Vintage soda bottles and beverage advertising represent some of the most recognizable pieces of Americana. Long before plastic containers and modern branding, soda companies used distinctive glass bottles, colorful labels, and painted advertising signs to attract customers.
Old Structures & Rural Relics
Old Structures & Rural Relics documents the barns, schoolhouses, depots, mills, farm equipment, roadside signs, advertising artifacts, and weathered remnants found along Midwest backroads and countryside landscapes.
Through photography, field notes, and historical context, these posts explore rural architecture, agricultural history, vintage advertising, and the everyday objects that once supported small-town life.
From preserved landmarks to overlooked relics such as bottles, tins, crates, tools, and fading signs, this collection highlights the structures and artifacts that quietly define regional history and rural culture.
Inside the Old Cabins Smoky Mountain National Park
Hidden throughout Great Smoky Mountains National Park are historic log cabins that tell the story of the early Appalachian settlers who once called these mountains home. Many of these structures sit quietly in forest clearings or along old homesteads, surrounded by the dense woods that now define the park.
The Last Covered Bridge in Wisconsin
The Last Covered Bridge In Wisconsin Wisconsin once had over 40 covered bridges. The last covered bridge in Wisconsin is located in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. That is just an amazing fact to me. General Info General: Nestled along the roadside in Covered Bridge Park is a piece of history you can walk through. The pure history … Read more
Old Structures Inside and Out
Old Structures Inside and Out Exploring old structures inside and out is exciting. There is nothing more thrilling than driving upon an old barn or structure that captures my attention. Well, except for old vehicles 🙂 Some of my old building finds are located in the country and many times, right smack dab in … Read more
Old IGA Store in Watson Michigan
Old IGA Store in Watson Michigan
My husband and I took an extra-long motorcycle ride from Green Bay, Wisconsin to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula a few years back. We stumbled upon this beautiful old IGA store in Watson Michigan.
Belgian Brick by Brick
Belgian Brick by Brick: Belgian Heritage and Architecture in Brussels, Wisconsin
Southern Door County and parts of Brown and Kewaunee counties hold one of the most unique cultural landscapes in Wisconsin. Beginning in the 1850s, Belgian immigrants settled in this region and built communities that shaped the farms, chapels, churches, and distinctive Belgian brick homes that still stand today.
1798 Rice Grist Mill in Lake City Tennessee
1798 Rice Grist Mill in Lake City Tennessee
The 1798 Rice Grist Mill in Lake City Tennessee is an 18th Century Rice Grist Mill that was originally constructed in 1798 in Union County. The mill was later dismantled and rebuilt on Clear Creek in 1935, where it sits today.
Fred A Busse Chicago Fire Boat
Fred A Busse Fireboat The retired Fred A Busse Chicago Fire Boat found a home in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for a number of years as a tour boat. It was docked at the city dock and visitors could take tours of the Sturgeon Bay waterfront. Update: The fireboat has made its way back to Chicago … Read more
Abandoned Victorian House Marathon County
Abandoned Victorian House Marathon County
Sweet find! This abandoned Victorian house Marathon County still holds her own. At least for now.
Rockland Lincoln School Brown County Wisconsin
Rockland Lincoln School Brown County Wisconsin
The Rockland Lincoln School Brown County Wisconsin information was passed on to me by the one person (in my four walls) that has never offered a location. Until now! My son gave me the location of this gem.
St Coletta Jefferson Wisconsin
One thing I absolutely love about traveling is that it provides me with a constant source of education. Over the weekend, I attended The 4th Annual Spyder Rendezvous in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin with my husband. Heavy rain prevented me from riding with the group on Friday. I admit it, I’m a wimp and my dry car provided a comfortable alternative for the day’s travels. I spent some time exploring St Coletta Jefferson Wisconsin.
Maribel Hotel Hell
Maribel Hotel Hell What is called by many as Maribel Hotel Hell is located on the same street as the Maribel Caves on County Road R in Maribel, WI. The hotel remains are located on private property, so viewing them from the road is a must. The Stories of Maribel Hotel Hell There are so … Read more
Cottonwood South Dakota Ghost Town: Abandoned Prairie Church and Old Buildings
Sitting quietly on the open prairie of western South Dakota, the ghost town of Cottonwood, South Dakota is one of those places you might drive past without realizing the history sitting along the roadside.
Honey House in Door County
Honey House in Door County
The roads less traveled are off the beaten path; and for me, they give me a chance to bypass the hustle and bustle of traffic, slow down and really look for “hidden” treasures. One of these treasures happens to be a honey house in Door County.
Crystal River Grist Mill Wisconsin
Crystal River Grist Mill Wisconsin
How in the World Do I Find These Places?
Sometimes, I can’t believe how I end up at a certain place. In the case of the Crystal River Grist Mill Wisconsin, I found an ad in the paper with a picture of a little wedding chapel.
Old Vehicles
Old Vehicles Rural Elegance and Timeless Grace: These county fields harbor a unique blend of rural elegance and timeless grace. Vintage tractors, retired pickup trucks, and classic automobiles stand as silent sentinels, paying homage to the hardworking spirit of Wisconsin’s agricultural heritage. Each vehicle, now adorned with the passage of time, exudes a quiet dignity … Read more
Vintage Flair
Vintage Flair Collection
Vintage flair collection holds vintage items from the past. Why do we love antiques so much? For some, antiques hold sentimental value, for others, there’s a certain charm to the old-time ways of living.
Antiques allow us to directly feel in contact and be a part of a far deeper past than our own lifetimes include. When you understand the thinking behind the building and design of the artifact, you add those thinking processes and appreciations of the world to your own.
Tins Signs Advertising
Collection of images of old tins, signs, advertisingAmericana that feature early artwork. – the memorabilia and marketing that made some companies flourish and others fail.
Americana encompasses not only material objects but concepts and historical eras which are popularly identified with American culture. The objects advertise and carry symbols associated with the culture and history of America during certain eras.
For we know that the culture of America is always growing and changing. Concepts, wording, and graphics that were once used in the past, would certainly NOT be acceptable in today’s ever-changing world.