
I spent a really long weekend in Ames, Iowa, visiting family. We aren’t from Iowa, but my brother and mother now live there. My brother graduated from Iowa State University (ISU) and never left. A few years ago, when my mother needed to be closer to family, we moved her from Pittsburgh to Iowa. So, it’s pretty easy to visit both of them, as well as my niece and her husband, with one flight.
My brother is a good sport, doesn’t mind driving, and is familiar with the phenomenon that is Thursday Doors.
Thursday Doors, if you’re not familiar, is a weekly tribute to doors around the world, organized and supported by Norm Frampton. How does it work? I’m glad you asked. Take your one flight over to Norm’s place. Oooh and Aaaaah over his doors – they’re always awesome. Then, look for the blue button with the frog on it. That’s right, blue button, frog. Press that button and you will be invited to add your door to the collection. If you don’t have a door photo, you can substitute a painting, a poem, a description or just about anything that seems like a door. If you don’t have any of those things, you can still see all the other doors.

As for me, I have photos of doors. I have photos of a lot of doors. What I don’t have is a lot of time to prepare this post. So, I’m going to share some doors today, including the ones behind that photoshopped sign – that’s right, the sign is a hoax – sorry, but I couldn’t resist.
Those doors are on the home of the President of ISU. Pretty nice digs, nice doors and, at least he didn’t release the hounds while I was taking pictures. Actually, my brother told me that, back in the 70s, he was part of a crowd outside this residence, protesting a tuition increase. For you younger folks, I shouldn’t tell you that the tuition increase was probably something like increasing from $600 to $650 a semester.
Another group of doors in the gallery are from State Gym. This building opened in 1913 and was built at the staggering cost of $150,000. It was supposed to be an armory and field house. 1913, is too early for what strikes me as an Art Deco feel. Let me know if you see that, maybe there was a precursor movement we don’t know about.
Across the street from State Gym is the new gym. It was built in the 60s and it looks like it. I’m including it to illustrate why I love buildings that were build when form and function were important.
I also included doors from the Chemistry Building. My undergraduate degree is in chemistry, so I liked seeing this building.
I’ve tried to describe the doors as best I can in the captions. I hope you enjoy today’s doors.
Love the art deco door and the three humans, but most of all I love your fixed sign. It should be the official Thursday Doors banner. :D
LikeLiked by 6 people
Ha ha – thanks. It was at the right point to get the photo I needed in order to make the edits.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Genius….
LikeLike
Nice, Thanks for sharing doors of the University. Those stairs would be a good exercise routine at lunch time…up the stairs, down the stairs, up the stairs, down…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Mary. When I was a little kid, I would have run those stairs in circles. The exercisers today are over in the gym on stair-masters and treadmills.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not a fan of the treadmill…would much rather walk outside or take the stairs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had a boss who used the stair machine but took the elevator at work. He said “real stairs aren’t exercise”
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ummm…okay. Let’s not tell him about functional exercise, shall we?
LikeLiked by 1 person
hmmm – this must be the same logic used by people at my gym who routinely use the elevator in the gym to get some one floor to the next. It makes me insane.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If it isn’t on s machine, it doesn’t count. It is crazy.
LikeLike
I know. I watch people take the elevator to go up one flight to where the treadmills are. People are weird.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loved the sign and the photos Dan!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! In a perfect world, the sign would be real.
