Blackout at Red and White, 1981

This was taken during a power failure our town of Norris City had in 1981. I remember it happened at night and when I went out to take some pictures of the event, for possible use in the local newspapers, everybody else was out driving around as well. Our town is like that when something big happens. It was shot on Kodak Tri-X, because that was what all the papers in the area liked to use, so I always kept some on hand as well.

 

I'd also like to point out, for those that may remember the old days here, 1981 was when Norris City still had 3 supermarkets, several gas stations, a Shopper's Center and a Ben Franklin dime store, an automotive parts store, a Western Auto, a cleaners, a watch store, a barber, two funeral homes, two restaurants, a bank, a motel and even a used car lot! Nowadays, some "religious" organization has bought out the downtown area and all that remains in our town of 1100 people is 1 grocery store, 2 convenience stores and two tiny restaurants - nothing else remains from the old days. We do have a Dollar General Store, though. Other than that, though, this town is all but a ghost town.

 

I've read that if you go back further than 1974 when I moved here, Norris City had a railroad station, a movie theater, a skating rink, 3 hotels and goodness knows how many other types of stores. That was back in the 1940's into the early 1970's, when coal and oil was booming in these parts. But, then - the population was actually 1100 back then, so that probably explains it.

 

Is the world really becoming a better place to live?

 

Camera: Minolta XD11

Lens: Minolta MD Rokkor-X 50mm, f/1.2

Film: Kodak Tri-X, 400 ASA black and white film

Flash: Minolta Auto 200X

Date: 1981

Location: Norris City, Illinois, U.S.A.

Done