Basil, my Brompton bicycle, and I took a quick tour around Williamstown, Massachusetts when we first arrived, not pausing, I’m afraid, to identify the buildings we encountered.
This, however, is the First Congregational Church. There may be a law requiring one First Congregational Church in every New England town.
I admit to preferring the classic church and steeple to this creation, which looks a lot like a cross between a California mission and something gothic-gone-wrong. Variety is good, though; I like variety.
Turrets are a recurring theme in Williamstown architecture; though there’s less ivy than you might think. The ivy is a treat for the eye, but death on walls. Still, a college must have some, whether the school is technically Ivy League or not.
If you want something approximating New England Gothic, that’s here, too. The lines are a bit cleaner, and the ornamentation more sparse, than on similar structures in Europe. Also: no gargoyles.
Is modern art just not my thing? The structures scattered next to the Williams College Museum of Art did not thrill me, even though I’m rather pre-disposed to love metal.
I’m afraid these just seem creepy to me. Nestling a single eyeball in the landscape doesn’t help a bit. (NSA, are you calling me?) These pieces seem too whimsical to me to make a serious statement about being observed, and too aggressive to claim that isn’t the goal.
This sign amused me, so Basil and I attempted to stop in to pick up a comestible, only to discover that the business had closed up.
A sign in the window said that there had been a store there for 168 years, but now the space is empty. In fact, there were empty store fronts all along Spring Street. Were some seasonal casualties? Or do even the students shop elsewhere when they’re here?