LikeLike
Nice academic door shots from a good visit with family. :-) I LOVE the storage building and the sign. Thanks for the smile.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Judy. That storage building is one of my favorite doors. I should have made my brother stop but I had been driving him nuts with “stop” “go back” and “oh, that was a nice door”
LikeLike
The school prez lives really nice, doesn’t he? I always love walking a college campus…. But the winner is that sign. What a hoot! I think I heard Norm chuckling. Good one, Dan.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lois. Yeah, the prez is livin’ large, so I figured he could take a little joke. Besides, I’m sure he’s used to it. I do like visiting campuses, particularly to see the older buildings.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That storage building door is my fave of the bunch, but that sign…oh man I’m still chuckling :-D
Well done Dan.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Norm. The storage building is a clear favorite. It’s funny that we like what is probably the least expensive door on campus. I’m glad you enjoyed the sign. I thought about adding an official disclaimer under it, something like “bail is not part of the agreement” – but…
LikeLiked by 1 person
:-D
LikeLike
Really like the doors at the chemistry building. I’ve always heard lovely things about Iowa. But I get conflicting info about the temperature — from not bad at all to horribly cold… Thanks for letting us visit with you. Have a thriving Thursday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Teagan. I have a soft spot for any chemistry building. Re: the temp. my brother has always said: “we have four seasons, June, July, August and winter” but it was quite mild this visit. They do get very cold, they do get very hot in the summer and theycan get a bunch of snow. They also get tornadoes, and the town floods because it’s so flat that a little water goes a long way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The French were employing what they called Style Moderne as early as 1868. It got the name Art Deco later. So — good eye, as always! Wow, what beautiful buildings! I love those track doors; I’ll bet they make a lovely rumble-rumble when they slide open or closed. And the sign is brilliant!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you SO MUCH for that style insight, Marian! I had no idea. That really made me smile.
I love the track doors. I have one on my workshop, which I will feature once my garage is refurbished. Even when the track was brand new, it had a nice rumble to it.
LikeLike
I agree, it does look moderne :) Thanks for the insight!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Phew – I’m glad my two experts agree. Thanks, both of you for helping me figure this out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, well, I still think it looks new, but I’m sure you’re right if there are others about. Maybe it’s all been recently ‘cleaned.’
Or maybe I should put on my glasses. :P
LikeLiked by 1 person
The building did look like it had been recently cleaned. Maybe that’s it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want those people to move their car, too. Ugh, to be practical instead of properly setting the shot, what were they thinking?!?
Love the chemistry doors — those are spectacular door specimens.
Before art deco, there was art nouveau, but I must agree, the staggered arch aspect looks more art deco than nouveau, cause it sure doesn’t look nouveau, and I believe that arch is new, even if it looks old. Just my doorpinion. Not a fan of the white replacement, either.
Also, Iowa looks more autumnal than here, and I am jealous. Why is our fall so late, Dan? What’s it even doing?!?
Anyway, great doors all around! :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Joey. I don’t know about the arch being new. I have photos of several entrances, so unless they redid them all, it’s original. Also the windows all have an arch. I’ll ask my brother if there’s a way to get a historic photo of the building.
See Marian’s comment (above) about the style. In any case, I think I was close and I’m giving myself an extra M&M cookie – I already ate it, so…
Iowa was further along in autumn than we are too! Not sure what’s going on. However, when I got back, I managed to find some nice color here in CT. I have to work that into a post soon, because the leaves are falling fast.
And yeah, buddy, move your car. Don’t you know there are door-o-philes out there?
Sheesh, some people.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Marian’s comment is very helpful. If you come across more M&M cookies, I think you should give her one!
Fall splendor better show up soon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will do (cookie). I hope you get your colors soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the house and shed at the fire training center are really hot. :-) Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Must have been the influence of the doctored sigh (which I would do in a second.) Lovely Midwestern doors, Dan
janet
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Janet. You’re not the only punster among my loyal readers – I love the humor, so keep them coming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always enjoy a good pun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your photoshopped sign is brilliant!
I really like the old chemistry building doors, and the state gym’s staircase, and door. It does look art deco to me too. The house the fire dept occasionally sets fire to is pretty neat looking. It’s located in a pretty setting too.
I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to ask a driver to move their car.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Deborah.The chemistry building caught my eye for multiple reasons, but the house and “shed” at the fire training site are actually my favorites in this group. And yes, we should have the authority to ask people to move away from the door :)
LikeLike
Enjoyed more of the Iowa campus, Dan. I guess if the firefighters flunk a training test, there will be no more building to train on.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Either that or they make them come back nest Saturday to rebuild it. Incentive, you know. Thanks John.
