The last time I was there was in 1995, so I wouldn't be able to give you an up to date description. It was always immaculately landscaped and everything was perfect. No buildings needed the paint retouched, no weeds in the flower beds. It was I think originally 142 acres. It was the farm that belonged to the Wierwille family. TWI added a big building that looks like a giant pole barn called the outreach services center, for offices, printing and publishing etc, and on the other side of the road was a patch of woods, behind which is the Way Corps Chalet/President's Home discussed here on another thread. There are a lot of features, but what goes on there is not as pretty as it seems. Kind of like a hand painted Havilland Limoges porcelain chamber pot, IMO.
A couple of years ago, I did pretty much what you did... on the way from 'point A' to 'point B' I did a drive-by. But then I got down the road a bit and thought, I've got my camera with me, and there are some spots I never got pics of, I'm going to get them now. So, I turned around and took shots of the back of the OSC, the Sugar Shack, Adolph's, and the Carpenter's Shop. It was early on a Saturday, so no one was around.
I took the pics for the sake of the history of my life. But, like you, I was struck by my lack of emotion about the place. I was amazed that I once felt such highs and such lows there. That it had once meant so very much to me. It's beautiful to the eye, yes. But so very spiritually empty. And now that I know that, I could see it and feel it, too.
It was sad, but revealing, too. I'm glad I did it. It was like saying "goodbye".
No not a quick get away. I was in no hurry whatsoever. In fact I was quite relaxed. My friend was somewhat anxious, however, if I recall. You might be quite surprised who he was. We had a great afternoon.
No not a quick get away. I was in no hurry whatsoever. In fact I was quite relaxed. My friend was somewhat anxious, however, if I recall. You might be quite surprised who he was. We had a great afternoon.
So how long were you and Craig on grounds that afternoon?
WG, I've only been to NK once and that was the last year I was involved, 2004. It was extremely anti-climatic to me. The place was absolutely beautiful, but the buildings are definitely very old and everthing was so sterile. We weren't allowed to look around and we didn't see much of the grounds or buildings at all. The only buildings we were allowed in were the auditorium, the cafeteria and the warehouse where we all changed clothes en masse.
I certainly didn't want to touch anything and I got the feeling that the little "quiet rooms" we saw were never used. Even in the auditorium and the cafeteria, when they were filled with people, it felt empty, hollow and like I was in Stepford World.
The place was lifeless, cold, sterile - not warm, loving, comfortable, welcoming at all. It was rather disappointing after hearing everyone gush about the place. The hamburgers weren't even that good.
I was glad to have finally seen the place with my own two eyes, but didn't feel like we really "saw" any of it. It was like being in a museum where you're not allowed to get close to anything and are continually shuffled along so that you're not in one place very long.
I think that experience was a convincing moment for me that I was definitely doing the right thing by trying to leave TWI. I'm glad it has no tug on your heart strings anymore. :)
It wasn't like that when I was young, in the early 70's. The old Outreach Center, BRC, was there, VPW's home, and the barn and other ordinary farm outbuildings. You could pretty much wander at will. The woods were cool and nice, The area around the creek they called the River Jordan was nice. It really felt like some farm in the Ohio countryside.
There were trailers out back for the WC to live in, stacked like sardines (WC, not the trailers). The only reproof I ever got ws when I cut across the lawn and Johnny T. politely asked me to use the sidewalk.
But this didn't last long. More buildings, more rules, more paranoia that someone might meander into some area that was not supposed to be public knowledge.
It wasn't much fun after that. And I was especially bothered my last few visits by the "safety" vehicles driving around and the very serious looking guards in front of the stockade gate to the chalet, as if they guarded the Holy of Holies.
When no one was looking I always walked on the grass. Even today I prefer to walk on the grass on not the sidewalk. I remember from the days I spent in Emporia where I HAD to stick to the sidewalks, came evening and I was on the grass,
I guess they never figured out that the grass was for walking on and the sidewalks were for show.
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QuietThinker
I have never been to hq of twi, I wonder sometimes what I would think of it.
qt
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Watered Garden
The last time I was there was in 1995, so I wouldn't be able to give you an up to date description. It was always immaculately landscaped and everything was perfect. No buildings needed the paint retouched, no weeds in the flower beds. It was I think originally 142 acres. It was the farm that belonged to the Wierwille family. TWI added a big building that looks like a giant pole barn called the outreach services center, for offices, printing and publishing etc, and on the other side of the road was a patch of woods, behind which is the Way Corps Chalet/President's Home discussed here on another thread. There are a lot of features, but what goes on there is not as pretty as it seems. Kind of like a hand painted Havilland Limoges porcelain chamber pot, IMO.
