Field Notes No. 1

Field Notes No. 1

Nostalgia and new beginnings

Have you ever had the feeling of nostalgia hit you like a truck? That’s what I experienced in June of 2025 when visiting the Ness County Bank building. I’ve been there before. Many times. But this time was different.

Maybe it was the fact that my parents and grandparents are gone now. Maybe it was the old Pentax K1000 35mm film camera, the same model I learned photography with when I was a junior at Ness City High School. Or maybe, this time, I was actually listening to what the building was trying to say.

I walked in the front door to the usual bustle and excitement that surrounds the Ness County Old Settlers Reunion, and I remembered my mom and my grandmother working the registration desk, handing out name tags with ribbons designating how long ago you lived in the county. I saw faces that looked so familiar, but I couldn’t quite grasp the names from my memory. I saw the beautiful main floor fireplace that has always seemed like such a rich piece of history.

And then I heard the main floor vault door whispering to me.

Step inside. Look closer. What’s behind the door? See these etchings? No one does this anymore. Did you notice my alarm speakers? Most people don’t know what those are. And look at my vault floors. Solid limestone. I still keep things safe around here. Look at all the finishing touches all around me. The door knobs, the strike plates, window shades, and my mother-of-pearl light switch buttons.

And did I mention I’m built from Kansas limestone? By Ness County Kansas artisans? Have I told you about the generations I’ve welcomed, or the celebrations I’ve witnessed?

I have a lot to say.

I am the Skyscraper of the Plains.

I am a limestone legend.

And I want you to tell my stories.

That was a powerful moment. The first of many I’m sure to experience here.

You see, after my first visit with the building on that hot June day, I ran my ideas past a few close friends just to see if they thought I was crazy. They liked the idea and put me in touch with the Ness County Bank Building Foundation president, Brent Kerr. The board of directors liked the idea as well, but by that time my crazy fall portrait rush had begun, and the Skyscraper would have to wait a little longer.

In November of 2025, I did a brief walkthrough of the building to capture some quick cellphone video and formulate a plan of sorts. From there, I planned my January return and the kickoff to the largest personal project I’ve ever taken on.

This is only the beginning of this journey, and I’m sure there will be twists, turns, and forks in the road. But right now my sights are set on completing a beautifully bound coffee table book of images and the history of the Ness County Bank Building, along with a collection of fine art images that depict the quiet beauty and strength of our Skyscraper of the Plains.