The Mississippi Delta 36: Highway MS 12 and Hollandale

After you have enjoyed the "big city" of Belzoni, Mississippi Route 12 heads almost due west across the flat delta farm fields towards Hollandale. At first, the scene was a bit dull, consisting of corn and cotton fields. But the industrial-looking silos caught my eye and became more and more interesting.

Silos, MS 12 west of Belzoni (Kodak Panatomic-X film, Fuji GW690II camera, yellow filter)

Silos, MS 12 west of Belzoni (Panatomic-X film)

The light was harsh, but it rewarded with shadows and patterns on the corrugated siding.

Unused elevator/silo, Sunflower River Road at MS 12, Isola (Panatomic-X film, orange filter)

Poison ivy farm, unused silo complex

This tall unused agglomeration of machinery, concrete, and rusted steel was close to the Sunflower River bridge on Sunflower River Road. While I had my tripod set up, a farmer pulled up in his pickup truck and asked me if I was buying the structure. Hmmm....

Silo, MS 12 east of Hollandale (Fuji Acros film, Leica IIIC, 5cm ƒ/2 Summitar lens, yellow-green filter; note light leak in shutter curtain)

Hollandale is a small town on US 61, the "Blues Highway." I wrote about Hollandale before in The Mississippi Delta 14. By the time I reached town, I did not have much time to explore before heading home. I had forgotten that I had photographed in Hollandale before but then recognized the buildings in the main commercial strip.

Lounge on East Ave., Hollandale (Fuji Acros film, Leica IIIC, 5cm ƒ/2 Summitar lens, yellow filter, 1/200 ƒ/8)

Former gas station and child care center (?), East Ave., Hollandale

East Avenue runs north-south and eventually connect with US 61 south of town. These two buildings caught my eye, and I took a few quick photographs with my Leica IIIC. It was beastly hot and there was no one about outside.

Dead tree in corn fields off US 61, Anguilla (Fuji Acros film, 5 cm ƒ/2 Summitar lens, yellow filter)

This poor old tree near Anguilla had stood proud and tall for who knows how many years, but finally succumbed (I am sure) to lightning. 

This was a rewarding day of exploring despite the heat. It was a nice way to get out and photograph during the semi-shutdown caused by the Covid virus. Standby for future articles on the Mississippi Delta. 

If you like photographs of grain elevators, look at the superb large format film work by the Canadian photographer, Jan Normandale, titled "Wooden Elevators."