Want to Play Midcentury I-Spy? Get Ready To See Our Latest Partnership

As children, nearly everyone has played some form of “I Spy,” but one group of fans of Midcentury Modern architecture have created an amped up, grown up opportunity that harnesses the power of Instagram.

The group modTexas is asking Texans to participate in Mapping Texas Mod, their newest Instagram-based initiative to document modernist architecture and design, using the #modtexas tag to create a cache of sites.

“There is a diversity of modernist architecture across the state, yet these treasures are being lost at an alarming rate due to neglect and redevelopment,” the group said. “While many historic, preservation, and architecture societies are active regionally, this initiative brings us together in a shared mission of highlighting Texas’ trove of midcentury assets for natives and visitors to enjoy.”

In fact, group founder Amy Walton reached out to us a couple of weeks ago with an idea — what if modTEXAS and CandysDirt.com partnered to soup up the scavenger hunt even more?

After all, the group had already partnered with preservation groups all over the state. But the opportunity to get the very people who are in and out of Midcentury homes and neighborhoods every day? Well, of course getting Realtors involved in the hunt was an obvious choice.

“This is the first time so many historic and preservation organizations have come together across the state,” Walton said. “It’s really something special.”

“We need eyes all over North Texas and it would be great to have your real estate-savvy folks on the case,” she added.

So how do you play? It’s easy: When you come across Midcentury architecture, decor, and art in the “wild,” take a picture, share it on Instagram, and make sure you include the tag #ModTexas.

And if you want to be REALLY helpful, make sure you include what the picture is of in the caption, as well as a location.

Why? Because as part of our partnership, we’re developing a map most of the locations tagged with #ModTexas. There are a few that aren’t mappable, but we’re hoping that as people recognize locations, they’ll tag us (@CandysDirt) in the comments.

And of course, you’ll see some of the homes we cover on this site, as we’re playing along as well, and have already started hashtagging all of our Midcentury Instagram shares.

To start, we have 100 locations on the map, and we’re working to add more every day. Bookmark this link to keep up with the map as it’s developed, too. Want to keep up with all the photos on Instagram? Simply head here. Want to keep up with modTEXAS as they announce fun monthly themes? Follow them on Instagram.

And be on the lookout as we take some of the most interesting entries and craft longer pieces about them here, and on our sister site, SecondShelters.com.