The tiny town of Escalante, Utah, has beautiful houses and stores constructed of locally made red bricks. These buildings are a testament to the design aesthetic of early settlers in an age when the West had few architects. Escalante is changing rapidly, however, like virtually everywhere in the West. The lovely old slow atmosphere will soon be replaced with hordes seeking "extreme" sports, boutique shopping, and remote spas. As for me, I like the lingering sense of history and will continue to photograph it while I can.

Addendum: I spoke with a woman whose grandmother lived in Escalante years ago. The grandmother looked at the photograph and said she knew the building well and that the store's owner at the time was a very mean man who tried to beat her father with a big stick. I never know what stories I will hear about my pictures!

Lee Rentz