I spend a lot of time just wandering around looking at things. I take pictures of a lot of them because they are interesting. Most of them are flowers and critters, and end up over at the Cernunnos Foundation website. On the other hand, while I was going through a bunch of old pics, I noticed I take a lot of pictures of structures that I find interesting. Most of them are victorian era homes, bridges, and statues (from classical to odd) Based on that I decided to include a section here at the Blue Ribbon Team just for that type of thing. If you enjoy them, poke around some more. If not…. My bad.
- Oldfields in Newfields
The Greenhouse and All the Rest Oldfields is usually introduced as a house. Sometimes it is framed as an estate. Sometimes as an art museum adjunct. Occasionally it - The AI Water Panic Is Misplaced
The Real Problem—and the Regenerative Fix No One Is Talking About Every new data center proposal seems to arrive with the same headline: “AI is using too much - The City of Johnstown Firefighters Memorial Bridge
Franklin Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania It’s tempting—especially if you’ve spent any time around modern infrastructure manuals—to describe the Franklin Street Bridge as a basic bridge. A steel truss. One - Constraint Is the Engine
Why Artificial Intelligence Needs Friction to Think Clearly (Hint: We all do.) The most reliable way to improve thinking—human or artificial—is not to make it smoother. It is - Steel, Stone, Survival, and the St. John Gualbert Cathedral
St. John Gualbert Cathedral and the Architecture of Flood City One of the great, underappreciated truths about Johnstown is that it is a city told through its churches. - Steel on a Slope
How Roads Were Shaped Before Roads Were Guaranteed On a grassy rise, two machines sit in quiet alignment: an Oliver Cletrac HG crawler tractor and a horse-drawn road - The Kress Home
A Queen Anne Landmark on Ninth Street Hill Seen from the street, the Kress Home presents itself as a study in confidence, complexity, and deliberate display. It sits - What This Country Owes the Working Class
And That Means Everyone Name’s Philip Randolph Wright. Mister Wright if we are doing buisiness. This country owes the working class. That’s not politics. That’s a ledger. Every - Bidets, Clicks, and the Difference Between Laughing and Buying
This is a straightforward article about bidets, online behavior, and money. Not a joke. Not an ad disguised as humor. An explanation, a case study, and a clear - The Mansard on Vine Street
At 510 Vine Street in Johnstown, there is a building that does not quite belong to its surroundings—and that is exactly why it matters. In a city built - Open Source the Future: Why Food, Water, and Healthcare Knowledge Must Belong to Everyone
Open the Knowledge or Admit the System Is a Lie Capitalism, regulated trade, markets—fine.I’m not here to argue against exchange or incentive. Capitalism is very good at moving - Portland Mansion in Greek Revival
The Charles Q. Clapp House and the Limits of Greek Revival The Charles Q. Clapp House stands as a well-preserved example of mid-19th-century Greek Revival domestic architecture, and - Johnstown City Hall
If you want to understand Johnstown in one stop—its grief, its grit, and its insistence on being a real city again—you walk to the northeast corner of Main - Labor Creates All Wealth
My name’s Phil Wright. Mister Wright if we are doing business. I’ve been around a long time. Long enough to hear every trick word folks use when they - Union County Courthouse, Indiana
A Monument to the Age When We Built to Last If you want to understand Indiana—really understand it—don’t start with the highways or the cornfields. Start with the - Rideout Fountain — Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Set slightly off the main flow of Golden Gate Park’s Music Concourse, the Rideout Fountain is the kind of public artwork that doesn’t announce itself so much as - BACK TO THE GARDEN (OR SOMETHING LIKE IT)
Grammina used to say the Garden story wasn’t about snakes or shame or any of the usual Sunday-school furniture. “It’s about ease, child,” she’d mutter, rocking slow, eyes - Honor the hours and the hands that taught you.
