Field Notes
Field Notes: Combined Trash and Recycling Containers
Winnipeg, Manitoba, 2017. Vineland has this combined trash and recycling container has district branding on it. Downside is the pebble finish is a bit dated and the flat lid shows staining from extensive use. Visited in 2019. Asheville, North Carolina, 2014. Wawa, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 2025. Wawa, Newark, Delaware, 2025. Ferndale, Michigan, 2026. Ferndale, Michigan, 2026. … Read more
Field Notes: Wayfinding Signage
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, 2013. Clearly visible to vehicular travelers including at a height that can easily be viewed by trucks and more importantly tour busses. Gatlinburg, Tennessee, 2013. Store directory with guidance to the Riverwalk. The framing is probably the most impressive part of this with some carefully crafted molding features. Concord, New Hampshire, 2022. Providence, … Read more
Main Street Now – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2025)
My Main Street Now conference started a day before the conference officially got in Philadelphia. A visit of two new colleagues to Princeton reminded me of why I’ve spent more than half my life and the last 17 years as a Main Street leader. Evan leads a national nonprofit that takes vacant storefronts and converts … Read more
Color & Light Festival – Asbury Park, New Jerseys
We arrived early – well before the announced start time at 730pm. As the crowd filtered in things were orderly. Volunteers shared a qr code with links to a festival map and schedule. Walking around the building before the show i commented on the pegasus with sea tail. We found our spot up close and … Read more
2024 Discover Central New Jersey Tourism Conference – Princeton, New Jersey
The meeting focused on promoting Central Jersey tourism, emphasizing agritourism, heritage tourism, and ecotourism as key pillars. Attendees discussed strategies to boost leisure travel, address uneven post-pandemic recovery, and prepare for the U.S. Semiquincentennial in 2026. Jamie Volkert from Mercer County Tourism gave an overview of county actions including developing interactive websites, launching a passport … Read more
Ford’s Theatre – Washington, DC
One of the most famous sites of 19th century American history, this theater was built in 1863 by John Ford. On the night of April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln during the performance of Our American Cousin. This was the last theatrical performance in the building until 1968. Lincoln was taken … Read more
Rain Garden – Hopewell, New Jersey
Rain water flows to storm drains that connect to area lakes and rivers. Along the way, stormwater runoff collects litter and chemical pollutants from lawns, sidewalks, rooftops and streets. Eventually, that polluted runoff flows into our drinking water sources. Stormwater from hard surfaces also contributes to flooding and erosion. Special gardens called “green infrastructure” can … Read more
Muhlenberg College – Muhlenberg, Pennsylvania (2025)
The John A. W. Haas College Center serves as the administrative heart and chief architectural landmark of Muhlenberg College. Erected in 1929, the historic structure originally served as the university’s main library before undergoing an expansive interior adaptive reuse project. The building is a premier example of Gothic Revival architecture, characterized by its limestone masonry, … Read more