Total Eclipse of the Heartland
Images of a small Midwest town during the Great American Eclipse
Photographs by Julie Grace Immink
The Midwest is best experienced while mingling with locals, having a few beers, and experiencing a centural phenomenon. At the Side Trek Bar in Harbine, Nebraska local families congregate to marvel at this midsummer’s daydream. This biker-friendly spot on Hwy 136 was in the direct path of totality for the 2017 total solar eclipse on August 21st. This small town, a population of 49, watched as complete darkness fell on them. The viewpoint from earth was the suns’ path being blocked by the moon. Thus, the sky became night, during the middle of the day, for about a minute or two.
The total solar eclipse was observable from a contiguous pathway that spanned America from coast to coast. Before this anomaly, a solar eclipse has not been visible across the United States since 1918. This adjoining path touched 14 states, Nebraska is in the heart of them. The remainder of the U.S. witnessed a partial eclipse. This Great American solar eclipse would be the first event of its kind where the audience had access to smartphones. However, most spectators in this Midwest town, lived through…