Name’s Phil Wright.Mister Wright, if you’re on the clock. I once had a young fella on a jobsite who worked like his life depended on it. Strong kid. - Peck–Congdon House
ManMade: The Italianate That Refuses To Apologize A Blue Ribbon Team Feature on the Peck–Congdon House (and Why We Need Buildings Like This Again) There’s a particular kind - DESIGN PHILOSOPHY RANT
“I Am an Edge Species.” People ask me what niche I fill.What role I play.What “space” Bright Meadow Group occupies in the consulting world. Here’s the truth: I - Rule No. 3 — Keep the Name You Sign Clean
The name is PR Wright, Mr Wright if we are doing business. Folks like to treat the world of work as if it’s a set of separate boxes - What Happens When We Stop Starving Our Artists
A Long-Form Thought Experiment About AI, Creativity, and the Case for Universal Basic Income There’s a moment every artist knows, whether they say it out loud or not: - Quirky Public Art and the Places That Grow It
There are towns where public art feels like it fell out of a grant application — stainless steel, vaguely geometric, installed by a committee that never once looked - THE RIVER OF WASTE:
Why America Must Stop Throwing Away Its Industrial Future Lead Article in the River Refugium Project Series We’re Looking at the Mississippi All Wrong Every year, the news - Introducing the River Refugium Project
A Bright Meadow Group overview Every once in a while, a project grows large enough that you have to step back, take a breath, and admit that it’s - The William Quinnell House:
A Study in Quiet Showmanship Some homes don’t shout. They perform—gracefully, confidently, with the kind of stage presence that comes from good bones and better intentions.The William Quinnell - Respect Is the First Safety Rule.
THE WRIGHT WAY, VOL. 1 Name’s Phil Wright.Mister Wright if we are doing business. My daddy used to tell me a man can forget his lunch or forget - When Homes Had Faces
Miss Ordinary takes a walk through a neighborhood that remembers how to smile — and wonders when we stopped letting houses have a little fun. I took the - Thought Experiment: The Capacitance Grid
Thought Experiment: The Capacitance Grid We often celebrate solar panels and wind turbines as the heroes of clean energy. And they are—but they come with a hidden challenge. - Before It Changes: A Walk Through Johnstown’s Central Park
Words and photos by Robb Smith There’s a kind of luck in cloudy light.It softens edges, dulls the glare, and lets details speak for themselves. When I walked - The Henderson Bridge
A River Spanned Twice The Ohio River crossing at Henderson, Kentucky, tells a story of ambition that had to be built twice to be believed. The first bridge - Pittsburgh PA Skyline
I have always been amused by panoramic shots. The obvious reason is how much of a horizon you can capture. The more accurate reason is that I like - Nativism and Immigration
Us and them. We do it in every level of our life. Us and them. What makes up each category? In your home? Neighborhood? Job? Sports team? City? - DePew Memorial Fountain
Depew Memorial Fountain: The Heart of University Park, Indianapolis In the bustling heart of downtown Indianapolis, nestled within the historic University Park, stands the Depew Memorial Fountain, an - Fighting back against DOGE
American’s institutions are under attack! Across the United States, Americans are witnessing the devastating consequences of an unprecedented attack on the vital institutions and services upon which their - THE Standpipe
Last time I was up in Maine, we did a little exploring around the historic neighborhoods of Bangor. This of course turned into a half assed tour of - REAL PROBLEMS
Brownfinger: The Silent Epidemic Lurking in Your Bathroom (And Why a Bidet is Your Only Hope for Redemption) Introduction: A Dirty Little Secret Every society has its dirty - The Strength of Mutual Support
Applying Bill Mollison’s Teachings to OUR Struggle One of the greatest myths of modern civilization is the idea of self-sufficiency in isolation. The lone wolf, the rugged individualist—these - City-States for a Modern America
Reimagining State Borders Around Population Centers to Fix Representation I. Introduction: A Call for a New Kind of State II. The Current Problem: Representation in Crisis III. The - The 2nd Empire Mansion
A Grand Second Empire Mansion in Bangor, Maine Nestled among the lush greenery of Bangor, Maine, this exquisite Second Empire mansion stands as a testament to the grandeur - Training Ai to benefit us.
The Next Big Step: How We Can Shape the Future of Intelligence Introduction For a long time, people have tried to understand their place in history. We look - The Eiteljorg Museum
This building is special for what it contains….but as far as architecture goes. Its ok. That is a terrible thing to say too, because the reason it is - A Well Crafted Craftsman
Considering home architecture, I seldom am attracted to Craftsman homes. I do not dislike them. They are usually well built and most have some interesting features…but especially when - Roadside town done right.
Casey, Illinois, is a small Midwestern town with a population of just over 2,700 people, but it punches well above its weight in charm, creativity, and community spirit. - Lilly Sewage Company?
