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dmercer.bsky.social
dmercer.bsky.social
@dmercer.bsky.social
3.3K followers 650 following 23K posts
Look up and stay curious. Mostly architecture.
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dmercer.bsky.social
Nice neon
Neon sign with trapezoidal shapes in black and chartreuse advertising the Dairyland Motel in neon. There is a chartreuse arrow pointing to the right that says "In Rear," also in neon.
November 22, 2025 at 12:09 AM
dmercer.bsky.social
Wallpaper in the Red Rooster Cafe, Mineral Point, Wisconsin. I might need this for my kitchen.
Photo of a section of wallpaper featuring detailed ink drawings of chickens looking alarmed, with red flowers and foliage in the background
November 21, 2025 at 11:40 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
Sublime brickwork on former fire department engine house at 1242-44 N. Wells, Chicago.
Two-story dark orange brick building that used to be an engine house for the fire department. It has a flat roof with brick dentils and another pattern that looks like a line of Legos. There are three arched window openings on the third floor with smooth stone window hoods, each with a giant keystone. In between the keystones are two large stone circles. Dividing the first and second floors is another row of brick Legos. Below that is a large arched opening that I assume was for the fire engine and, to the left of that, a tall narrow arched opening for a pedestrian door with a window above it. On either side of the doors are inset narrow rectangles with rounded corners (is it a rectangle if it has rounded corners?) and in each of those is a brick diamond. Two of the diamonds hold electric lights at the moment.
November 21, 2025 at 8:17 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
Don't tell me that you didn't read this as "turd."
Snippet from the New York Times about a cranberry curd tart with photo of some cranberries and a very delicious looking tart.
November 21, 2025 at 6:47 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
#FormerTavernFriday 3336 S. Lituanica, Chicago
Two-story red brick building with a gable roof. The wide eaves on the front are supported by paired brackets and decorated with dentiling. The windows on the second floor have stone lintels and sills. The brick on the first floor has been painted gray and a large area of glass block replaces whatever windows were there before.
November 21, 2025 at 1:44 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
On the road in Wisconsin
Black and white photo of two leafless trees snuggling together on the edge of a corn field.
November 20, 2025 at 10:04 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
Former First National Bank, Mineral Point, Wisconsin. 1906-07. wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Prop...
DESIGNED IN THE RICHARDSONIAN ROMANESQUE STYLE, THIS TWO AND A HALF-STORY BANK BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED FROM 1906 TO 1907 BY THE GENERAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF MILWAUKEE. (SEE BIB. REF. A). THE STRUCTURE FEATURES A RECTANGULAR SHAPED PLAN CONFIGURATION, A STONE FOUNDATION, SANDSTONE EXTERIOR WALLS, LAKE SUPERIOR RED STONE TRIM, AND A TILE-LINED GABLE ROOF. INTERSECTING WITH THE MAIN ROOF ARE GABLED DORMERS. RECTANGULAR SHAPED WINDOWS WITH STRAIGHT LINTELS APPEAR IN THESE DORMERS AND IN THE ATTIC STORY OF THE OPEN GABLE ENDS. LARGE, ROUND ARCHED OPENINGS DISTINGUISH NOT ONLY THE WINDOWS ON THE FIRST AND SECOND STORY, BUT ALSO ON THE FRONT ENTRANCE. THE SECOND-STORY WINDOWS ON THE FRONT ELEVATION ARE ALIGNED TO FORM AN ARCADE, WHILE THOSE ON THE EAST ELEVATION ARE ALIGNED IN PAIRED GROUPINGS. A TRANSOM WINDOW AND SIDELIGHTS ARE CONTAINED WITHIN THE FEDERAL-STYLED DOORWAY. (Wisconsin Historical Society)
November 20, 2025 at 3:17 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
George W. Cobb House, Mineral Point, Wisconsin, 1855
THIS TWO-STORY HOUSE FEATURES A RECTANGULAR SHAPED PLAN CONFIGURATION, A STONE FOUNDATION, A BRICK EXTERIOR, A WOOD TRIM AND AN ASPHALT SHINGLED, GABLE ROOF. THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE IS PATTERNED IN THE GOTHIC REVIVAL STYLE, WHICH IS APPARENT IN SOME OF THE ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS, SUCH AS THE STEEPLY PITCHED MAIN ROOF. THIS ROOF IS INTERSECTED IN THE FRONT BY AN EQUALLY STEEP, CROSS GABLED ROOF. AN ELABORATE BARGEBOARD WITH A GABLE PENDANT APPEARS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THIS CROSS GABLE. DIRECTLY BELOW THE CROSS GABLE IS A DETAILED FRONT PORCH. IT HAS A FLAT ROOF SUPPORTED BY SQUARED POSTS, WHICH REST UPON FILLED-IN RAILINGS. DECORATIVE BRACKETS AND EVENLY DISTRIBUTED PENDANTS FURTHER EMBELLISH THIS PORCH. SHELTERED BY THE PORCH IS A ROUND ARCHED, MAIN ENTRANCE, DISTINGUISHED BY DOUBLE DOORS AND A FANLIGHT. PROMINENT LINTELS AND SILLS ARE PRESENT ON THE WINDOWS OF THE FACADE. A BAY WINDOW APPEARS AT THE SOUTH FACE. (Wisconsin Historical Society)
