Old Church
Little Rock, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

White siding, tall windows, and a modest steeple give this Old Church near Little Rock the familiar appearance of a rural meetinghouse. Its simple proportions stand apart from the elaborate brick sanctuaries found downtown, making it a roadside sight worth a closer look.

Wooden churches like this often served as gathering places as well as places of worship. Here, the building's name and construction date have not been established, so its visible features provide the clearest introduction. The narrow windows and straightforward exterior give it an appearance associated with older country churches.

UPDATE: The congregation and present status remain unidentified. This view preserves a modest landmark whose appeal rests in its simple architecture and rural setting. It records the sort of small church that can be easy to overlook while traveling Arkansas' back roads.

Blytheville Greyhound Bus Station
Blytheville, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

Rounded corners and a curved canopy give Blytheville Greyhound Bus Station the appearance of a building designed around movement. Its streamlined exterior and familiar Greyhound identification preserve a distinctive downtown arrival point from the years when bus terminals were important community gateways. 03-08

Designed by Noland Van Powell and built in 1937, the depot served travelers for more than six decades. Its compact Streamline Moderne design reflected Greyhound's effort to make stations recognizable across the country. Following the end of bus operations, a restoration completed in 2010 prepared the building for another public role.

UPDATE: The depot serves as a visitor center, exhibit space, and home to Main Street Blytheville. Events bring additional activity to the restored building. The buses have departed, but the station continues introducing visitors to town beneath its familiar curved canopy. 11-26

First Missionary Baptist Church
Little Rock, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

The neon sign outside First Missionary Baptist Church adds an unusual illuminated welcome to this Little Rock sanctuary. Against the historic brick building, the display provides another reason to look closely at a landmark with deep connections to the city's Black community.

Founded in 1845 by the Reverend Wilson Brown, an enslaved man, the congregation occupies a Gothic Revival sanctuary built in 1882. On April 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered its 118th-anniversary sermon, four months before the March on Washington and his “I Have a Dream” address.

UPDATE: First Missionary Baptist remains active, continuing a history that now stretches beyond 180 years. Its sanctuary and vintage sign preserve a recognizable local landmark, while the congregation's story connects the building to both everyday community life and the broader civil rights movement. 11-26

Atlantic Greyhound Bus Terminal
Savannah, GA
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

The running greyhound above Atlantic Greyhound Bus Terminal gives this Savannah building a recognizable transportation identity. Rounded forms and streamlined detailing make the former depot an appealing reminder of the years when bus companies invested in distinctive downtown architecture.

Opened in 1938, the terminal served passengers until Greyhound relocated in 1965. Its later restoration preserved the building's Art Deco character while adapting the interior for dining. Restaurateur Johno Morisano and chef Mashama Bailey developed The Grey here, connecting a historic travel setting with a new gathering place.

UPDATE: The restored terminal continues operating as The Grey restaurant. Its familiar signage and exterior retain the depot's earlier identity, even as diners replace departing passengers. The conversion kept one of Savannah's distinctive transportation buildings useful without stripping away the features that made it memorable. 11-26

U.S.S. Kidd Museum
Baton Rouge, LA
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

It's not every day you spot a World War II destroyer sitting along the Mississippi River. The USS KIDD Veterans Museum in Baton Rouge gives you that chance, with the famous Fletcher-class destroyer towering above the riverfront.

Commissioned in 1943, the USS Kidd is one of the last surviving Fletcher-class destroyers and remains preserved in its World War II configuration. The ship has welcomed visitors in Baton Rouge since 1983, giving generations a chance to explore life aboard a wartime naval vessel. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-07

Movie fans may recognize the destroyer from the 2020 Tom Hanks film Greyhound, where it served as one of the principal filming locations.

UPDATE: The museum remains open, but the USS Kidd is currently away from Baton Rouge while awaiting the right Mississippi River conditions to return from a major restoration project. 07-26

St. Charles Streetcars
New Orleans, LA
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

If you're spending any time in New Orleans, sooner or later one of the green St. Charles Streetcars will come rolling by. They've become as much a part of the city as the oak trees and wrought-iron balconies lining St. Charles Avenue.

The line dates back to 1835, making it the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world. The cars themselves were built in the early 1920s, and many are still carrying passengers more than a century later.

Whether you're riding one or simply watching it rumble down the tracks, it's one of those classic New Orleans scenes that's hard to pass up with a camera. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-07

UPDATE: The St. Charles Streetcar Line continues carrying passengers through New Orleans using its fleet of historic green streetcars. 07-26

U.S. Courthouse
Lafayette, LA
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Driving through Lafayette, it's hard not to do a double take when you spot the giant faces outside the John M. Shaw United States Courthouse. At first glance they almost look like oversized heads sitting on the sidewalk, keeping watch over everyone walking past.

The sculptures are called Urns of Justice and were installed in 1999 as part of the courthouse's public art program. Their blindfolded faces are a modern take on the familiar image of Lady Justice, although they certainly get your attention in a different way.

Whether you find them impressive or a little strange, they're the kind of roadside surprise that makes you stop for a closer look before moving on. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-07

UPDATE: The courthouse remains in active federal use, and the Urns of Justice sculptures still greet visitors outside. 07-26

Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad
Aberdeen, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad has been around since 1892 and is currently operating as a shortline. Here's an old depot fittingly found in Aberdeen, NC. More information can be found here.

Here's the old Union Station Depot in Aberdeen, home to the Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad Museum. The Victorian depot and the bright red caboose parked beside the tracks make this an easy stop for anyone with an interest in trains. While passenger trains no longer stop here, the old depot has found a second life preserving the history of the railroad that helped put Aberdeen on the map.

If you're passing through town, it's worth taking a few minutes to look around. You might even catch one of the Aberdeen and Rockfish freight trains rolling by. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-07

UPDATE: The depot continues to operate as the Union Station Railroad Museum, while the Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad remains an active shortline. 07-26