Quanah Parker Trail Roadside Arrow - Vega, TX The Quanah Parker Trail is a series of 22 foot tall steel arrows in Texas where the Comanches and their last chief Quanah Parker lived, hunted, fought, traded and traveled. Here is their website: www.quanahparkertrail.com/ The Arrow in Vega has this note on the marker: Comanches camped at Playa Lakes here traveling Trail N to Tascosa & E W to Tecovas Springs & Tucumcari. Arrow sculptor Charles A. Smith This arrow was placed Aug. 5, 2014. It is located along the original alignment of Route 66 in Vega behind the Magnolia Gas Station.
Hank the Ankylosaurus Hank the Ankylosaurus is another fun spot at the Milburn-Price Culture Museum along the old alignment of Route 66 in Vega, TX. Hank is a 5180 pound, 21 foot long dinosaur made by Greg Conn in July 2022. To celebrate Route 66, Hank has 66 "spikes" in his armor.
World's Largest Branding Iron - Route 66 - Vega, TX Everything's bigger in Texas. This is the World's largest Branding Iron. From here, it looks like TIX, but based on the handle location, this is backwards - It's actually XIT. It was made by Greg Conn in 2018 The XIT Ranch was the largest ranch in the world, spanning three million acres around the Texas panhandle, including here in Oldham County. This is located on the grounds of the Milburn Price Culture Museum. This nice free museum along Main Street in Vega features local heritage including Route 66 memorabilia.
Farmer Luther - Brentwood, TN Farmer Luther is a 20 foot tall artistic metal sculpture located on the Cal Turner Jr. "Green Pastures Farm" on the south side of Brentwood, TN along highway US31. This farm is best known for the Nativity canvas draped over the pavilion on the left every holiday season. Here is a picture from 2007 when the original barn was displaying it. flic.kr/p/4dCgtg Cal Jr. is the CEO of Dollar General, and son of the founder Cal Sr. This sculpture honors Cal Jr.'s grandfather Luther Turner who took over the family farm at age 11 upon his father's untimely death. Farmer Luther was created by Kris Nethercutt of K.A.L. Metal Products in 2022. Kris also built "Rusty Mechanism" at the Factory in Franklin (flic.kr/p/93fkk6). More info: www.williamsonherald.com/news/local_news/turner-property-...
Cadillac Ranch The iconic Route 66 destination
Cadillac Ranch Did you see both of the kids? The iconic Route 66 destination
2nd Amendment Cowboy - Route 66 in Texas The 2nd Amendment Cowboy is a modern tourist attraction along Route 66 on the west side of Amarillo. The business started as an RV park. Then, they added some pristine vintage Cadillacs to attract visitors to the nearby famous Cadillac Ranch. In 2014, they added this Muffler Man to cater to those who like the 2nd Amendment. At his feet is a story of the 2nd Amendment placed on a replica Texas Historic Marker. Plus, a couple of oversized revolvers has been added recently.
Leaning Tower of Britten - Groom, TX en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Britten The Leaning Tower of Britten is a leaning water tower which serves as a roadside attraction and decorative item along historic U.S. Route 66 in Groom, Texas. Sometimes called the Leaning Tower of Texas, the tower was originally a functioning water tower slated for demolition until Ralph Britten purchased and moved it to serve as an advertisement for his truck stop and tourist information center. The Leaning Tower Truck Stop closed in the mid-1980s after an electrical fire damaged it; a small remaining portion operates as a local truck repair shop. Deliberately leaning at a roughly 10-degree angle, the tower is a popular tourist destination. A small gravel road is on the site for parking and taking pictures. During Christmas, the city of Groom lights the large multicolored star on top of the tower. Images of the water tower are common in Route 66 photography books.
Rattlesnakes - Route 66 - McLean, TX This sign formerly belonged to Regal Reptile Ranch, a 1950s tourist attraction along Route 66. Mike Allred owned a snake pit in the town of Lela, TX but it is now out of business. However, the sign for the business lasted a while longer. This was on top of a tall sign which read RATTLESNAKES - EXIT NOW along exit 148 of Interstate 40. That sign was blown over by strong winds in 2007. Soon after the sign was blown down, it was relocated about 10 miles away to this stretch of Route 66 in McLean, TX. The sign is closer to the ground so it is less likely to be blown over. This area also has a series of Burma Shave signs. Some of the snakes have been relocated to the nearby Devil's Rope Museum.
