We continue our exploration of Hancock with a behind the scenes look at City Hall. This face of the clock tower has no hands. I don’t know if this was intentional or this side was used for replacement parts for the other three sides. Across the snowy valley lies west Houghton.
Now we take a look at City Hall from the front. An interesting blend of styles, it looks more like a church then a town hall – specially with its gothic details and bell tower. This large half-circle window is part of the buildings original design from 1899 (which seems pretty cutting edge to me) The original stone clock tower rose over 90 feet and was replaced by the wood version seen here at some point later.
An interesting doorway on the 300 block. Mostly interesting because there is no keystone at the top of the archway. I’m not sure if it was designed that way, or it simply feel apart at some point and time. Either way its pretty useless as a rain guard.
Also in the 300 block, this large three story building houses a bar today. The large neon sign on the left seems out of place to the rest of the buildings more traditional attire.
A mix of architectures and cultures as shown here on the standard street signs found across the city. Both in English and Finnish, a striking reminder of this areas deep Scandinavian roots.
An interesting detail found on a building along the 100 block. These cream wreaths ran the entire length of the building, right below the rather plain cornice. Or perhaps a Christmas decoration someone forgot to take down.
Prism glass – as seen on a building along the 100 block. Once all buildings down all the major towns and villages in the Copper Country sported such treatment above their main facades. In a time before electric light, these large glass prisms would distribute light from the street into the far corners of the store inside. In the age of cheap and plentiful electric lighting these were promptly covered up on most buildings.
This ornate residence seems out of place in the more utilitarian dwelling around the downtown area and seems more apt for east Hancock. This building is on the Finlandia campus, and is used by the college for office space.
And ornate cornice and capital on the upper corner of the Wright block. While the east facade is original (as is this detail work), the front facade was remolded by Gartner’s in the ’50s to make it more “modern” in appearance.
The famous Scott Hotel past the prime of its life. The second largest building in Hancock (behind the Republic bank office tower), it once was the pride and joy of a bustling metropolis. Over time it was forgotten and left for dead, until a recent rise in interest by the community. Currently being remolded as an apartment complex, the future looks much brighter for such a stoic monument to a more prosperous time.
Nice web site. I spent considerable time in the Copper Country in my younger years, working summers at Fort Wilkins and going to college at Tech. I still try to get back now and then, though living in Connecticut hampers that effort. I do have a suggestion however, regarding your web site. The dark background and light print make if virtually impossible to read some of the narrative unless I magnify the screen several times. Maybe its my aging eyes, but whatever the reason, I suggest you look at using a combination that is more viewer friendly.
Thanks.
Re: Bob Gregg comment on background for lettering
If you hilight the letters (using “Edit”) for copying, they stand out crystal clear.
Bob – You haven’t been the first (and most likely not the last) that has raised issue with my use of light lettering on a black background. Since the first complaints surfaced I tweaked the font type, size, and color some to try to make the text easier to read (which believe it or not has made a huge difference from the sites original style). Of course, swapping the color scheme to make black lettering on a white background would solve the problem outright.
For me there are two concerns at play here (as in any visual composition). Usability is one (which your concern addresses) but I also have to keep in mind the site’s artistic identity. Explorer addresses the shadow and specter of a Keweenaw forsaken by both man and time. I attempted to design a site that creates a equally dark and foreboding atmosphere that this subject matter warrants – as I believe it does in its current incarnation.
Keep in mind, however, that this site is a living breathing document. Every day it changes, and through the months it slowly finds an identity and purpose. Over time I have moved away from a written narrative towards a more visual expression of photos, videos, and panoramic images. As this transformation matures, you will find long sections of hard-to-read text quickly being replaced by shorter annotations of the images I present. While not the best for text – the black background does wonders in bringing out a photo’s vibrancy and richness.
Hopefully this sheds some light on my design decisions regarding this site for you and my other readers. I apologize for the inconvenience it may cause to some of you, I knew when I settled for this design that readability would be an issue to some people. That being said, I am looking into implementing an alternate style sheet (reversing the text and background color) for the site that some readers could activate if they wish. However, it may be some time before I get it to work.
Thanks for visiting, and thanks for the constructive comment.
It’s amazing what you don’t see when you are busy with day to day life. I’ve been through Hancock many times, and the only thing I’ve noticed from your pictures above is the street signs. Perhaps sometime soon I will have to take a walk downtown and appreciate the hidden beauty.
Lynn – I know what you mean. Every since we started this site, I have found so many things right under our noses that I didn’t know existed! More amazing is that my friend who’s lived here almost all his life is surprised everyday by the things we discover.