Amos Hinshaw Barn Exterior

Across the road from the Evergreen Academy is still another gem of Randolph County, North Carolina historical architecture, the Amos Hinshaw barn. Built sometime around 1880 by Quaker farmer Amos Hinshaw, it is like no other barn in the county with it's massive construction and a brick ramp leading to the second floor loft to enable wagons to drive in with hay. The plan is based on Swiss style barns seen in Indiana by Amos's father Thomas during the Civil War. The story of why Thomas was in Indiana is a fascinating one and can be read in the following genealogy link. http://www.rawbw.com/~hinshaw/cgi-bin/id?326

(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Evergreen Academy

Located in southern Randolph County, North Carolina, Evergreen Academy is a one room school house built by the Quakers shortly after the Civil War. It remained in use until sometime around the 1920's. I say one room, although there is a folding door system that will convert the main area into two spaces. While all the desks and other artifacts have been removed (except for the lone chair above and a few boards and tools), the school building has been basically untouched since it was last used. As one with a background in archeology, stepping through the door is about as close to a King Tut moment as I will ever have. I walked in and immediately saw the chalk letters on the boards that are one hundred years old and remain unchanged since the moment they were written. It was like opening a time capsule. The writing is on blackboards. I use the plural, because there is no slate, but rather the wall boards are painted black. Standing in front of the boards, you can almost hear the children that once studied here.

(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Photographs of History

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Before I went to photography school, I received a degree in Anthropology and Archeology. As I wander around looking for opportunities for photographs, the historian in me sometimes comes out. Last week I happened upon a couple of fascinating historical locations in southern Randolph County, North Carolina. I had the chance to look inside the Evergreen Academy, an original Quaker schoolhouse built just after the Civil War and an adjacent property, the Amos Hinshaw barn, built sometime around 1880. I will be sharing images over the next few days.

Draft Horses

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

A pair of work horses pull a plow earlier this summer in western North Carolina.

Happy Thanksgiving

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

As we pause to give thanks for all of our blessings, let us hope that the year to come will be better for all of us, especially for those less fortunate.

Feather in Black and White

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Black and white still life study of a feather from the backyard.

Casual Fashion

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Women's commercial fashion image, Liberty, North Carolina.

Gears

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Commercial still life image.

Friday Faces

Neighbor Gary McMasters.

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Feed Bin

The early winter sun produces patterns on a neighbor's feed bins near my home in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Fall Color

I passed this red maple yesterday on the way home in northern Randolph County, North Carolina. The colors have been late this year, and I had wondered if they would turn at all, but in the past few days, the trees have been spectacular.

(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Hikers

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Continuing with my look back, an image from an outdoor apparel shoot.

Agriculture

In continuing with where I've been, I grew up on a dairy farm. My Dad taught school and farmed for 18 years. After we sold the dairy cows, we switched to raising beef cattle, which we still do today. I live in my great-grandfather's farm house which was built around 1878 on the 150 acre family farm. I enjoy shooting agriculture; I guess it's in my blood.


For about 15 years, I worked on contract for a large agrichemical company. I crawled through corn fields in the midwest, walked through wheat in the Dakotas, picked cotton and waded through rice fields in the South. Also had the opportunity to ride and operate some really big equipment.



(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines.

Twenty years ago, the weekends would often find me at the track; oval, curved or straight. NASCAR was in full stride, moving up. Personalities were everywhere. Advertising was strong and budgets were available. It was an exciting time in motorsports, and I was fortunate to be a part of it.

(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

More Western

A couple more western images from the past.

(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Western Fashion

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Continuing with from where I've been, a fashion image from a few years back.

Where I've Been

Pardon me while I digress a little with this blog. I have been posting images lately that were shot close to home and in the past few days. For the next few posts, I want to revisit where I have been, both places I went and jobs I've shot. I think it is important to look back occasionally to understand how I got to where I am, and to perhaps give me some idea and direction to where I'm going, (professionally that is).

These images of seaplanes are from a campaign I shot in Montana and Idaho for an outdoor apparel company.

Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Old Pickup

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Old 1948 Willys pickup near my home in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Friday Fashion

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Commercial casual fashion image.

Sheep Pen

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Detail from Rising Meadow Farm, Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Pecans

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

The pecans are beginning to open and fall on our farm in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Apple Butter at Goat Lady Dairy

My son Tristan and I were invited over to Goat Lady Dairy by our neighbors Steve and Lee Tate on Sunday for their annual CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) picnic. Steve and Lee set up and made a pot of apple butter, an old family tradition of theirs, assisted by the members of the CSA. We took our cider mill with us and made a few gallons of apple cider for the picnic. It was an enjoyable afternoon; food, music, great company and a little work.









(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)