November 20, 2025 at 1:14 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
W.H. and Annie Curry House, Mineral Point, Wisconsin, 1868
THIS ONE AND A HALF-STORY, GOTHIC REVIVAL HOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1868. IT FEATURES A RECTANGULAR SHAPED PLAN CONFIGURATION, A STONE FOUNDATION, STONE EXTERIOR WALLS AND TRIM, AND A TIN COVERED, GABLE ROOF. DECORATIVE BARGEBOARDS AND WOODEN BRACKETS ADORN THE EAVE-LINE ALL ALONG THE DWELLING. SEGMETAL ARCHES DISTINGUISH THE WINDOWS ON THE FACDE, AND STONE LINTELS CONFORM TO THE SHAPE OF THESE ARCHES. THE FRONT ENTRANCE, ALSO SEGMENTALLY ARCHED, IS DESIGNED WITH A FANLIGHT AND SIDELIGHTS. A LARGE, TWO-SIDED PORCH IS SUPPORTED BY SHORT, TUSCAN COLUMNS ON MASONRY BASES. THE RESIDENCE IS IN GOOD CONDITION. (Wisconsin Historical Society)
November 20, 2025 at 1:12 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
334 High St., Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Built in 1867. wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Prop...
THIS ONE STORY HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1867. IT FEATURES A RECTANGULAR SHAPED PLAN CONFIGURATION, A STONE FOUNDATION, A BRICK EXTERIOR, A WOOD AND STONE TRIM, AND AN ASPHALT SHINGLED, FLAT ROOF. A SLIGHT PARAPET WITH ANGULAR BRICKS APPEARS ON THE FACADE, AND STONE COPING APPEARS ALL ALONG THE BUILDING. STONE SILLS AND LINTELS DISTINGUISH THE ONE-OVER-ONE WINDOWS. A FRONT PORTICO - DETAILED WITH TURNED POSTS, SPINDLES AND DENTIL TRIM - SHELTERS THE MAIN ENTRANCE. AN ETCHED GLASS WINDOW ADORNS THE FRONT DOOR. THE RESIDENCE IS IN GOOD CONDITION. (Wisconsin Historical Society)
November 20, 2025 at 1:08 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
The world's most tragic cookie jar
White ceramic cook jar in the shape of a teddy bear. The bear has a depressed expression, probably because someone put a dot of red paint in its belly button. The eyes are wide open and have long, creepy eyelashes. I would not put my cookies in something this disturbing.
November 19, 2025 at 10:47 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
Stone bench with acorns, Mineral Point, Wisconsin
Stone bench with legs and arm rests carved to resemble tree branches. Two carved acorns sit on their caps on either side of the backrest.
November 19, 2025 at 9:15 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
Let's all break stuff and stick it to our houses! nicksgrandview.com
Concrete wall decorated with broken china, small toys, a lightbulb, and other miscellaneous objects. Concrete wall decorated with broken china, small toys, the rear end of a porcelain horse, and other miscellaneous objects. Concrete wall decorated with broken china, broken glass, a fish, and other miscellaneous objects. Concrete wall decorated with broken china, shells, coins, and other miscellaneous objects.
November 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
Hollandale, Wisconsin, prism glass and a Viking
Two-story red brick storefront building with three panels of purple prism glass separating the first and second floors. The top story has a stone epigraph reading "Morgan 1910." There are light brick corbels across the tops, and quoins of light brick down each side. Four windows have window hoods of the same light brick. The first floor, below the prism glass is boarded up with vertical boards painted light gray. Someone has painted blue and purple flowers right at street level and an angry Viking on the door, which is set back in the center of the building.
November 19, 2025 at 1:44 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
Greetings from Wisconsin!
Whimsical sculpture of an organ grinder with a flat cap and a large mustache, and his monkey, who is wearing a shirt, pants, and a hat. The organ is made of clay (I think) studded with pieces of colored glass arranged to look like flowers and leaves.
November 18, 2025 at 9:59 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
1870s Chicago worker's cottage on S. Bell Avenue
One-and-a-half-story brick worker's cottage with a gable roof. The main entrance is accessed via a dozen concrete steps on the left side of the house. There is also an entrance under the stairs to rooms on the lower level. The windows and door have eyebrow-like stone window hoods, painted white. There is also a small arched window in the point of the gable with it's own eyebrow. The eaves project out from the front of the house and are supported by pairs of wooden brackets separated by dentilling.