Under the hood of a GMC 350 truck - Shamrock, TX This display is setup behind the Tower Station and U-Drop Inn along Route 66 in Shamrock, TX. It's not a real person, but stuffed clothes.
Sandhill Curiosity Shop - Erick, OK The Sandhill Curiosity Shop in Erick, OK is an iconic Route 66 stop and tourist attraction. The attraction here is Harley, the owner and quite the storyteller. Tow Mater from Pixar's Cars was inspired by him. Harley and his deceased wife Annabelle called themselves "The Mediocre Music Makers." This place also bills itself as the Redneck Capitol of the World. The place is more of an experience and museum than it is a store, and runs on donations. If you've never heard of this place, don't just go because I mentioned it. While some people consider Harley to be a national treasure, he is also quite crude. Find some youtube videos first to see if he is your type. youtu.be/kyGpy0wSg5o?si=9FYlRhGLQZsYNJD0&t=760 The building itself was originally the City Meat Market and is the oldest brick building in the town of Erick. There is a second building behind the shop which I believe is Harley's private residence and it is also covered in vintage signs. On rare occasions, he will show off that building as well
Ya'at'eeh the Kachina Doll Ya'at'eeh is the older of two giant Kachina dolls built out of used oil cans and tubes over 60 years ago by Wanda Queenan for her Indian Trading Post business along Route 66 in Elk City, OK. The trading post went out of business around 1990, but she became curator for the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City. She gave them to the museum and had them relocated. Kachinas are part of the mythology and culture of the Pueblo Native Americans. Often, they are represented as small carved Kachina dolls to bring good luck, abundance and health.
Myrtle the Kachina Doll Myrtle is one of two giant Kachina dolls built out of used oil cans and tubes over 60 years ago by Wanda Queenan for her Indian Trading Post business along Route 66 in Elk City, OK. The trading post went out of business around 1990, but she became curator for the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City. She gave them to the museum and had them relocated. Kachinas are part of the mythology and culture of the Pueblo Native Americans. Often, they are represented as small carved Kachina dolls to bring good luck, abundance and health.
Route 66 Knight - Canute, OK Located along Route 66 in Canute, OK on the side of a business.
Cowlamity Jane - Fort Worth Stockyards
Antique Archaeology's Wolf Boy - Nashville, TN Antique Archaeology is the antique store featured on the History Channel TV Show American Pickers. They have a store in Nashville at Marathon Village, a factory which made the Marathon Motor Works cars over a century ago. The most interesting things in the store are not for sale and part of the owner's personal collection. Instead, they mostly sell show merchandise like shirts, stickers, button's etc. The note for this specific piece says: Wolf Boy Not for sale One of 26 that were found in a cave in Pennsylvania where nothing ever rots. Instead everything mummifies Episode 2, season 9 Mike's Personal Collection This link has the story about where it really came from, roadside sideshow artist Homer Tate. www.looper.com/1159819/american-pickers-mike-wolfe-felt-a...
Lucille's Place / Provine Service Station This Route 66 landmark is on the National Register of Historic Places. A restaurant keeping the name has located a few miles away in Weatherford. I also made a video of the Route 66 drive leaving east from here into El Reno along some of the original pavement. youtu.be/B74uo-UEdgM?si=YBytsPgYfqJpvZ4E en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provine_Service_Station The Provine Service Station (later the Hamons Court, Hamons' Service Station or simply Lucille's Place) is a historic filling station on U.S. Route 66 in Oklahoma. Located a half-mile south of Hydro, Oklahoma and operated by Lucille Hamons from 1941 until her death on August 18, 2000, the site was added to the US National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Lucille Hamons' generous assistance to motorists on U.S. Route 66 during hard economic times at the end of the Great Depression would make her a US Route 66 legend, earning the nickname "Mother of the Mother Road." History Opened by Carl Ditmore in 1929, this is one of the few remaining examples of a two-story fuel station with the owner's residence situated above the pumps on an upper floor. W.O. and Ida Waldroup changed the name to Provine Service Station after buying the station in 1934 and would later add tourist cabins to provide five motel rooms on-site. Lucille and Carl Hamons acquired the Provine Station in 1941, a few months before the US entry into World War II. Mobilization for war brought wartime rationing of fuel and tires, causing civilian traffic on the highway to decline. Carl Hamons worked as an independent trucker, leaving Lucille to operate the station and the motel. Traffic on US 66 would then increase substantially during the 1950s and 1960s, only to vanish with the completion of Interstate 40 in the area in 1971. "After Carl got a truck to earn more money, I was alone here to run this place. During this time, people from Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and eastern Oklahoma were travelling the road to the West Coast to find jobs. ... Many times I would have people stop that were completely broke, and I would feed them and give them gas in exchange for some appliance or other articles of value they might have. Sometimes I would just buy their old broke-down cars, and then they would catch the bus and head on west looking for work." — Lucille Hamons After the highway was bypassed, the motel closed and Carl and Lucille would divorce but Lucille's would continue to serve a largely local clientele. The station became known for vending very cold beer from its old cooler at a time when nearby Weatherford, Oklahoma (home of Southwestern Oklahoma State University) was officially a dry town. The last fuel was dispensed in 1986 and the station ultimately became a souvenir shop, with demand in the 1990s driven largely by nostalgia surrounding a road which by then had become not merely a decommissioned highway but a powerful symbol of a bygone era. The original "Hamons Court" motel sign was donated by the Hamons family in 2003 to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, where it is now displayed as part of an exhibition on "America on the Move".