What If Eli Lilly Took Over Sewage Treatment in Indianapolis? Indianapolis has a problem—a problem shared by many cities but compounded by its industrial backbone. The White River - Did the USA just elect an Emperor?
I want to open with the obvious. I am not advocating this one way or the other. This is a thought experiment that resulted from me watching the - Flush Away Costs: Why Bidets Are the Smart Landlord’s Plumbing Solution
The Situation: High Maintenance Costs Due to Plumbing Issues Residential landlords often grapple with the hidden cost of plumbing maintenance. Whether your properties are on city sewage systems - The DePauw House
One of the things I like about Second Empire homes is that they have their own thing. I started to call it a flair of their own. But - The Soldiers and Sailors Monument.
This may be the worst image of the Indianapolis Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the circle downtown ever taken. Which is why I used it. I hate that - 101 reasons to Bidet your Butt
Here’s a no-nonsense list of 101 benefits of using a bidet over not using one: We hope cleaner butt for number one is enough, but… Hibbent Attachable Bidet - Siddhartha Gotama Buddha at the Tea Garden
It is said that this particular representation of THE Buddha has short hair to signify him shearing his Princely locks and renouncing his royalty as a Gotama to - The Indiana State House
Located on the west side of downtown Indianapolis, the Indiana State House is as imposing and magnificent as government building are supposed to be. Even with the construction - A Victorian dream in periwinkle
That’s a shade of blue guys. But since I started out with proper language… This house is a quintessential example of Queen Anne Victorian architecture, characterized by its - The Roebling Suspension Bridge
Before I made the decision to document things and share them here, I probably crossed this bridge a dozen times. It always caught my eye…but just pretty in - Notre-Dame Cathedral in Covington, Kentucky?
St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption It has been a minute since I took the time to publish anything on Blue Ribbon Team. It took a real - Stephen King’s Gothic Mansion
Even if the most prolific horror writer of the 20th century never stepped foot in this home, it would be a remarkable example of a Gothic Revival Victorian - The Sentinel Pine Bridge
Because the focus of Man Made is the beauty and awe of engineering, a lot of what we put up either harvests nature…or it shoves nature aside entirely. - The Pepin Mansion
I may have mentioned once or twice that I have an affection for the Italianate variation of Victorian Era homes. This one is about as perfect an example - Victory Field
If you love the aesthetics and tradition of baseball, you will be hard pressed to find a better overall experience (even in the Major Leagues) than visiting this - Fountain Square
On the Southeast side of Indianapolis, you will find Fountain Square. An old neighborhood, that is full of character and has a variety of charms. Those charms haven’t - A Moon Bridge
While not a bridge to the actually moon, you will be actually over the moon when you stand in the garden and see its reflection makes a near - Alcatraz
Not everything man makes is positive. But I am focused on impressive more than good and evil here. For the record, caging our fellow man in isolation instead - Saint Mary Catholic Church
When we talk about significant landmarks in Indianapolis, IN; 317 North New Jersey Street in Historic Lockerbie Square has to be mentioned. The St Mary Catholic church is - Statue of Pan
So I am sitting on a friends porch waiting for him to get home one day and I look over to see this statue. Its Pan. For the - Lucas Oil Stadium
Home of the Indianapolis Colts! Seen from the corner of South Street and Capitol Avenue, Lucas Oil Stadium is a sight to behold. 272 feet high makes for - Dream Home in the wild.
Sometimes when you are on another mission, you run across a house in the wild that just makes you say wow. This is one I wish I knew - Indianapolis Arts Garden
When Indianapolis made the ill fated but not so surprising move to single handedly bring back malls by attempting to hop on the coat tails of the “Mall - Depauw Nature Park
The Welcome Center Tower What is the significance of this tower? Just that I like it. It isn’t that old. It doesn’t represent some famous architectural style….or at - Indianapolis Public Library Central Branch
One of the old treasures in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana is the Central Branch of the Indianapolis Library. A beautiful building housing 293,000 square foot of ideas. The original - Paul Bunyon Statue
When we are talking bout things that are man made, a lot of the time my focus is on the engineering skill sets and effort it took to - Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada and the American Falls Every time I see something about Niagara Falls, it seems like the story is all about a wedding, how pretty - The Athenaeum
One of my favorite buildings in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. This cultural center is built in the German Renaissance style and sits off the once again famous Mass Ave - The Flume Covered Bridge
There is no doubt that we build bridges now that are safer and stronger than we used to. Material strength alone makes it so. But for what we - Say what you do and do what you say.
