Perusing the Antique Mall on west Main Avenue in Bismarck (yes, that’s right – we have no “Main Street”) I came across this box of 8 track tapes. I wonder how many people reading this never experienced the “joy” of this playback system and its associated idiosyncrasies.

For instance, when an 8 track tape deck “changed tracks” it was so cool, almost like random access (in a seventies kind of way) – unless it had to do so in the middle of your favorite song. Then of course was the fact that the tape heads didn’t always align themselves properly with the tape, leading people to wedge a matchbook or something under the tape to “shim it” into position.

While the 8 track collection in our family consisted of smash hits from Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, Tom T. Hall, Johnny Horton, and the like, this bin contains albums from a slightly different genre. I couldn’t help but dive straight for a big ol’ batch of stereotypical humor as a result.

As a photographer, I’m intrigued by the Antique Mall – and perhaps you will be too, if you haven’t visited already. There are old cameras, old toys, and a ton of vintage postcards as well. Some of them reveal some very intriguing and little-known facts about North Dakota! I invite you to pay them a visit. In some cases you’ll find things that are jaw-droppingly cool, and in others you’ll get a little chuckle like I did.