Antique Archaeology - a photo on Flickriver

            The "American Pickers" were just starting to garner national attention when I stopped by their original (and at the time, only) shop for a few photos on the evening of July 23, 2011 after attending Train Fest in Rock Island.  The "Pickers Car" is a 1950 Nash Statesman Super.

"Memories"
This image is being submitted as part of the #Flickr21 Photo Challenge, celebrating Flickr's 21st anniversary on February 10, 2025.  The theme for the 12th day of the 21 day photo challenge is "Memories."  There are lots of possibilities for this theme.  One could state that every photograph is a memory.  After all, the overarching purpose of photography is to capture a moment in time.  By extension, one could argue that Flickr's entire purpose is a repository for memories.  But now is not the time to fall down the existentialism rabbit hole.

I chose this image for the "Memories" theme for what it represents.  Not only does "American Pickers" function as a show preserving the past, but the show itself is has been on long enough (15 years as of this writing) that it is full of memories in and of itself.  Not only that, but the show is on a channel that is all about history (well, it was; I don't know how much aliens and swamp hunters have to do with history, but I digress).

But even more than that are MY memories attached to this image.  Train Festival 2011 was my first time visiting the Quad Cities area by myself.  It was my first encounter with many steam locomotives that I has since seen operate many times since.  It was my first time meeting railfans that I would later count as friends.  It was my first time seeing the original "American Pickers" store.  And this trip was the beginning of a multi-month whirlwind that would (until 2024) be the busiest of my life; two days later I would be on a plane to Los Angeles for my first ever work trip, and a week after that, I'd be in Salt Lake City.  So I have lots of memories tied to this image, and it is probably my favorite image taken during this time and remains one of my favorite images ever taken to this day.  I even have a large format print of this on metallic paper hanging on my wall.

Taken in: United States / Iowa / Le Claire (show map)

Taken on: July 23, 2011

Tags:

Antique Archaeology

American Pickers

Old Car

LeClaire

Iowa

Antiques

Mike Wolfe

Frank Fritz

Quad

Cities

Nash

Statesman Super

1950

1950 Nash Statesman Super

Quad Cities

Historical

History

Television

TV Series

#Flickr21Challenge

#Flickr+Memories

#Memories

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Sets appears in: • Abandoned • Automobiles more » • Old Cars • Photographic Explorations • Photographic Favorites « less

Groups appears in: • Classic/collectable cars and motorcycles • Rusty Abandoned Cars more » • Art of Classic Cars (DETAIL SHOTS ONLY!) • planes, trains and automobiles • Transportation • Quad Cities • Fading America • Transport In The Frame • Abandoned, Neglected, Weathered, or Rusty • Rot Squad • Life Thru A Lens • Cars from the Past: Classic Cars • The decayed and the abandoned • Abandoned Beauties • Mission Abandoned • Cars: Rusty & Abandoned • Old Car's-Trucks (Any Year) • Car Art - Wheeled Art opted out of 30/60 • PLANET EARTH BACK IN THE DAY • Across the USA • Geotagged: Iowa • Old Car City Composition Workshop • I know where you are • Sign of the Times (All Types of Signs) • 1,000 Views Unlimited 1000 • 2,000 Views Unlimited 2000 • 1,500 Views Unlimited 1500 • And now... for something completely different… • Flickr Explore It • THE IMAGINATIVE CAMERA • Caught My Eyes • EYE-Photo Magazine • Classic and Modern Cars, Trucks, Buses, Trams and Trains worldw • group for car pics (opted out 30/60 rule) • * P E R I F E R I A - P H O T O * • Rust Glorious Rust • Life Through A Hole • Rust n' Dust • ALL AMERICAS • Abandoned, Derelict, Ruins • The best photographs from around the world. • THERE IS NO LIMIT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CREATION • Post Anything You Like. No 30/60 • Heritage Transport • Old Cars, Old American Pickup trucks (No 30/60 limit) • Welcome To The Machine • no person • * no limits, just quality photography! • 1500 views plus • 21 Day Flickr Birthday Photo Challenge « less

Camera: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi, f/5.0, 1/50 sec, 51mm, ISO 800 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Aperture:	f/5.0
Exposure Time:	0.02 sec (1/50)
Focal Length:	51mm
ISO:	800
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Shutter speed priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.4 (Windows)
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