 feet above the floor, is a national historic treasure, the mighty Saturn V, restored to its Apollo era readiness. It is so large that there is no way of capturing it in a single photo.
We saw the “full stack” of the Space Shuttle Orbiter, external tank and two solid rocket boosters. We checked out the SR-71 Blackbird, the sleek U.S. Air Force spy plane that flew coast to coast in less than 68 minutes. There were moon rovers, space capsules and many other exhibits concerning space exploration.
In one building suspended 10 feet above the floor, is a national historic treasure, the mighty Saturn V, restored to its Apollo era readiness. It is so large that there is no way of capturing it in a single photo.
Here Miss Barb is trying out one of the space
capsules.
The Jesse Owens Memorial Park
& Museum in Danville, AL, was our next stop. The 20-acre park, near Jesse
Owens birthplace, honors the track & field great who captured four gold
medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. We thoroughly enjoyed the park and found it
to be quite educational.
It’s hard to believe Jesse Owens was sickly as a child. He was the son of a poor share cropper. His parents and siblings lived in a small company house. As a child Jesse was skinny and covered with boils. His mother treated him as best she could as they could not afford medical treatment. Some way, he survived and became one of the greatest track stars and humanitarians of the twentieth century.
This plaque exemplifies Jesse Owens’ accomplishments in track & field.
It’s hard to believe Jesse Owens was sickly as a child. He was the son of a poor share cropper. His parents and siblings lived in a small company house. As a child Jesse was skinny and covered with boils. His mother treated him as best she could as they could not afford medical treatment. Some way, he survived and became one of the greatest track stars and humanitarians of the twentieth century.
This plaque exemplifies Jesse Owens’ accomplishments in track & field.
At the museum there is a replica of the house he
was raised in--no running water, no indoor toilet facilities, a coal stove for
cooking, and a small coal stove for heating.
Jesse’s parents had the only bed in the house.
Jesse and his siblings slept on the floor.
The gentleman on duty at the
museum was extremely informative and a pleasure to be around. He was friendly
and had some great stories. We highly recommend the Jesse Owens Memorial Park
as a place to visit.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns