Finding New Roads

Three hours on the highway in Nebraska

A few days ago, I grabbed a camera and headed out the door to go on a photo adventure into rural, Nebraska.

As usual, I fired up Google Maps and checked out some routes, deciding to take U.S. 34 west from Omaha.

The rule of thumb for Nebraska is that if you want to see ANYTHING cool at all, you’ve got to get off I-80’s massive, semi-truck congested strip that goes through the most boring parts of the state. So, unless I’m in a hurry, I almost always take another route.

I assumed I’ve been on this stretch of road before many times, but if I have, I don’t remember the particular stretch I came upon below.

IT WAS AWESOME, and a reminder to keep exploring places (relatively) close to home.

STOP ONE: Immanuel Lutheran Church

This church, nestled near the top of the hill was a fantastic way to start the trip. I used the Creative Dial on my OM SYSTEM OM-3 to dial in a fun monochrome look, and took a few minutes to say hello.

The Immanuel Lutheran Church was built in 1880, and it’s been taken care of with love all these years.

A lot of old churches in Nebraska have been left to crumble, so it’s nice to see one so bright and shiny, especially in this kind of light.

The church is near Garland, Nebraska, a town of just over 200. Garland was once named “Germantown,” but according to random internet searches, it was changed to Garland due to anti-German feelings around World War I.

This is a place I’ve earmarked for more photos, and I’ve got some ideas… this church under the night sky? YES PLEASE! (I’ll be back.)

STOP TWO: Staplehurst, NE

Staplehurst is a pretty small town with under 250 people, and it was named after Staplehurst, England.

This stretch of highway 34 features a few great small towns like this. A lot of rural places let their old high school facilities rot (not because they want to, and usually due to financial stress), but communities like this one have found ways to revitalize and re-use important buildings like this one.

Many small towns have unique features, like this corner:

When I arrived, I was already behind schedule, so I didn’t spend long here, but I was mesmerized by this unique-looking dilapidated (but well-kept) building.

I didn’t find anyone to ask about what it used to be because the street was dead silent the entire time I was there. I used both color and black and white (because why not - the OM-3 has a dial for this!) and I’m not sure what I like best.

Spending time in these places is rewarding, and it causes me to pause a bit and think about what my life is like, and how different it would be if I were born somewhere smaller and quieter like this.

I come from Omaha with a greater population of over a million people. My high school graduating class had nearly 500 people in it - more than double this entire town.

It’s easy to romanticize about these places and the quiet, rural settings I love. Ultimately, I’ll forever be a stranger in these places, unable to truly understand what this type of life is like, no matter how much I try.

STOP THREE: Random Horror Death House

I know this was once a really cool, beautiful home… but now only murders happen here.

I’m kidding of course - but it really does look like a horror house. WHO POUNDS THE SHIT OUT OF THEIR DOORS WITH A MALLET?

Also - how about this shot at 1000mm (full frame equivalent)? It’s so awesome to be able to stand in the same spot and get the wide shots above, and then these shots with rich detail.

STOP FOUR: Utica, NE

I only stopped here for a few minutes because, as always, I was behind. The town is a booming metropolis with over 840 people, but I didn’t take many photos.

Instead, I spent a few minutes in this quiet spot, directly across from a busy gas station. I had fun playing with the light and how that red tank popped in the scene. I dig the magenta cast I dialed into the camera.

Honestly, I don’t remember where this Motel is… I didn’t mark it, but I took it right after the previous photo!

STOP FIVE: “Not that Waco” - Waco, Nebraska

I spent at least 30 minutes in Waco, mostly just enjoying the weather and sunshine.

This small town of just over 300 people was one of my favorite stops because it has an old-school feel without being run down at all.

It also had this cool old playground that’s kept up pretty well.

One of the reasons I love OM SYSTEM is their Computational Photography button. The OM-3 allows me to dial in a “LIVE ND” setting, allowing me to get shutter blur in broad, bright daylight like this one, where I wanted to see what it was like to blur the train in the background:

It would be an AWESOME spot to spent hours as a kid, playing like maniacs and watching trains roll by.

I didn’t know how to photograph this slide (I’ll be back!), but I’ve never seen a slide/swing setup like this before. I like the concrete at the bottom of the slide. Kids in small towns are tough.

STOP SIX: York, NE

York is too big for me to care much about with a sprawling metropolis of over 8,000 people. I ignored them all and took these photos of their awesome airport.

STOP SEVEN: Bradshaw, NE

All 273 people who live in Bradshaw, NE get to see this scene, and that’s pretty cool.

The following shot was done with a 300mm lens fro across the road with 22 photos. Why?? Because I wanted that background compression, but I couldn’t get in the right position with my other lenses to do what I wanted. So, I improvised.

Bradshaw was hit a long time ago with a giant tornado, killing four and injuring 50. Small towns are TOUGH.

STOP EIGHT: Off the Highway

I dropped off 34 and hit a dirt road, my final stop for this post.

I’ll always love this place. I’ve been here before.

I NEVER get sick of it - it’s a wonderland of composition, color, rust, and texture.

I’ve only heard rumors about this place - that the person who used to own it isn’t living in town anymore, and this place has been abandoned.

Either way, I’d like to meet the owner. It almost seems like this place was set up by an artist in how it’s all arranged.

The only problem: ticks. It’s only the middle of March, but it was nearing 80. I kept checking my pants for these notoriously evil creatures, but I didn’t see any until my wife found one in my beard later in the day. UG. I hate those guys.

HERE IS THE THING: this is a big world.

There are a LOT of roads, and even though I’m 50 and lived in Nebraska all my life… even though I spend hundreds of hours out on Nebraska roads each year, searching for rural treasure… there is ALWAYS something new to find, or new ways to see old stops.

It just means I (we) need to stop scrolling. Stop reading newsletters like this. Stop watching YouTube. GO OUT AND TAKE PHOTOS.

People ask me how I find all these cool places, and it’s hard for me to describe. I don’t think it’s the fact that Nebraska is a wonderland for photography. Instead, I think I just leave the house a little more than other people!

This book is “A History of Russia.”

For anyone out there reading this until the end: THANK YOU.

This is a wild journey we’re all on, and I’m thankful for you along for the ride.

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