Where I Come From - A Study In Google Image Searches

[sisabet]

I thought about doing that picture meme that is floating around -- but I got stuck at the first google. I mean, what image do I pick to convey the *where* that I grew up? How do I do that? Cause, tzikeh often tells me it is like we grew up in different countries and I'll get on a high horse and insist that this is actually just a matter of class, but right now? Looking at these images and then remembering - "Oh, yeah and there was that time I wanted to grow up to be a cancan dancer at Guntown Mountain and Mom refused to let me go back that summer, even though we missed the showdown and I loved to watch a gunfight" and I realize that, no. Where I grew up - it is plenty freaking weird.






Imagine googling your hometown and finding out that despite the fact that in this town there exists this big freaking amazing thing -- like eighth wonder of the world big -- most of the images I found were pretty focused on just the kitch factor. Like, the motel signs are *big* cause they are the same as they were fifty years ago - which, I think is more a function of poverty than interest in maintaining American Two-lane Highway Heritage but whatever.

When we were teenagers, my best friend ran away from home and stayed at the Star Motel. I was highly impressed with her at the time, and the fact that we were 18 took none of the shine off her act of rebellion.




It was understood that when you run away from home -- the only way to maintain the appropriate air of seediness and desolution was to stay at the Star. You might be tempted to stay at the Wigwam Village, just because they are, well - you would have your own Wigwam -- but you would be wrong. You stay at the Wigwam when you are eloping. Staying in a wigwam alone with your bottle of Boone's Farm is just wrong on many levels. How do you mope in a wigwam? In a wigwam village?

Really - I am just now starting to see the strangeness of my hometown.



(You can't see it here, but right beside the Wigwam Village is the good Dairy Queen. It's on 31 off the interstate, so it is kinda this locals thing).


Also? Every field trip I have ever been on:



This is what the area looks like aboveground:




And this is what it looks like even higher up:




In the end - the place is kind of like me: Strange but pretty in a conventionally nonconventional almost retro but with a side of gravel, way.

Comments

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

I was on a conference call when I read this and it's a good thing I had the mute on when I got to this:

How do you mope in a wigwam? In a wigwam village?

I'm still giggling. I hope they don't ask me to talk soon. Your hometown is very green and pretty, aboveground.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

It is *extremely* green. It takes me a long time to adjust to places that are not extremely, almost aggressively, green.

[falzalot.livejournal.com]

I must've missed this meme, but I'm amazed that you grew up near wigwam village. That's just too... too...

Well, I don't have a word for it, but it's SOMETHING! :->

[barkley.livejournal.com]

What she said.

(And I also feel obliged to provide the rudimentary details of one of my favorite silly jokes. Wigwam! Teepees! "You're just too tense!" )

I'll go now.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

When I was a kid? I was obsessed with where in the wigwams they put the toilets. Even now as an adult - I need to know.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Dude - like a tenth of a mile away from the Wigwam Village is a road named after my great-grandfather (cause...he lived on that road). So, I didn't just grow up near it. I was practically on top of it.

[drdawn.livejournal.com]

Our Grandmother worked at the wax museum and Aunt Elizabeth used to work at the WigWam village---I think in the early 70's but might have been 50-60's.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

The Wax/Wildlife Museaum - right? With the raggedy polar bear?

[drdawn.livejournal.com]

No, not the wildlife one. The wax people one out by the candy shop/factory.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Didn't it burn down?

[bailunrui.livejournal.com]

Wigwam!

*justs like saying that word*

[luminosity]

What meme?

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

superplin did one.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

I love you and your wigwammy hometown and your gravel. Yes I do.

[kaciagemini.livejournal.com]

...somewhere in the universe there exists a picture of me dressed up as a cancan dancer at Guntown Mountain. Complete with gaudily-colored garter belt. I think I was about eight or so. Actually, there's possibly more than one. I felt the need to share that mildly embarrassing fact with the world. :) (Actually, the really embarrassing part is that I find it to be the prettiest picture of me as I child. In fact, now I want to go find it. *scampers away*)

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

The eight year old within me writhes with jealousy over your picture! I *adored* the Cancan dancers and the gunfighters and really everything involved when I was little and for some reason Mom felt the atmosphere was inappropriate for me (possibly because I was so enthralled) so the only time I got to go was when Dad was suckered into it.

But to just prove how much I loved it? I am and have always been deathly afraid of heights. I'd brave the chairlift to go see the Cancan dancers.

[darlingboys.livejournal.com]

When my mom (who is from TN) and dad were married they honeymooned in a Wigwam. I swear I have seen postcards that look very similar to that. Strange huh? Nothing like that up here in Indiana, but I've been to the caves in Kentucky many a time on the way to visiting relatives.

Shel

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

There are only 2 remaining Wigwam villages in the States, still in operation. One is my hometown. The one with all the caves. Caves are key.

[darlingboys.livejournal.com]

My mom grew up in a tiny little house with no running water where the paved road gave way to the gravel road which finally became just kinda a red clay. And damn it was beautiful down there. Gravel roads rock!

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Gravel roads SUCK! Seriously, your car is beat all to hell and is never clean and controlling a car on gravel is difficult (I have fishtailed all over Temple Hill in my youth) and to this day Louie B Nunn is so very popular in that area of the state because he got so very many of those roads paved.

This, of course, is in practice. I can say now, not having to deal with gravel roads on a daily basis, that there is a certain romantacism to the entire thing. But dude - the cold hard reality of a gravel road is just cold hard reality. Transportation and access to rural areas is key to improved economics and healthcare.

[darlingboys.livejournal.com]

Well, they suck in the actual driving sense I'd have to agree. We actually have more that a few gravel roads in the county next to ours (loads more economically depressed) and yes I must admit that I avoid them like the plague. But then I NEVER wash my car! *hubby is ALWAYS on me about that*

I just miss those summers when I was a kid and visiting the grandparents and watching all that lovely scenary from the car window. ::sighs wistfully::

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Timesick! It is like homesick only a million times worse cause there is not visiting! f1renze and I were just talking about this the other day.

[dualbunny.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to express love for that last line. :) And also the Star sign, because I'm a sucker for neon.

[caphricacorn.livejournal.com]

OMG, I STILL LIVE HERE AND NOTHING BESIDES HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION WILL SAVE ME.

[sweetestdrain]

Hey! I was visiting a cousin and her baby in Glasgow earlier today. I was like, right next to your hometown. Actually, I think we passed through it. That's awesome.

Also your comment later in this post: I was obsessed with where in the wigwams they put the toilets.

It's a cone-shaped interior, obviously, but I think they have a bit of the inside wall squared off slightly so they can put the bathroom behind it. A very, very small bathroom. I think. It's been a while since I've stayed there.