Wicks Park
by Kris Rasmusson
Title
Wicks Park
Artist
Kris Rasmusson
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Wicks Park was officially opened in 1976 and named after former Saugatuck Village president Frank Wicks. Born in 1883 Wicks was both a civil servant and entrepreneur who owned a cab company as well as two of the town�s more iconic lodges, the Maplewood Hotel and Wickwood Bed and Breakfast. It could be said that Frank Wicks saved Saugatuck. The land was a riverfront used for steamboat commerce when it came up for sale in the 20�s. The locals were given first chance to buy the property but couldn�t come up with the asking price of $3200 ($36000 in 2012 dollars). Businessmen were poised to grab the land if the locals couldn�t find the money. Frank Wicks shelled out the money from his personal savings account. The village paid him back over a period of many years and with no interest. Today the park is annually visited by thousands who come to stroll the riverfront, enjoy a picnic lunch, or just ogle the incredible yachts that sail up the channel to dock in Saugatuck Harbor. The park is also a destination for gay and lesbian tourists from Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Grand Rapids who come to a town which is often referred to as the Provincetown of the Midwest. In 1997 I was experimenting with the very exotic and problematic Pyro film developer which, when properly done awards the darkroom photographer with a very fine grain and silky tonality. I was looking for a nighttime scene to challenge both myself and the Pyro film developer. Wicks Park, after a gentle September, rain fit the bill. For the shot I used Tmax 400 film and my trusty Linhof Technica view camera on Gitzo tripod. An eight second exposure gave the weeping willow branches, gently blowing in the breeze, an etheric look.
Uploaded
December 2nd, 2012
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