![]() While Gila Bend currently is not an active volcanic region complete with lava flows, on certain days. The town's name derives from the nearby great bend of the Gila River as its dry bed bows around large granitic outcroppings rising above basalt flats that allude to the regions' volcanic past (Figure 1). The barren physical setting of Gila Bend imparts an austere feeling. This, then, is the story of Gila Bend, Arizona, on the road somewhere else. Gila Bend has a history of mini booms and busts, a stark, bone-dry physical landscape, and a population who have employed a coping strategy for the tough life here by transforming economic insecurity into social stability. ![]() Continuing a long tradition in cultural geography (Sauer 1925 Meinig 1979 Marsh 1987), I describe landscape change in a neglected place, a small town bypassed and nearly forgotten. ARIZONA, nestled in a curve of the Colorado River at the conflux of the now dry Gila River has changed slowly over the years. Through time, Gila Bend has teetered on the brink of extinction, yet it manages to survive despite a severe climate and a depressed local economy. Cities such as Parker and Bullhead City attract migrants by extolling the virtues of the dry, warm climate other places, however, cannot recount such tales of growth. Elsewhere in Arizona, some small towns grow and develop when they attract retirees who flee colder climes in the northern United States and Canada. In Arizona, large centers such as Phoenix and Mesa developed a green, cosmopolitan feeling the desert poses as a scenic backdrop, but one not often engaged. Promotional materials printed to attract capital growth to the desert southwest highlight the mild winters and number of sunny days. Photo Courtesy of TripAdvisor. For example, the federal government has granted large sums for massive reclamation projects groundwater pumping at rapid rates feeds thirsty faucets and lawns non-native plant species compete with desert-adapted flora and cooling technology has been applied to make life in the desert bearable. The Space Age Lodge in Gila Bend is the only one rmaining with the originally intended appearance. Whether it is power generation, hazardous waste recycling, or a large prison population, Gila Bend's backyard is open for business.Īnglo settlement in the desert Southwest has been marked by numerous attempts to soften the harshness of a foreboding environment. Gila Bend accepts the unwanted economic activities that bolster the growth in the region. While this town may seem to be bypassed on many different levels within a region of intense growth, this is a place that uses its derelict landscape and poor economy in a strategic way. His work has been exhibited in Museums and Public Galleries around England and he has participated in Art Fairs around the world and his work is now part of many international collections.Gila Bend, Arizona, is a locale abounding with dichotomies: lying on a well-defined transportation corridor, it has rarely been a destination it is a complex place as it continually redefines itself through time due to large economic swings, but its residents extol a grounded vision of quick fixes the town is located in Maricopa County, which is rapidly growing in both population and economic output, but the town has been plagued by population stagnation and economic decline it is situated in the midst of the arid Sonoran Desert, yet by regional standards, it has plenty of water. ![]() He runs his own darkrooms in Cambridge (UK) where he hand prints his colour photography. His distinctive style pushes the limits of lens-based photography without the need for digital manipulation. Richard Heeps’ seductive, highly saturated colours and sophisticated pictorial structures demonstrate a true love and empathy for his subject matter – be it cool, descriptive interiors, still life, portrait or landscape. Get in touch to request a consolidated shipping price when purchasing with other pieces. This piece looks great paired with Heeps' other pictures the same size. It is signed and numbered on reverse and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. This artwork is a limited edition of 25, gloss photographic print, dry-mounted to aluminium, it is presented in a museum board white window mount and a choice of black or white box frame. Following closely the great bend of the rivei however, added many miles to any journey. Photograph by Richard Heeps from his Dream in Colour series, looking like a painting rather than a photograph. station in 1858 to the construction of the Space Age Lodge in 1963, the development of Gila Bend has been closely tied to its location.1 Because water is a vital necessity in the arid West, travelers along the Gila seldom ventured far from the rivers banks. Now featuring Karaoke Friday and Saturday nights. Googie sign porn at its finest, the iconic and memorable Space Age Lodge, in Gila Bend, Arizona. Iconic Space Age themed Restaurant serving American style diner food.
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