Oklahoma Route 66 Giants These three 18 foot tall cutout "American Giants" by John Cerney and Scott Farmer at Sculpture Island are in a field to the west of El Reno in Canadian County, OK. On the left is Lumberjack Louie, a Paul Bunyan-esque Muffler Man located in Arizona. Next is a Uniroyal Gal dressed like Wonder Woman currently in Georgia. and then a Muffler Man dressed as a retro gas station attendant. They are located along the "El Reno Cutoff" alignment of Route 66 from 1933. They were installed in 2019 and are best seen when travelling eastbound. www.route66news.com/2019/12/01/muffler-men-calumet/ Here's what a drive-by looks like: youtu.be/B74uo-UEdgM?si=ugYkBslf0vtTu8oT&t=1875
Watermelon Big Boy The Big Boy statues usually carry a burger, but this one in Edgewood, TX holds a watermelon. This is at Graham's Market along US80.
Cast Iron Cookware Family These robot husband, wife and dog are made out of cast iron pots pans and grills. They are located in front of the Lodge Factory Store in South Pittsburg, TN. The retail store for the famous iron skillet manufacturer is next door to their factory in the town which tried to become "Pittsburgh of the South" a century ago. The man named Ferrous was added first in 2017. Panelope the woman and Lucky the Dog have since been added. The store includes a museum with the World's Largest Cast Iron Skillet.
Large Rock of Salt - Grand Saline, TX As the small yellow sign says, Please don't break or take any salt from this rock. Come inside to get a free sample. Don't make the salt rock sad. The town of Grand Saline in Van Zandt County is the home of a large salt mine, which is operated by Morton Salt. There is a Salt museum on the main road through town called the Salt Palace. This building is made of salt, and they encourage visitors to lick the wall. On the grounds, they also have this large rock of salt on display.
Motel Windmill - Gatlinburg, TN This windmill has seen better days. I thought it was at an abandoned property, but found it's the very back of Zoder's Inn and faces US231. They call this part of their hotel "Windmill Town."
Nashville Dinosaur Very little information is known about this hidden gem, other than a tiny hashtag with the #nashvilledinosaur label. These bones are located in the Edgehill neighborhood at a cul-de-sac at the end of Archer St. It was built in 2020, soon after the house at the end of the street - So people assume it was built by the owners of the house, but that is just a guess. Prior to that, the end of Archer street was a vacant circle for over a decade.
Nashville Dinosaur. Very little information is known about this hidden gem, other than a tiny hashtag with the #nashvilledinosaur label. These bones are located in the Edgehill neighborhood at a cul-de-sac at the end of Archer St. It was built in 2020, soon after the house at the end of the street - So people assume it was built by the owners of the house, but that is just a guess. Prior to that, the end of Archer street was a vacant circle for over a decade.
