Mendocino

Standing on the balcony of our hotel, this is the view. Where the wide open park now sits there used to be homes and businesses. Back in the 19th century one didn’t waste valuable real estate on views.The old pilings have been carved into modern totems, and nature has added it’s own touch by sprouting a plant in the mouth.I love decay, this massive iron chain may have been here for 100 years, but for how much longer?I could have taken pictures of every Victorian house in town, but even I realized that is too much.Water towers are still in use, luckily they get enough rain to fill them, but there is no connection  to a main water supply, so these large tanks still provide for the town. Btw, when we were there, there was water, but the town had been cut off from the internet, we were asked to use cash whenever possible.Some warehouses became parts of homes.And some homes sported wonderful design over the doorway.Who can resist the fire department with it’s old fashioned siren on the roof.This was originally built in 1866 as the Masonic Hall, later to be converted to a bank, still a bank today.This sculpture was carved out of one block of redwood by Eric Albertson, head of the Mendocino lodge. These figures are, the Angel of Death, how appropriate that he has a raven on his scythe. The weeping maiden, the hourglass of transience as well as other Masonic symbol.Speaking of death, the old cemeteries, with the Naked Ladies flowers. These flowers bloom in late summer, after the flowers die, the leaves will grow – hence the name.  Once these bloom, fall is around the corner.An elaborate stele, honoring Sarah wife of John McDonald, she died at 47, he at 82, since they died a year apart, I’m sure she wasn’t his first wife. I didn’t check the other two sides to see if other wives are buried in the same plot.This is a simpler stone, probably from the Azorian/Portuguese settlers.  I do find old cemeteries to be quite fascinating.Back to the living, other early settlers were Chinese, they built this Toaist  Temple, one of the earliest ones in California,  today it is used as a community hall. I looked in the window, it still looks like a Temple. Oh, and those stairs,  very very steep, not up to todays codes.This Church is one of the oldest with a continuous Presbyterian community.The rectors wife offered to show me the inside, but only later in the day. Since we were interested in getting out and hiking in nature, I missed the opportunity. I do enjoy the view through two windows.