LikeLiked by 1 person
:-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
The architectural detailing around the doors of the Chemistry building is gorgeous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally agree. I want to do a post about the people whose names are inscribed at the top. Classics.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Somehow I always end up reading your posts at 3 am. Weird. Anyways, I loved the State Gym stairway. We don’t have tall buildings like in the States, but I have at one time climbed up 16 floors because the elevator was busy. I also usually take stairs and not the escalator to keep my stamina in order.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stairs are great exercise. I love taking stairs. In graduate school, due to slow elevators, I almost always walked down 19-20 flights and at least once a week, I walked up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
During childhood we used to dare friends with stair jumps. It was a timed race where you have climb down 7 to 8 floors in less than 30 seconds. My mother warned me not to try that, but I did once without her knowledge.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We used to do that in school. I got in trouble a few times for doing it on inside stairs where you could hang onto the hand rail as you turned :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I guess now the younger generation plays the same thing on a gaming app. I believe you and I were more adventurous in our days. I mean we both are very young and kicking. Ha ha ha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s quite a selection Dan! The house and shed are my favorites too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Val. There is something about that big sliding door that attracts the eye.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I first saw that “fixed sign” I said no way! LOL What pure genius of you and that sign needs to be the what? mascot (no that’s not right) but you know what I mean, the Central doohickey announcing Thursday Doors. That house of the President is quite the spread and I just have to say must pay good to be a President of a collage. Loved your gallery. And that’s about all I got. I need a little higher octane these days …. geeze this girl is dragging’! Whew!! <3
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Amy. “This girl” is trying to fit a lot into her life these days.
I would guess that the university president does pretty well. Plus, I’m guessing that he lives there rent free. I think that means he can tolerate a few door photographers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would think that is the least he could do, Dan, is tolerate some door photogrprapher. How good of him to share. :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
The sign was a stroke of genius Dan. Kudos!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Joanne. It was fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have a cousin that graduated from here and is somewhere in an undisclosed area being a rocket scientist. Shhhh. Great school.
Loved the weathered red barn/shed with the off set door.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My brother went there for engineering but later changed majors. Great engineering school.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re so dedicated Dan. Another wonderful collection of doors. My favorite? The presodent’s residence. It has a nice poetic ring to it. They are indeed very old buildings. We know what they didn’t spend that extra tuition on. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Cheryl. I like dedicated better than addicted :) The pres does have a nice home. I wish the light had been better for that shot.
LikeLike
Great post! You had me going with that doctored sign and when you explained what you did I crashed ROFLOL! But here’s my suggestion of what you need to do and I hope Norm is listening; print your fantastic sign as a graphic on a business card and on the reverse side your great explanation of what Thursday Doors is about including the frog and post it so we can print it for our get out jail card when we pry into people’s property to shoot their doors!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Thanks. I’m glad you liked this post. I think Norm is working on a badge, but I am thinking of printing something up, because I take other photos as well. I need something with my blog and Flickr site.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was quite a variety of lovely and interesting doors, Dan. It really makes me appreciate the doors community when barns and university buildings are combined together! I loved the one where the driveway to the pretty home of the university President is featured plus the introductory one with beautiful columns or stone framework around the doors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Robin. Universities, as you well know, are good sources of doors. I really liked the shed, with it’s sliding door, and I hope the university president is a good sport. We didn’t turn around in his driveway.
LikeLike
Lovely selection, Dan. I really like the photo of the house at the fire training center. That tree looks like it’s growing through the roof.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jean – it does look like that, I hadn’t noticed that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The framing around the chemistry building doors is really impressive, Dan. That and the bas-relief art by the gym are my favorites. You’re right — it definitely motivates you to work out!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad you liked those two, Paul. I think the stairs to the gym are enough exercise for me :)
LikeLiked by 1 person