Minnie Pearl Made Out of Chicken Wire I believe this is an amazing piece of Southern country culture. Ifrst, it's part of the legacy of how the town of Centerville has honored the local legacy. But it's also from a local artist using a rare art form and it appears in a quaint location. The story begins with this statue from 2005: flic.kr/p/h243t Unhappy with the way city leaders treated the town square traffic leading to the statue, it was moved several times. The city fixed town square traffic and in 2016 then commissioned this chicken wire statue to placed in the same spot as the first. Recently, a more traditional statue was placed on the square: flic.kr/p/2pvxXxq The Chicken wire statue needed a new home. A local garden club had the perfect spot. On the east side of town where highway 100/48 cross the Duck River, there's an intersection with the old highway runs between a rock bluff and the river. At that intersection is the Centerville Bluff Garden and this art has been moved to a natural ledge halfway up the bluff. Map: www.google.com/maps/@35.7851792,-87.4571496,3a,75y,354.66... The Artist is Ricky Pittman. He intended to make more or Pearl, but the project was unfunded. However, he was commissioned to make a Dolly Parton out of Chicken Wire for the Graduate Hotel in Nashville. He has a website here: egrapevinestore.com/blog/
Ellie the Pink Elephant - Cookeville, TN Ellie the Elephant has greeted travelers along Willow Ave. (TN135) in Cookeville since the mid 1980s. Ellie has worn Sunglasses, but when the business here was called "H20 Waves", Ellie also wore a blue bathing suit and water skis. The current business is a Salon, and they sell Ellie T-shirts.
World’s Largest Wooden Rocking Chair - Franklin, IN Several chairs around America compete for the title of "World's Largest." This one was the largest rocking chair when it was completed in 2004, but has since been surpassed, The chair, nicknamed "Big John," is 32 feet tall and constructed of logs from Washington state. It is a promotion for the store next door, Long's Furniture World along highway U.S. 31 in Franklin, IN. longsmattress.com/blog/big-john/ www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/9607
The Smallest Post Office in the USA - Ochopee, FL The Smallest Post Office in America is located along US41, originally known as the Tamiami Trail. Most of this road at the southern end of Florida is undeveloped land as the highway connects Naples on the west to Miami on the east. Much of this area is Everglades or Big Cypress WMA and wouldn't need a bigger post office. This photo was taken on a Sunday, but if you were here when the postmaster is on duty, you'd talk to him at the window. Text of the marker: Considered to be the smallest post office in the United States, this building was formerly an irrigation pipe shed belonging to the J. T. Gaunt Company tomato farm. It was hurriedly pressed into service by postmaster Sidney Brown after a disastrous night fire in 1953 burned Ochopee’s general store and post office. The present structure has been in continuous use ever since—as both a post office and ticket station for Trailways bus lines—and still services residents in a three-county area, including deliveries to Seminole and Miccosukee Indians living in the region. Daily business often includes request from tourist and stamp collectors the world over for the famed Ochopee post mark. The property was acquired by the Wooten Family in 1992.
New World's Largest Peanut - Ashburn, GA The original Ashburn Big Peanut was destroyed by Hurricane Michael in 2018. In a coincidence, I happened to pass by the day after the replacement was unveiled (but knew nothing about it). It's located in Turner County along Interstate 75 right past exit 82. Here's a local news story: www.walb.com/2023/07/21/ashburn-community-unveils-new-big...
Roadside Pottery and Glass Display - Sapulpa, OK As you drive into Sapulpa, you can see this five foot tall display of a Pottery plate, glass bottle and drinking glass. This highlight's the town's economic history with Frankoma Pottery and Premium Glass Company. It's located at the intersection of Route 66 and New Sapulpa Road on the Northeast side of town.
Southernmost Point, FL The Conch Republic 90 Miles to Cuba SOUTHERNMOST POINT Continental USA Key West, FL Home of the Sunset This past summer on a vacation to Miami, my wife and I took a day trip to Key West and back. Seeing this was a bucket list item. Photographing it as well. But, it's possible to get a better photo than this. This was taken as a drive-by. To get a better photo, you have to find and pay for a parking space, walk a ways in the heat, then wait in a long line. Just like everything else in Key west. And, there's nothing else I wanted to see on this side of the island. We parked, walked in the heat, and waited in line on the other side of town. So, here's a video I made of driving the keys: youtu.be/tUPetV6sP7A?si=Nd3rQgBTfyX121rH
Tulsa's Golden Driller From Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Driller The Golden Driller is a 75-foot-tall, 43,500-pound statue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, depicting an oil worker. The structure is a steel frame covered with concrete and plaster. It is the sixth-tallest statue in the United States and has been located in front of the Tulsa Expo Center since 1966. A version of the Golden Driller was originally built in 1952 by the Mid-Continent Supply Company of Fort Worth as a temporary feature of the International Petroleum Exposition. Six years later, one was erected again for the 1959 show. Due to the positive attention it attracted, the company donated the statue to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds Trust Authority which had it anatomically redesigned and permanently installed in front of the Tulsa Expo Center for the 1966 International Petroleum Exposition. The statue's right hand rests on an oil derrick which had been moved from a depleted oil field in Seminole, Oklahoma. An inscription at the base of the statue reads: "The Golden Driller, a symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God's abundance a better life for mankind." In 1979, the Oklahoma Legislature adopted the Golden Driller as the state monument. As part of an online promotional contest sponsored by Kimberly-Clark in October 2006, the Golden Driller was named the grand prize as a top ten "quirkiest destination" in the United States, winning its nominator a $90,000 international vacation for two. His stats are said to include: Belt size - 48 ft in circumference, Shoe size- 393DDD, and Hat size - 112 hard hat. His belt originally read "MID-CONTINENT", but was changed in 1979 to the current buckle that says "TULSA".
