Lime Springs, Iowa

First timer? In this (hopefully) once-a-day blog, I have my computer select a random latitude and longitude that puts me somewhere in the continental United States (the lower 48). I call this “landing.” I keep track of the watersheds I land in, as well as the town I land near. I do some internet research to hopefully find something of interest about my landing location. To find out more about A Landing A Day (like who “Dan” is and what the various numbers and abbreviations mean), please see “About Landing,” (and “Abbreviations” and “Cryptic Numbers”) above.

Dan –  For the first time since March 2008, I’ve gone to 1/10 (not to mention 0/7 and 3/19) with my latest OSer . . . IA; 40/33; 1/10; 15; 155.1.  And after knocking on the 150 door not long ago (19 landings ago, part of the aforementioned 3/19), I’ve climbed halfway up through the 150s, and only LG knows how long it’ll take to wend my way back down to 150 again . . .

Here’s my landing map, showing my proximity to McIntire, Chester and Lime Springs (in IA), and Le Roy (across the border in MN):

I landed in the watershed of a new river, the Upper Iowa (which flows by Lime Springs), on to the Iowa (10^th hit); on to the MM (713^th hit).

Here’s a broader view:

Here’s my GE shot, showing that I landed in what I assume is quintessential IA farmland:

I backed up a little, showing the whole region is a patchwork of farms:

I’ll start with Lime Springs:

Dam?  What dam?  Oh, this dam (across the Upper Iowa River):

This is the Lidtke Mill Dam, and here’s another shot of Lidtke Mill:

About Lidtke Mill:

LIDTKE MILL – Lime Springs, Iowa

This mill, on the Upper Iowa River, is one of the few remaining examples in Iowa of an old flour mill. The mill has working turbines. On the mill grounds is a 1900 Victorian style home which has been furnished in the Late Victorian décor. Across the river is a beautiful park where primitive camping is permitted. The footprints of a worker nearly electrocuted there can still be seen in the floor of the control room.

I searched for photos of the phantom footprints, but could find none.

Moving right along, I found a strange website (“Calvin’s Scrapbook,” a University of Iowa website) containing pictures of geologists in Iowa back in the 1920s.  Here’s a picture of three geologists by their car near Lime Springs:

Here are the same three dudes looking at a small outcrop near the railroad tracks just outside of Lime Springs:

Here they are again, same day, same town:

OK, OK, so I’m a geologist, and I guess if I weren’t, I wouldn’t have bothered with these photos.  Well, excuuuuuuuse me!

Anyway, not much about Le Roy MN, but here’s a 1908 Main St. shot:

Not much about Chester IA, but check out this building for sale right in downtown Chester:

Property: 207 Main Street, Chester, Iowa

Price: $ 85,000
Description: This business is located on Highway 63 approximately 45 mile south of Rochester, MN. The building has a rubber membrane roof and a dock in back of the building. The building is currently being used as a combination pizza restaurant and mini-grocery store. The owner is leaving all of the kitchen equipment, tables & chairs and all of the shelving. (See attached equipment list) The upstairs has a spacious 4 bedroom apartment and has a stove, refrigerator & washer. The adjoining building is also offered for sale.

Wow!  Quite the building for a measley $85,000!!!!

Not much about McIntire, but check out this picture of “Automobile Day” in McIntire, some time in the 1920s . . .

I’ll close with this pleasant shot (same era) of a bridge in McIntire (I suspect that the car on the bridge is one of those parading down Main Street):

That’ll do it.

KS

Greg

© 2009 A Landing A Day