Nicole Gutierrez

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Highway 54

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1 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Louisiana, June 19 —...5 years to be closer to family.

2 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Louisiana, June 19 — Precious McGruder, 10, poses on Allen Street, not far from where her mother and neighbors relax and enjoy the summer day. Precious moved from Hannibal to Louisiana with her mother in December. Her mother was born in Louisiana and moved back after nearly 25 years to be closer to family.

Farber, Oct. 15   &am...ne of two businesses in Farber.

3 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Farber, Oct. 15 — Mackenzie Fox, 10, leaps across a ditch on the side of Highway 54, right outside of The Ol' Country Store in Farber during the 5th Annual Ralls County Honor Flight SXS Ride. Riders stopped at the store to buy ribeye and brisket sandwiches. Sarah Evans opened The Ol' Country Store to sell the beef her husband raises on their farm. Now, the store has expanded to include more local produce and goods, and is one of two businesses in Farber. Until its opening, there was nowhere to buy milk or eggs without driving several miles. It is one of two businesses in Farber.

Laddonia, July 4 — N... and see the fireworks display.

4 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Laddonia, July 4 — Natalie Higgins holds a frog during Laddonia’s 70th annual Fourth of July celebration while she waits to compete in the traditional frog and turtle races. The children were each given a frog that they put into a square section of concrete, prodding and poking it until it jumped past the tape perimeter. Fourth of July is an important for Laddonia, and people travel from all the nearby towns to participate in the parade, watch the softball tournament, play games, enjoy time with friends and neighbors and see the fireworks display.

Louisiana, June 19 —... in a grassy lot on the corner.

5 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Louisiana, June 19 — From left, Brock Cropp, Thomas Burse, Tyrees Hill, BJ Cropp and Bernard Chatman watch a friendly game of corn hole and relax on a Sunday afternoon on the corner of Eighth and Allen streets. The houses in that section of Louisiana are all Black owned, and on weekends when the weather is nice, the neighbors gather together in a grassy lot on the corner.

Vandalia, Aug. 19 — ...t hit,” Culwell said.

6 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Vandalia, Aug. 19 — Treyson Culwell, 21, sprays a field of soy with fungicide at his farm. Culwell became the primary farmer of 2,200 acres of corn and soy as an 18-year-old after both of his parents died. Culwell drives his tractors down Highway 54 and is excited for the potential expansion and the safety additional passing opportunities will offer. “On 54, there is always a chance you get hit,” Culwell said.

Vandalia, Oct. 14 — ...ty," Cody Gilley said.

7 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Vandalia, Oct. 14 — Cody Gilley, right, his wife Sabrina Gilley and 7-month-old-son, Cooper Gilley, catch candy during the Van-Far Homecoming Parade in October. Cody Gilley has lived in Vandalia on and off his entire life and has been a baseball coach for the past four years, making his house a popular stop during the parade. The Gilleys enjoying living in Vandalia because it is close to family and where they have always called home. "I feel good about the decision to raise Cooper in a small community because he will grow up with a sense of pride for the community," Cody Gilley said.

Bowling Green, Aug. 7 &mda...campground for the next owners.

8 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Bowling Green, Aug. 7 — Helen and Walt Crew wait for guests to check in August at the Cozy C RV Campground. The couple built the campground in 1996 after retiring from their teaching jobs in Iowa. Helen Crew’s family farm was located on the campground property, which her family purchased after the original farmhouse was taken by eminent domain when the current Highway 54 was built. The campground is situated between the current Highway 54 and a road which once was Highway 54. The Crews are fixing up the campground so they can sell it and retire for good, but they recognize an expansion of the highway would make it easier for RVs to turn into the campground for the next owners.

Bowling Green, June 25 &md...xt to a statue of Chad Perkins.

9 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Bowling Green, June 25 — Zarah Anderson swipes at her father, Charles Anderson, after he messed with her ponytail as she polished his bike in front of Southside Bar and Grill. Both are members of the Brotherhood of Bikers Motorcycle Club, which chooses a town in northeast Missouri or southwest Illinois each year for its annual car and bike show. This year, the group gathered in June in the Bowling Green town square next to a statue of Chad Perkins.

Vandalia, July 9 — T...free to the public and vendors.

10 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Vandalia, July 9 — Troy Perkins carries an American flag across the ring at the opening of the Tri-County Saddle Club Horse Show at the Vandalia Summer Palooza. The Vandalia Fair Board hosts the event each year, which is free to the public and vendors.

Laddonia, July 27   &...ipment to speed up the process.

11 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Laddonia, July 27 — Corn falls from the back of a semi into a grate at POET Bioprocessing Plant. POET converts the corn to ethanol, cattle feed and food grade CO2. The plant is a major source of energy for the area, and the farmers and truckers rely on Highway 54 to access it. Whenever there is a large construction project, POET lends its property as a place to store asphalt and equipment to speed up the process.

Vandalia, Oct 14 — S...ineman in the electrical field.

12 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Vandalia, Oct 14 — Seniors Taylor Hays, left, and Brandon Eoff are crowned Van-Far High School Homecoming king and queen. Hays has lived in Vandalia her entire life and Eoff moved there nine years ago from Wellsville. After he graduates, Eoff plans to attend the State Technical College of Missouri in Linn and study to become a lineman in the electrical field.

Highway 54, August 19 &mda... few opportunities for passing.

13 of 13 © 2024 Nicole Gutierrez

Highway 54, August 19 — A red pickup truck drives away from the setting sun on a stretch of Highway 54 between Farber and Laddonia. Currently, between Mexico and Louisiana, Highway 54 is a narrow two-lane highway with few opportunities for passing.

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Public Story

Highway 54

Copyright Nicole Gutierrez 2024

Updated Nov 2022

For about six months, I worked with photojournalist Margo Wagner to document the life of the people and towns along the shoulders of Highway 54. In addition to editing the project, I designed it for print publication. This project is evolving as Margo continues to photograph these communities.

In the northeast corner of Missouri, U.S. 54 narrows and slows at stop signs, traffic lights and near 90-degree turns. Laddonia, Farber, Vandalia, Curryville, Bowling Green and Louisiana are strung together by this road, which runs through their town centers past stores, churches, restaurants, soybean and softball fields. Stretching from El Paso, Texas, to Griggsville, Illinois, the highway is an essential tool for those who live and work along it.

For 20 years, the Highway 54 Coalition has been pushing for updates. This effort is finally paying off with the Missouri Department of Transportation setting aside $1 million to explore solutions to the undeveloped stretch of highway in their five-year Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.

View this story at the Columbia Missourian

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