This lovely sign reveals more about its location than you might first suspect.
The most obvious is the use of the name 'Joseph'. It is not a restroom only for people named Joseph. Instead, it is located in the lobby of a Lutheran church. The corresponding women's room is aptly named 'Mary'. The Lutherans clearly have a sense of humor.
The second detail that I appreciate is the design of the sign. (I tell my Art Appreciation students that context adds so much more to one's understanding of an image.) I took this photo in the lobby of St Elizabeth Lutheran Church in Ekalaka, Montana, population 363. The church was the best location with the technology and size for the yearly Dino Dig event. What I specifically noticed was the sign's material - pierced black metal. Despite its isolation and size, Ekalaka featured a number of signs, and other outdoor art of the same material, and style. Together they signaled unity and pride in the identity of this small Western community. Simple, sturdy, designed to withstand the rigors of the environment, the pieces, including this one, make a statement about the people of Ekalaka.
In the weekend we spent in this town in SE Montana, Robert and I were moved by the small town feel of community, openness and connection to both its past and future. The centerpiece of the community is the Carter County Museum, supported by a county mill levy and the passionate crew of young scientists and historians as well as the citizens themselves. The town has put resources into updating the schools (the only ones in this county of 1100) and rebuilding a grocery lost to a fire, not only mourning its shrinking population but determined to be clear-sighted and hopeful to its future.
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