The coal-fired power plant by Becker as seen from Interstate 94.
IN COUNTRY THAT’S primarily flat and open, you notice the details—the shape and height of clouds, the tint of the soil, the sharp angles of buildings, towers that break the monotony of horizontal lines and so much more.
At least I notice these things. Maybe you don’t.
Join me today on one final trek along Interstate 94 as we travel northwest toward Fargo, North Dakota. Begin to see, like me, man’s imprint upon the land.
I am neither endorsing nor criticizing the content of these images. I am simply showing you examples of what I noticed along that drive, beginning near Monticello, Minnesota. I’ve already shown you the skyscapes and the farm sites in previous posts.
These photos represent subjects that don’t fit into a single, well-defined category. They are, if anything, simply scenes that unfold upon the stage of this land, this wide, wide land.
I'd love to know the history behind this house in the Avon area.
You just don't see old corn cribs like this in use much anymore. Something about them so appeals to me visually.
Deep in the heart of dairy country, I spotted this vet clinic sign by Freeport.
Freeport, "The city with a smile!" is marked by this old-fashioned smiling water tower.
Drive I-94 and you'll see endless towers like this one where the tower dwarfs an abandoned building to the right.
This country is rural through and through. This may be an ethanol plant although I'm not sure. Anyone know?
I expected to see more trains than I did. These were near the plant in the photo above.
Who knew? A Budweiser plant in Moorhead.
© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I have a thing for old buildings and the picture of the house in Avon is fantastic! I love that it looks really old but has a string of lights on the roof line!! Great shots. 🙂
You are incredibly observant, Michele, because I didn’t notice those lights. My husband noticed the straight roofline.
I have a thing for old buildings, too, and this one is just calling to be saved. It’s situated right next to a rambler.
Anyone out there who can tell me about the age and the history, or anything, about this stone house, please submit a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
My daughter Kim has loved that old house for years!
Well, if Kim knows anything about that house, I’d like to hear details.
Love the photos… thanks for giving me doses of the midwest! -kate
You are welcome, Kate. And maybe one of these days I’ll get around to posting images from the ridge. Then you can help me identify the places I photographed last summer in your home area of Wisconsin.
LOVE that stone house! What a great picture – and it seemed to even have Christmas lights on it – that’s wild. Very neat.
You readers are so observant. Michele also noticed the Christmas lights, which I did not notice. That’s the beauty of photography, you get to see what you missed the first time around.
I love that house, too, and definitely wonder about its history.
That looks more like the coal burning plant at Becker.
You are correct, Ronnie. Change made. Thank you. I thought I had confirmed the location, but apparently not with enough care.