Redman's Yarn Emporium

Redman's Yarn Emporium, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

A vintage, faded, partially painted over sign in downtown Streator, Illinois. I imagine this started out as a knitting store and ended up just being a dime store or something, judging from the faded paint covering up "YARN". The store was undergoing a remodel when I walked past, judging from the construction debris in the doorway.

Rockford Mattress Co.

Rockford Mattress Co., a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

A very old, very weathered, de-neon'd neon sign in midtown Rockford. The whole neighborhood is a bit of a rundown faded timewarp-lots of little storefronts and buildings with old bones. Two separate painted signs for Coca Cola and one for Bull Durham Tobacco. And this.

There appears to still be a furniture store in this building, although it wasn't open at the time. I'm surprised they continue to use this old sign. I'd love to have it-I'd paint one side up all shiny and new, and keep the other in it's current state of decay. All new glass, of course.

I also wonder how it got that dent in the side.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet, originally uploaded by William 74.

There is something a little sad about an abandoned car or truck, particularly one that's still in someone's yard. I can't help but wonder why they're in the state they're in. Did it simply wear out? Some sort of catastrophic mechanical problem? And why are they still sitting there-was there a never-realized plan to fix it?

This is an old Chevrolet truck, and I found it on a farm surrounded by a couple of others of similar vintage. All long disused, all rusty, all sinking into the ground.