Remington’s Virtually Indestructible Foil Shaver 5100 is a masterclass in saying what they do and doing what they say. 3 Years ago, I bought a series of shavers - The Stagecoach
Not something I am particularly drawn to, but while travelling in New Hampshire, I ran across this stage coach. It got me to thinking about how slow design - San Francisco from the Bay
The amount of engineering it took to construct the contents of this picture is astounding. From the Oakland Bridge on the left, across north shore and what is - The Soldiers and Sailors Monument
The Circle One of several that make Indianapolis the Circle City. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown Indianapolis is an iconic landmark and a significant memorial dedicated - Samuel Kidder Whiting House
One of my favorite styles of home construction is the 2nd Empire style of Victorian architecture. I don’t know what it is about the shape of the roof, - Murat Shrine
As far as pretty buildings in downtown Indianapolis go, this one is always near the top of a list. Usually its the list of different or interesting structures… - Peter Coffin’s “Pirate”
Aesthetically, Pirates are awesome. I mean everything about their image is very well crafted by fiction writers, visual artists, and historians alike. This statue is no different. A - A fairy door
With just an earlier glimpse of this page, it would be possible to infer that the only man made items I found significant were of great beauty, engineering - The Sandy Creek Covered Bridge
While we don’t think about them much unless we are using them, bridges are an engineering feat that is at the very cornerstone of modern life. I would - The Scottish Rite Cathedral
One of the things you will notice about the more attractive architecture in downtown Indianapolis is that most of it is in very old Churches and Masonic Temples. - Lady Victory Tee Shirt
Embrace your Indianapolis pride with our exclusive Tee Shirt featuring a stunning portrayal of Lady Liberty atop the iconic Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Circle. Rendered by - New York City Skyline
When we talk about impressive feats of human engineering, sometimes it is about the elegance of design and sometimes its about grand accomplishments. In the case of New - Indy skyline from the east.
One of my biggest beefs with the world is the fact that the east side gets no love from the world….not even east side residents. So lets have - Kaman H-43B-KA Huskie
Interesting puts it mildly when I look at this contraption. We ran across it while exploring the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. While a great portion - The Benjamin Harrison Home
A local favorite for grade school field trips and historical buffs alike, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the former home of the 23rd - More from the New Albany Culbertsons
A bit of a hybrid of Victorian architecture styles, Culbertson Mansion West is a historic mansion built for Samuel Culbertson, a prominent figure in the late 19th-century Louisville, - Indiana Repertory Theatre
As for Indianapolis landmarks, few are as beautiful as the facade of the Indiana Repertory Theatre. Unfortunately it has been treated like most of the great architecture of - Buddhist Statue
Who doesn’t appreciate a public statue. They are one of the great thing humans make. This one is located at a temple park on the east side of - The Second Empire in New Albany Indiana
The Culbertson Mansion, located in New Albany, Indiana, stands as a testament to the grandeur and prosperity of the Gilded Age in America. This magnificent architectural gem, now - Union Station
It has been a long time since you could really see Union Station and get a good photo. Downtown has grown to the point of crowding in some - The Golden Gate Bridge
Its not very often that you get a clear view of the Golden Gate Bridge from pier side, but she is something to behold when you do. This - An old iron bridge and a repurposed mill
While travelling in the northeast there was no shortage of interesting buildings surrounded by beautiful scenery. This site provided a trifecta for my eyes by tossing in an - A citizen of no mean city.
Since I first saw these words I have been taken by them. And by taken, I mean I was fooled. Haha. They do mean what they sound like. - Italianate Mansion
I ran across this beauty while strolling around Portland, Maine. I love Victorian homes in general, and Italianates are probably my favorite. Although a proper Queen Anne will - Cahokia
A special Earth Day edition of Man Made. I thought for earth day it would be nice to remember that men used to build great cities in a - West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
The West Quoddy Head Lighthouse may be one of the most photographed light houses in the world. This is exceptionally odd, because it is fairly remote, being at - A peaky yellow house with widows walks
For the first Victorian home, and the first Man Made post on Blue Ribbon Team; I am starting with this pointy yellow house with lots of white fencing,