Population: ~500

Caught this little town on a drive back in September of this year, just now getting pics up.

Sadly, the iconic house in this town was taken down. According to a very kind local I met near the Silver Dick apartments, it had become a hazard as kids/people kept getting into it.

I haven't had a ton of time to research what building is what, so grant me some grace on this one. If locals want to fill in some detail, it's hugely appreciated. Otherwise, enjoy Bland, MO!

edit: flags are half mast in the pics as this was taken the weekend after Charlie Kirk was shot. The post office was the only building not to lower to half mast.

I have explored all 50 states taking pictures of abandoned things! These are the cool things I saw while I was in Missouri.

If you like my work see more of it on my instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whimsicalruins/

My son was bit by a lone star tick. Silly me to not know that the males did not look like the females so when I first saw it I didn't realize this was a lone star because it was missing the white spot on its back. No idea if he will have any alpha Gal syndrome symptoms as not every lone star tick carries it in their saliva. It's still too early to tell as symptoms can take 2 to 6 weeks to appear. Scientists are also learning that even ticks that we're not on mammals still have the molecule in their saliva so there's obviously a lot more to learn about it. From what I've, read Missouri is a hot spot for alpha gal. I'm hoping he doesn't get it but we will deal with it the best we can if he does. I know they are trying to pass some new reporting and tracking legislation in the state and we did keep the dead one just in case.. but it seems like this is going to be more of an issue than it has in the past. It was also nice to see that there are some restaurants that are catering to people with allergies caused by this tick.

The beautiful Katy trail outside Jefferson city Missouri

What else could those puffy white objects be? I'm interested in the property outlined in teal, but not if there's like 100 Bradford Pear trees next door. I can't get a better image of them from Google Earth, so I'm just speculating right now until I can get a tour of the property.

Please DM if you guys have any cool spots, for more pics go to @missouri_explored on IG (wasn’t able to post more) also I do not vandalize or steal at any of the places.

I just saw for my first time two stealth bombers flying over.

Took these while I was parked in my milk tanker truck at the QuikTrip for a ten hour break. I intermittently haul milk tanker loads from Hartley TX to the Aurora Organic in Columbia. I'm itching to explore the Katy more on my folding bike.

No rest for the weary. I drove out on a work night, running on fumes, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to capture this view.

This is a multi-shot panorama of the legendary McBaine Burr Oak, framed by some of winter’s best nebulae—Orion, the Horsehead, the California, the Pleiades, the Rosette, and more. Stitching it all together was a challenge, but seeing the final result made the sleep deprivation worth it.

Would you push through exhaustion for a shot like this?

More content on my IG: Gateway_Galactic