Chile – Page 7 – Michael Stephen Wills Photography

Mother Country

touchstone or Imperialist Tool?

December 9, 2020November 20, 2020 MichaelStephenWills2 Comments

from well watered lands

1872 James Thomas Humberstone founded the Peru Nitrate Company. No, is geography was not deficient, this land was won by Chile from Peru in the War of the Pacific. This rolling stock was delivered from England, where Humberstone was born, in Dover, and worked his early years on railroads, London. At the age of 25, hired by the Tarapaca Nitrate Company, he moved to South American.

Robert Francis Fairlie developed the Fairlie Locomotive.

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References

Websites

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works World Heritage page

The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works site (Chile), removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger/

Big Wet

Relitivity

December 8, 2020November 20, 2020 MichaelStephenWills

Water Delivered

Modern, plastic, water pipes and moisture, in this arid place, suggest regular water deliveries.

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References

Websites

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works World Heritage page

The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works site (Chile), removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger/

Children and Fellow Visitors

where’s Waldo?

December 7, 2020November 17, 2020 MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

A photographic essay

Can you spot the children and visitors in these scenes from the World Heritage Site Humberstone located in the Chilean Atacama desert?

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References

Websites

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works World Heritage page

The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works site (Chile), removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger/

Atacama School Days

Dive In

November 27, 2020November 14, 2020 MichaelStephenWills

A photographic essay

Children are our hope and the future. The yellow sign reads “UNESCO Contribution. the restoration of five classrooms of School number 35.”

From their web site: UNESCO encourages international peace and universal respect for human rights by promoting collaboration among nations. Its mission is to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue.

Click any photograph for a larger view and use Ctrl-x to zoom in closer.

Click me for the first post of this series.

References

Websites

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works World Heritage page

The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works site (Chile), removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger/

Blue Way

Thursday Door

October 22, 2020October 14, 2020 MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

A photographic essay

Click any photograph for a larger view and use Ctrl-x to zoom in closer.

Click me for the first post of this series.

References

Websites

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works World Heritage page

The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works site (Chile), removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger/

Atacama Swim Time

Dive In

October 18, 2020October 14, 2020 MichaelStephenWills

A photographic essay

Click any photograph for a larger view and use Ctrl-x to zoom in closer.

Click me for the first post of this series.

References

Websites

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works World Heritage page

The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works site (Chile), removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger/

Lost World

worn, defiled

October 16, 2020October 14, 2020 MichaelStephenWills

A photographic essay

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Click me for the first post of this series.

References

Websites

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works World Heritage page

The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works site (Chile), removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger/

Dance Hall

Ghosts from when time stood still

October 14, 2020October 14, 2020 MichaelStephenWills

A photographic essay

Click any photograph for a larger view and use Ctrl-x to zoom in closer.

Click me for the first post of this series.

References

Websites

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works World Heritage page

The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works site (Chile), removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger/

Main Square Humberstone

Tower and Architectural Details

October 12, 2020September 28, 2020 MichaelStephenWills

United States of America has its own closed mining towns. Read about Empire, Nevada in Chapter Three of Jessica Bruder’s 2017, “Nomadland.” Empire thrived on gypsum mining until economic changes forced it to close. December 2, 2010 the entire town was informed June 20, 2011 was the deadline for all to leave the company provided housing. 100% of housing was owned by United States Gypsum. In Humberstone, as in Empire, Nevada, housing stands empty. Here, wo stopped clocks of the wooden tower overlooking the main Humberstone square emblemize the situation.

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An hexagonal bandstand, area lighting on the electric poles.

Ramada with table and benches.

View from the main square.

Water, the source of life pumped from where? We saw here and there hoses for watering plants. I did some research and there are three methods for supplying water (1) tankers (2) pipe hundreds of miles long and (3) harvesting fog. Yes, fog. It never, never rains but some locations are swept by fog. There plants there harvest the fog on branches and people are now doing the same. Follow the above link to learn more.

A few details from the main square.

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References

Websites

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works World Heritage page

The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works site (Chile), removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger/

Humberstone People

In a bubble

October 10, 2020October 14, 2020 MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

Pam and I, not fluent in the Spanish language, depended upon our guides and bus drivers for negotiating our on land exploration of South American. Here is our guide for this trip, providing insights as we stand in the main square of the village.

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