November 18, 2025 at 3:23 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
#TurretTuesday Pilsen, Chicago, 1887
Three-story red brick Second Empire-style building on a 25' x 80' lot. The mansard roof has four dormers and three chimneys poking out of it on the long side. There is an elaborate turret on the corner of the second and third floors. Either made of pressed metal or wood, the turret is lavishly decorated with foliage, flowers, swags, swirls, dots, and a massive bracketed cornice that extends to the front of the building. The roof of the turret in an angular cone (if there is such a thing) with the top snipped off. There are round portholes at the base of the turret roof.
November 18, 2025 at 12:48 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
932 S. Leavitt, Chicago. Built ca. 1889. Who else thinks that front door looks old?
Two-story red brick multi-family building. Much of it is in need of restoration, but the half of the facade on the left side is glorious. The windows are bordered by rusticated limestone in a short-long-short pattern. There is beautiful stained glass above both the first and second floor windows. And above the second floor is an arched panel of red terra cotta foliage and possibly lilies. The front door, to the right, is partly in shadows, but it appears to be quite old. It is heavy wood with decorative wood trim.
November 17, 2025 at 11:53 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
32nd Place, Bridgeport, Chicago
Part of a wall covered in posters saying such things as: Immigrants Welcome, Eat the Rich, Melt Ice, Fuck Ice, and No Human is Illegal.
November 17, 2025 at 10:01 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
Demolishing the last section of the Damen Silos in Chicago
November 17, 2025 at 6:57 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
#ManholeCoverMonday Oak Park, Illinois. Is there a difference between sewage and sewerage?
Manhole cover with a rusty patina set into a round, concrete, flat-domed object. The manhole cover says "H. J. Mohr & Sons Co., Oak Park, Ill" and in the center the word "Sewerage." it has a sort of waffle-like pattern across the surface.
November 17, 2025 at 12:57 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
It's Sunday. Here's a church. 4300 block of West Walton, Chicago
Orange brick 2-flat building with the first floor converted into St. James Church of God in Christ. The brick on the church level is covered with tan and brown narrow horizontal stone. There is a cross in the window to the left of the entrance. The orange brick on the second floor has some nice brown brick trim and a couple of stone accents.
November 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
I sort of drew a bur oak acorn. Gave it a bit of a haircut, though.
Pencil sketch of a bur oak acorn, with shaggy cap, smooth body, and pointed tip Color photo of an actual bur oak acorn, light brown in color.
November 16, 2025 at 7:36 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
1000 and 1100 blocks of N. Hoyne, Chicago
Three-story stone front residence is a mansard roof (I think) that has a triangular pediment on the front. The front porch and the balcony above it are supported by stone columns. the balustrade on the balcony is solid stone decorated with swirls. Two second floor windows are topped with stone shell designs. On the left side of the house, the windows bay out on the first and second floors. Two-story yellow brick home with a stone foundation, stone columns on the porch, stone trim between the first and second floor windows, and a stone keystone on the arched second floor window. The most stunning feature is the triangular pediment, perhaps made of wood. It is painted dark gray, supported by brackets, and decorated with swirls, curlicues, dentils, circles, dots, and more. Two-story red brick residence with a flat roof adorned with another remarkable pediment, although I'm not sure I'm a fan of the dark gray paint. The main body of the house is rectangular with a small porch entrance jutting from the right side with a hipped roof and supported by brick and stone columns. The most striking features are the pediment and cornice, decorated with brackets, stylized foliage, and a thing on the top left that looks like a torch topped with a fancy lampshade. @ladytophamcatt, I need you here. Hulking two-story residence with a rusticated stone front. Chunky stone columns support the arch over the entryway and the arched first floor windows. There is a balcony on the second floor right, above the entrance, and above that is an arched dormer with a green patina and including a round and a rectangular window. On the left side above the second floor windows, is a small balcony below a stone pediment.
November 16, 2025 at 3:47 PM
dmercer.bsky.social
715-717 N. Paulina, Chicago, ca. 1890
Three-story red brick symmetrical 6-flat. The entrance is in the center trhough an arched brick opening with a stone keystone. Above the entrance are two narrow vertical windows and two arched windows with rough stone in between them At top center is a fantastic pressed metal arched pediment, decorated with a jolly face in the center, curlicues, garland, flowers, and pillars on each side with pointed finials. The right and lefts sides of the building are identical. The first floor sindows are arched with rough stone quoins bordering them. The second and third floors have rectangular oriel windows or pressed metal, painted white.
November 16, 2025 at 1:58 PM