Robots on 66 #002: RT-19 Robot Mary Beth Babcock is the owner of Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios - a vintage gas station along Route 66 in Tulsa which is now a gift shop. She started the Robots on 66, a project to place several fun robots along Route 66 in Oklahoma. Of course, the first one opened up at her shop in 2021. (Seen here: flic.kr/p/2nWxgmx) This one is RT-19 Robot and is described as "a tin toy replica from post-war Japan, reminiscent of the 1950's and the glory days of Route 66." It was created by Sawyer Manufacturing Co. of Tulsa. It is located in Oklahoma City along 23rd across from the Tower Theater.
Route 66 Milk Bottle - Oklahoma City This large Milk Bottle is an iconic stop along Route 66 in Oklahoma City. It was built in 1948 and placed atop a small triangular grocery store, although the store has changed often over the years. The Milk Bottle Grocery building has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The bottle itself is 11 feet tall and 8 feet in diameter. Over the years, the bottle advertised Sterling Milk, Meadow Gold, Steffen's and Townley's. Ever since 1996, it features Braum's - the popular Oklahoma fast food chain which also sells milk and other grocery items inside the store. The Braum's logo and bottle were repainted most recently in April, 2021. More info and vintage photos: www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/04/11/route-66-landmark...
World's Tallest Gas Pump Completed in 2018, this is a modern tourist attraction located along Route 66 on the west side of Sapulpa, OK. It advertises the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum, which is slightly off the old Route - they needed something tall to get your attention. Learn more: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/59598
Buck Atom - Space Cowboy Muffler Man - Tulsa Read a full description here: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/64851 Buck Atom is a modern Route 66 tourist attraction located at Cosmic Curios, a former vintage gas station in Tulsa, OK. The 21 foot statue is the collaboration of the vision of Mary Beth Babcock, owner of Cosmic Curios, with Mark Cline, creator of many of the best modern fiberglass Roadside America sites. Add a rocket from local artist Chris Wollard and a backstory of his 66 years in an alien spacecraft and you get a must see stop on the Mother Road.
Creature of Sugar Flat Road mural I like this mural, partially because it reminds me of the first time I went viral on the internet. In 2007, the head of the Creature of Sugar Flat Road appeared in the window of Cuz's Antique Store on the town square in Lebanon, TN. See my picture here: flic.kr/p/2kcCt6 Supposedly, this was the remains of a Cryptid hit by a car in 1989. It's obviously fake, but made for a fun story. I posted my photo to Flickr in my early days on the platform, and then shared the photo to my blog. A couple months later, the radio program "Coast to Coast A.M." had a segment on this and linked to my blog. The comments left behind are great. Not long after, the Antique store went out of business. The head was purchased by a curiosity shop in Chattanooga. A few years later, they are also out of business and I have not learned of the current whereabouts (assuming it's still intact). I haven't thought about this in years when I was delighted to find this mural at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Artist Catlant painted this in 2016. It is painted in the style of the posters for the touring Freak shows. Alive! I visited the Chattanooga Choo Choo late in 2022 about the time they were removing the worn down train cars. This provided a nice long distant view of this painting, other than the caution tape which runs across.
Vietnam War US Army LRRP Ranger This statue is one of several located at Lewis Country Store in the Scottsboro area west of Nashville (located at the intersection of Ashland City Highway (TN12) and Old Hickory Blvd). Each of these statues were created out of scrap metal by Barrel House Metal and Woodworks out of Clarksville. This statue features an Army Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) Ranger from the Vietnam War.
