Today, I want to start something a little different: present you with a mystery. Not a deep, dark mystery to be sure, but, rather, something from the past that may interest both young and old.
This image is a scan from a slide, that was not taken by me; I came upon a collection of slides that my father-in-law was going to throw out (they were wrapped up neatly in a paper towel with tape marked trash on them).
Luckily, he was nice enough to check and see, if I wanted the containers that they were stored in, so I asked him, if I could have the slides too. He kind of shrugged and said, “Sure”.
This was a couple of years ago and I promptly bought a slide scanner, but never touched them until this week. After getting a new driver for the scanner from the manufacturer in Taiwan, I fired it up last night and let it scan the first 36 slides.
That is when I noticed this slide that I present to you as a mystery. What do you make of it? What is this location? What is its purpose?
Hope you enjoy this little mystery. If you do, I may bring out more slides from this collection. I’m curious to see what all of you can bring to the light.
I think it’s a holiday home for architects. Great idea for your blog. I’ll have to be more creative to keep up with you.
I like your suggestion. Maybe it would be called the Buckminster Fuller Home for Wandering Architects 🙂
Thank you!!
As an architect, I would humbly add that this form would need some windows. Architects too, like natural light and pleasant views! I say that the form is perhaps an alien vessel from a distant galaxy…!!
I defer to your superior architectural skills, as I have never design a bucky-dome, so don’t know where the windows go…
Your guess for this mysterious entity is interesting!!
I would say that is a satellite radio relay station.
Or a satellite tracking station.
We have several in the New England area. The dome protections the antennas from the elements.
Someone knows their communications 🙂
I love mysteries,and architecture, so I’m totally into this!
This is The Telstar Radome,in Andover,Maine. Built in 1961.An identical twin Radome was built in France.The Andover Earth Station was equipped with a giant horn antenna, 7 stories high and weighing 340 tons. To protect it from bad weather, a radome made of Dacron covered the antenna.
You were also smart by mentioning Buckminster Fuller since He’s the one responsible for concept of “Spaceship Earth “& geodesic dome.I have seen many domical structures like this in Kuwait but of different function, more on a reflective skylights.
I’m already looking forward for the next slide!
WOW!! You clearly know your Radomes!! You are spot on with your information.
This slide was shot in 1962, and I loved it right away for its combination of cars from the period and the space-age design, which also reflects some of the design ideas in the cars.
I’ve been a fan of Buckminster Fuller’s work for a long time; architecture, as my good friend George knows, is one of the areas that I truly admire, particularly modern architecture.
Glad you enjoyed it!!
I was hesitant at first, but i followed my gut. This post was really interesting .
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
Already looking forward to Friday mystery slide 🙂
Aahh the pressure! 🙂
That was great that “justbluedutch” knew actually what it was, clearing up the mystery, very interesting had no idea what is was.
You come up with some very nice pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much! Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised by this one, as she even figured the exact location. Smart cookies on the blogosphere!
Yes, love the space look with the cars born the year I was! I think our family took trips in that station wagon. But, I never got to see that site! Looks so similar http://ethw.org/File:ANDOVER_RADOME_1965.JPG
That is the spot! This photo is from its first year in operation. It’s fun looking back this way.