WG
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igotout
Last time I was there was 2002
Check out the tee shirt
And yes, we did visit places on grounds.
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I Love Bagpipes
GREAT pic igotout.
I think you should submit for the next Way Mag cover!
You could invite everyone for snacks at the Cafe...
and let them know they don't need to submit a snack plan.
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QuietThinker
that's just fabulous, igotout...I've been giggling ever since...
qt
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shazdancer
QT, I think you'd find it sterile.
(WG, Limoges chamber pot, omigawd, lol....)
-- Shaz
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dmiller
The open car door says it all -- a quick get-away, eh?
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TheHighWay
Watered Garden,
A couple of years ago, I did pretty much what you did... on the way from 'point A' to 'point B' I did a drive-by. But then I got down the road a bit and thought, I've got my camera with me, and there are some spots I never got pics of, I'm going to get them now. So, I turned around and took shots of the back of the OSC, the Sugar Shack, Adolph's, and the Carpenter's Shop. It was early on a Saturday, so no one was around.
I took the pics for the sake of the history of my life. But, like you, I was struck by my lack of emotion about the place. I was amazed that I once felt such highs and such lows there. That it had once meant so very much to me. It's beautiful to the eye, yes. But so very spiritually empty. And now that I know that, I could see it and feel it, too.
It was sad, but revealing, too. I'm glad I did it. It was like saying "goodbye".
THW
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igotout
No not a quick get away. I was in no hurry whatsoever. In fact I was quite relaxed. My friend was somewhat anxious, however, if I recall.
You might be quite surprised who he was. We had a great afternoon.
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WordWolf
So how long were you and Craig on grounds that afternoon?
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Belle
WG, I've only been to NK once and that was the last year I was involved, 2004. It was extremely anti-climatic to me. The place was absolutely beautiful, but the buildings are definitely very old and everthing was so sterile. We weren't allowed to look around and we didn't see much of the grounds or buildings at all. The only buildings we were allowed in were the auditorium, the cafeteria and the warehouse where we all changed clothes en masse.
I certainly didn't want to touch anything and I got the feeling that the little "quiet rooms" we saw were never used. Even in the auditorium and the cafeteria, when they were filled with people, it felt empty, hollow and like I was in Stepford World.
The place was lifeless, cold, sterile - not warm, loving, comfortable, welcoming at all. It was rather disappointing after hearing everyone gush about the place. The hamburgers weren't even that good.
I was glad to have finally seen the place with my own two eyes, but didn't feel like we really "saw" any of it. It was like being in a museum where you're not allowed to get close to anything and are continually shuffled along so that you're not in one place very long.
I think that experience was a convincing moment for me that I was definitely doing the right thing by trying to leave TWI. I'm glad it has no tug on your heart strings anymore. :)
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shortfuse
You have our interest. Who's your friend? I'll take a guess. Doug McMillan?
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Watered Garden
Belle,
It wasn't like that when I was young, in the early 70's. The old Outreach Center, BRC, was there, VPW's home, and the barn and other ordinary farm outbuildings. You could pretty much wander at will. The woods were cool and nice, The area around the creek they called the River Jordan was nice. It really felt like some farm in the Ohio countryside.
There were trailers out back for the WC to live in, stacked like sardines (WC, not the trailers). The only reproof I ever got ws when I cut across the lawn and Johnny T. politely asked me to use the sidewalk.
But this didn't last long. More buildings, more rules, more paranoia that someone might meander into some area that was not supposed to be public knowledge.
It wasn't much fun after that. And I was especially bothered my last few visits by the "safety" vehicles driving around and the very serious looking guards in front of the stockade gate to the chalet, as if they guarded the Holy of Holies.
Too bad.
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Out There
When no one was looking I always walked on the grass. Even today I prefer to walk on the grass on not the sidewalk. I remember from the days I spent in Emporia where I HAD to stick to the sidewalks, came evening and I was on the grass,
I guess they never figured out that the grass was for walking on and the sidewalks were for show.
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