Route 66's Iconic Arcadia Round Barn arcadiaroundbarn.com/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadia_Round_Barn The Arcadia Round Barn is a landmark and tourist attraction on historic U.S. Route 66 in Arcadia, OK. It was built by local farmer William Harrison Odor in 1898 using native bur oak boards soaked while green and forced into the curves needed for the walls and roof rafters. A second level was incorporated for use as a community gathering place. The town of Arcadia developed and prospered with the arrival of the railroad and in the 1920s the newly commissioned Route 66 was aligned through the town, passing next to the Round Barn. With the reduction of traffic along Route 66 following the arrival of the Interstate, Arcadia and the barn likewise declined. In 1988 the 60 foot diameter roof collapsed. A team of volunteers led by Luther Robison worked to rebuild the structure, and restoration work was completed in 1992. Today the old barn is a tourist attraction and visitors admire the architectural and engineering details.
Pop's Giant Soda Bottle - Arcadia, OK Pops is a modern roadside attraction along Route 66 near Arcadia, OK. This giant soda bottle is near the street and is 66 feet tall in honor of Route 66. Each of the round horizontal segments is filled full of color-changing LED lights which make a bright show at night. Pop's opened in 2007 as a restaurant, gift shop, and home to hundreds of different brands of soda. See the sodas I bought here. youtu.be/uo8PeDwaLzc The young man who ran the register was back home on summer break from Lipscomb University where my wife and I graduated.
Texarkana State Line Marker Texarkana is a city in two states and most of the border is made up of State Line Avenue. However, the Federal Courthouse is the most prominent building in town and straddles the state line. With the Federal Building in the background, this is a convenient place for a marker for the state line with Texas to the west on the left and Arkansas to the east on the right.
Jackrabbit Trading Post sign This sign is an advertisement for the iconic Route 66 attraction of the Jackrabbit Trading Post in Arizona. This specific sign is located at the Blue Whale of Catoosa, OK. These miniature billboards themselves have become iconic ever since they opened in 1949. The yellow sign features the silhouette of a jackrabbit on the left. Each sign is personalized by listed the specific distance to the trading post. While many of today's Route 66 drivers know what is there, these signs created a series of mystery and anticipation for travelers who didn't know what would be there. Once there, you see a large sign with the same jackrabbit and the words "HERE IT IS."
Birthplace of Oliver Hardy Marker Harlem, GA - Several places in town have Hardy tributes, from the water tower to the old movie theater. This marker is located off Hicks St. in the back of the police parking lot. There is one parking space next to this marker, but sometimes the police park a vintage Jeep there.
Robots on 66 #001: Lilliput Mary Beth Babcock is the owner of Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios - a vintage gas station along Route 66 in Tulsa which is now a gift shop. She started the Robots on 66, a project to place several fun robots along Route 66 in Oklahoma. Of course, the first one opened up at her shop in 2021. This one is Robot Lilliput N.P. 5357 and is described as "the first post-WWII era tin toy robot, exported from American-occupied Japan." It was created by Sawyer Manufacturing Co. of Tulsa.
Waylan's Ku-Ku Clock - Miami, OK The Ku-Ku was once a hamburger fast food chain, but Waylan's Ku-Ku along Route 66 in Miami, OK is the last surviving location. The signature design of the building has a ku-ku bird emerging from the front of the building as if it is a Cuckoo clock, although interior expansion makes it harder to get a good view of it. A second ku-ku has been placed by the menu board. And, of course the bird makes an appearance on the neon sign out front. Another thing you don't see at chains - My wife and I got there for supper at 5:15 only to learn they close at 5pm.
Waylan's Ku-Ku Bird - Miami, OK The Ku-Ku was once a hamburger fast food chain, but Waylan's Ku-Ku along Route 66 in Miami, OK is the last surviving location. The signature design of the building has a ku-ku bird emerging from the front of the building as if it is a Cuckoo clock, although interior expansion makes it harder to get a good view of it. A second ku-ku has been placed by the menu board. And, of course the bird makes an appearance on the neon sign out front. Another thing you don't see at chains - My wife and I got there for supper at 5:15 only to learn they close at 5pm.
