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This is the “main drag” through Red Cloud, known as
Black Hawk in My Antonia. This is HWY 281, which also runs through Aberdeen.
I have often thought that one could get on 281 at the Canadian
border and take it all the way down to McAllen, TX and write a book about
everything you see. Evidently
no one else thinks that is a good idea. |
| Here is the Burlington Northern depot
in Red Cloud, which is where Jim Burton first sees Antonia.
I didn’t have the heart to tell these ladies that they were about
50 years late for the noon train. |
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Here is the childhood home of Wila
Cather. Unfortunately they
don’t let you take pictures inside, otherwise you might see a picture of
me banging my head on the low attic ceiling.
Note the white picket fence. There
is nothing more fun than white washing a fence. |
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This is the actual home of Annie Pavilka, on whom the character of
Antonia Shimerda is based. I don’t know that it is legal, but you can go
inside the house. On the possibility that it is illegal, let me note for
the record that I never went inside.
Nope, not me. Never.
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Forgive the indulgence, but
this shows the door to the Pavilka cellar.
In the novel, Antonia, now Antonia Cuzak, shows off this cellar to
Jim. I think it is cool that
it actually exists. I also
take it to be a metaphor for where my career is going. |
Northern State University