Susan Rissi Tregoning Photography

08/25/2026

The International Peace Garden is one of those rare places where a border feels less like a line and more like a handshake. I spent a day wandering its lakes, forests, and flowerbeds, and discovered a living monument to cooperation that stays with you long after you leave. Come explore the Turtle Mountains and the Garden's timeless message of peace.

https://www.susantregoning.com/p/international-peace-garden

08/06/2026

Bison. Badlands. Big skies. And a brand‑new Presidential Library.
North Dakota is officially on the map — come see why.

👉 Read the story - Link in the comments.

07/31/2026

Yesterday on my personal page, I asked a simple question: Color or Black & White?

The votes came in almost perfectly split — about 50/50. I love when a debate ends in a tie.

So today I thought I'd take it a step further. I dropped those same images into a few room mockups to see if the reaction would stay the same when you view them as actual wall art. It's amazing how much the environment can change the feel of a photo.

07/08/2026

Oxbow Overlook

07/07/2026

The iconic view of River Bend Overlook.

06/28/2026

Rising from the quiet prairie of North Dakota, the Nekoma Pyramid stands as one of America's most striking and mysterious Cold War relics. This massive concrete structure, officially known as the Missile Site Radar (MSR), was the heart of the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, the United States only operational anti-ballistic missile defense system.

Completed in 1975, the pyramid housed an advanced phased-array radar designed to detect and track incoming nuclear missiles during a time of intense geopolitical tension. Its sloped, geometric form supported four enormous radar faces, giving it an almost otherworldly presence on the flat landscape. Surrounding the pyramid were launch sites for Spartan and Sprint interceptor missiles, intended to protect nearby Minuteman III missile fields.

Despite its monumental scale and billion-dollar construction cost, the Safeguard system was short-lived. It became fully operational on October 1, 1975, and was ordered shut down by Congress the very next day. By early 1976, the entire complex had been deactivated, leaving behind a futuristic fortress that had never fulfilled its intended mission.

Today, the Nekoma Pyramid remains a powerful symbol of the Cold War era: a blend of cutting-edge technology, architectural boldness, and the uneasy balance of nuclear deterrence. Its stark concrete form and isolated setting invite viewers to reflect on history, innovation, and the strange beauty of abandoned defense architecture.

06/24/2026

Valley City, North Dakota, isn’t called the City of Bridges for nothing.

I’ve been exploring some of my favorite crossings over the Sheyenne River. Whether it’s the towering Hi‑Line Railroad Bridge or the peaceful City Park Footbridge, each one adds a little character to the landscape. Here are a few of the Valley City bridges that caught my eye.

05/12/2026

The historic Fargo Theatre, built in 1926, glows like a beacon in the heart of downtown Fargo. Its iconic vertical FARGO marquee and Art Deco façade capture nearly a century of cinematic history and community spirit. Once home to vaudeville acts and silent films, today it remains a beloved landmark, where the magic of the movies meets the charm of Main Street.

This image celebrates the theatre’s timeless neon against the deep blue of evening, a reminder that heritage and creativity still light up Fargo's city nights.

05/09/2026

Marking the Centennial Anniversary of Route 66 with a look at the historic alignments, preserved corridors, and roadside architecture that define Illinois’ contribution to the Mother Road.

Illinois holds some of the most intact early segments of the 1926 route, from original pavement and restored service stations to mid‑century commercial structures that still interpret the highway’s first decades.

I’ve published a full gallery and write‑up covering these sites from Chicago to the Mississippi River, including preserved alignments, heritage corridors, and key public-facing roadside landmarks.

Read the post here: The Best of Illinois Route 66
https://www.susantregoning.com/p/best-of-illinois-route-66

It's a fitting year to revisit the places that shaped America’s most storied highway.

Explore Illinois Route 66 through its early alignments, restored landmarks, and roadside architecture from Chicago to St. Louis.

05/05/2026

The cast-iron Fargo Street Clock stands before the 1898 Northern Pacific Railway Depot at 701 Main Avenue, a pairing that captures more than a century of Fargo’s civic and rail history. The depot, designed in the Northern Pacific’s Standard Style with brick masonry and deep eaves, served as a passenger station until the Burlington Northern merger in 1970. Saved from demolition, it became Fargo’s first building listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

The clock itself reflects early 20th-century Beaux Arts craftsmanship, part of a tradition of public timepieces that once marked downtowns across America. Together, they remain enduring symbols of Fargo’s rail era identity and architectural preservation.