Waylan's Ku-Ku neon sign - Miami, OK The Ku-Ku was once a hamburger fast food chain, but Waylan's Ku-Ku along Route 66 in Miami, OK is the last surviving location. The signature design of the building has a ku-ku bird emerging from the front of the building as if it is a Cuckoo clock, although interior expansion makes it harder to get a good view of it. A second ku-ku has been placed by the menu board. And, of course the bird makes an appearance on the neon sign out front. As a bonus for Route 66 travelers, they keep a light blue Ford Fairlane at the base of the sign. Another thing you don't see at chains - My wife and I got there for supper at 5:15 only to learn they close at 5pm.
Catoosa Whale's Kissing Whales Welcome sign As I first walked in, I thought the welcome sign made for a whimsical start which embodies the entire place. On the bottom left of this picture is one of those markers which says how far away other places are from this spot. We passed through here a few days later and the sign was completely repaired! Here's the description on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Whale_of_Catoosa The Blue Whale of Catoosa is a waterfront structure, just east of the American town of Catoosa, Oklahoma, and it has become one of the most recognizable attractions on old Route 66. Hugh Davis built the Blue Whale in the early 1970s as a surprise anniversary gift to his wife Zelta, who collected whale figurines. The Blue Whale and its pond became a favored swimming hole for both locals and travelers along Route 66 alike. Originally, the pond surrounding the massive Blue Whale was spring fed and intended only for family use. However, as many locals began to come to enjoy its waters, Davis brought in tons of sand, built picnic tables, hired life guards, and opened it to the public. Originally calling it Nature's Acres, Mr. Davis continued to add to the roadside attraction until it eventually included The Fun and Swim Blue Whale and the A.R.K. (Animal Reptile Kingdom). The attraction also featured Hugh's brother-in-law, Indian Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt, a full blooded Acoma Indian, who was famous in his own right for his Indian paintings and as a highly skilled silversmith. Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt once ran the Arrowood Trading post across the highway from the Blue Whale attraction. By 1988, the Davises were not able to continue managing the attraction, so they closed it to the public. Davis died in January 1990, followed by his wife Zelta in 2001. The park soon fell into disrepair, crumbling from neglect and weather. However, after a decade the people of Catoosa and employees of the Hampton Inn launched a fund-raising and volunteer effort to restore the Route 66 landmark. The Blue Whale was restored and repainted to its original brilliant blue. The adjacent picnic area has also been restored. Brent's note: Recently, the place has come under the ownership of the city which has helped it thrive. I believe the creator was also an employee for the nearby Tulsa Zoo, which gave him experience with tourist attractions, animals, and building things out of concrete.
Catoosa Whale on Route 66 On my summer Route 66 Vacation, the Catoosa Whale was my wife's and my favorite stop. We didn't come close to going the full Route, but we stopped here again on the way back home. Although there is now a no swimming policy, the original purpose of the fins was a slide into the lake. Other than a desire to follow the rules, there's no stopping anyone from doing that now - or using the ladder further back. You are still allowed to climb up the ladder to get to the top of the tail. I wonder if people used to dive off of it. There's also a ladder in the middle which lets you climb into an upper level and look out those small round windows. Here's the description on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Whale_of_Catoosa The Blue Whale of Catoosa is a waterfront structure, just east of the American town of Catoosa, Oklahoma, and it has become one of the most recognizable attractions on old Route 66. Hugh Davis built the Blue Whale in the early 1970s as a surprise anniversary gift to his wife Zelta, who collected whale figurines. The Blue Whale and its pond became a favored swimming hole for both locals and travelers along Route 66 alike. Originally, the pond surrounding the massive Blue Whale was spring fed and intended only for family use. However, as many locals began to come to enjoy its waters, Davis brought in tons of sand, built picnic tables, hired life guards, and opened it to the public. Originally calling it Nature's Acres, Mr. Davis continued to add to the roadside attraction until it eventually included The Fun and Swim Blue Whale and the A.R.K. (Animal Reptile Kingdom). The attraction also featured Hugh's brother-in-law, Indian Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt, a full blooded Acoma Indian, who was famous in his own right for his Indian paintings and as a highly skilled silversmith. Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt once ran the Arrowood Trading post across the highway from the Blue Whale attraction. By 1988, the Davises were not able to continue managing the attraction, so they closed it to the public. Davis died in January 1990, followed by his wife Zelta in 2001. The park soon fell into disrepair, crumbling from neglect and weather. However, after a decade the people of Catoosa and employees of the Hampton Inn launched a fund-raising and volunteer effort to restore the Route 66 landmark. The Blue Whale was restored and repainted to its original brilliant blue. The adjacent picnic area has also been restored. Brent's note: Recently, the place has come under the ownership of the city which has helped it thrive. I believe the creator was also an employee for the nearby Tulsa Zoo, which gave him experience with tourist attractions, animals, and building things out of concrete.
