JULY 5 ISSUE ANSWERS: This oil painting was painted by William W. Gibbs. It is in the Romeo Historical Society Archives. The Romeo Observer in 1888 described this oil painting as handsome and unusually fine. The paper’s editor commented that it “makes one ache to own it.” William Gibbs (1821-1902), a gunsmith and musician, gave up those occupations to become an artist in 1845. After four years living in Kalamazoo, Gibbs moved to Romeo. Gibbs practiced the same style as the other Hudson River School of American artists; he loved landscape paintings. Unfortunately landscapes didn’t pay enough, so he painted portraits of local ‘well healed’ Romeo citizens. The Romeo Historical Society has identified owners of about 50-60 of his works. The RHS owns about 25 of his paintings. These are on display in two of the society’s museums. The painting above is looking north across Phillip’s Pond at Trombley Mountain, currently known as the Ford Michigan Proving Grounds in Bruce Township. Ford reduced the original height of the hill in building the test track. Eleonore Roxbury, RMD and museum staff