Vicks Corner | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard
If you're at all familiar with Okoboji, you know where Vicks Corner is. Although I have no idea who Vick is, this building is a landmark that has been a part of the Okoboji area as long as I can remember. A gas station, garage, bait shop and grocery store. It was a "convenience store" long before they started calling them that.
It also reminds me of other corners around here. My favorites are Perkins Corner and the Million Dollar Corner. Perkins Corner is near Hull and the once thriving town of Perkins. My Grandpa and Grandma Vander Stelt lived there for a time as a couple of newlyweds. Perkins is not much more than a few houses these days. The Million Dollar Corner is two miles north of Maurice at the intersection of highways 75 and 10. It was dubbed that because it cost the then astronomical amount back in the day when they built the intersection. Also the home of a gas station and cafe which had the same name.
What corners have special meaning to you?
Inquire about purchasing Vicks Corner
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog by googling perkins corner iowa. My husband and I just bought the corner (the one that was the gas station years ago) a couple of weeks ago. I was googling it to see how our new perkins corner website was showing up in the google rankings.
Do you have any perkins corner paintings? Just curious.
Ruth
Ruth,
ReplyDeleteNo Perkins Corner paintings at this time, but don't rule it out as a possibility. Thanks for visiting.
John
Hello John, Thought this might be of interest, wrote it down last night. Looking for an image to go with it I came across your fine painting. Sounds like we have been plowing some of the same ground so to speak.
ReplyDeleteVick's corner memories, Christmas day, 2011
Wonderful Christmas eve last night with Rose and our 11 year old Granddaughter Kayla. This morning, feeling drawn to the old family farm, Kayla and I headed west on Hwy. 9.
As we approached perhaps the last old fashioned gas station in our area Kayla called out for a potty break, on the brakes I nearly overshot the entrance but was able to make the west one and so looped around and pulled in.
Judging the place by it's looks could have been 1940. With pleasure I noted six well fed cats lounging in front a young black and white one, back arched, engrossed in mock play with a leaf.
The sun shown brightly on them as I marveled at their pose and simple beauty. It was clear they belonged, felt no guilt in being.
With Kayla back in the car I pointed them out,in no hurry we watched a bit.
In leaving we broke into grins as we rolled past the open garage door and spied several additional little kittens playing.
Back at home I found this. http://johnvanderstelt.blogspot.com/2009/08/vicks-corner.html [blogspot.com]
Hope my minds eye can keep the image sharp, no wish to see it fade soon.
Roy Gage
Estherville, Iowa,
Roy, thanks for your reflections on your recent stop at Vick's Corner. Great writing.
ReplyDelete