Catoosa Whale's ARK Originally, the Catoosa Whale included a zoo, which has probably been closed over 30 years. There are several pieces of the zoo left, like some crumbling animal enclosures and mushrooms. The most preserved pieced, but still off limits, is this ARK. This was the Animal Reptile Kingdom and there is a door and ramp to the second floor on the other side. If you look closely on the right, ARK is spelled out in Christmas lights, and I'd like to know when they were last used. Here's the description on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Whale_of_Catoosa The Blue Whale of Catoosa is a waterfront structure, just east of the American town of Catoosa, Oklahoma, and it has become one of the most recognizable attractions on old Route 66. Hugh Davis built the Blue Whale in the early 1970s as a surprise anniversary gift to his wife Zelta, who collected whale figurines. The Blue Whale and its pond became a favored swimming hole for both locals and travelers along Route 66 alike. Originally, the pond surrounding the massive Blue Whale was spring fed and intended only for family use. However, as many locals began to come to enjoy its waters, Davis brought in tons of sand, built picnic tables, hired life guards, and opened it to the public. Originally calling it Nature's Acres, Mr. Davis continued to add to the roadside attraction until it eventually included The Fun and Swim Blue Whale and the A.R.K. (Animal Reptile Kingdom). The attraction also featured Hugh's brother-in-law, Indian Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt, a full blooded Acoma Indian, who was famous in his own right for his Indian paintings and as a highly skilled silversmith. Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt once ran the Arrowood Trading post across the highway from the Blue Whale attraction. By 1988, the Davises were not able to continue managing the attraction, so they closed it to the public. Davis died in January 1990, followed by his wife Zelta in 2001. The park soon fell into disrepair, crumbling from neglect and weather. However, after a decade the people of Catoosa and employees of the Hampton Inn launched a fund-raising and volunteer effort to restore the Route 66 landmark. The Blue Whale was restored and repainted to its original brilliant blue. The adjacent picnic area has also been restored. Brent's note: Recently, the place has come under the ownership of the city which has helped it thrive. I believe the creator was also an employee for the nearby Tulsa Zoo, which gave him experience with tourist attractions, animals, and building things out of concrete.
Catoosa Whale Mushroom For the first couple of decades of operation, the Catoosa Whale included a zoo. I think the animals have now been gone over 30 years but there are some remnants, like the ARK, a couple of animal enclosures and this ring of concrete mushrooms with plastic tops. Here's the description on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Whale_of_Catoosa The Blue Whale of Catoosa is a waterfront structure, just east of the American town of Catoosa, Oklahoma, and it has become one of the most recognizable attractions on old Route 66. Hugh Davis built the Blue Whale in the early 1970s as a surprise anniversary gift to his wife Zelta, who collected whale figurines. The Blue Whale and its pond became a favored swimming hole for both locals and travelers along Route 66 alike. Originally, the pond surrounding the massive Blue Whale was spring fed and intended only for family use. However, as many locals began to come to enjoy its waters, Davis brought in tons of sand, built picnic tables, hired life guards, and opened it to the public. Originally calling it Nature's Acres, Mr. Davis continued to add to the roadside attraction until it eventually included The Fun and Swim Blue Whale and the A.R.K. (Animal Reptile Kingdom). The attraction also featured Hugh's brother-in-law, Indian Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt, a full blooded Acoma Indian, who was famous in his own right for his Indian paintings and as a highly skilled silversmith. Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt once ran the Arrowood Trading post across the highway from the Blue Whale attraction. By 1988, the Davises were not able to continue managing the attraction, so they closed it to the public. Davis died in January 1990, followed by his wife Zelta in 2001. The park soon fell into disrepair, crumbling from neglect and weather. However, after a decade the people of Catoosa and employees of the Hampton Inn launched a fund-raising and volunteer effort to restore the Route 66 landmark. The Blue Whale was restored and repainted to its original brilliant blue. The adjacent picnic area has also been restored. Brent's note: Recently, the place has come under the ownership of the city which has helped it thrive. I believe the creator was also an employee for the nearby Tulsa Zoo, which gave him experience with tourist attractions, animals, and building things out of concrete.
Catoosa Whale and Picnic Tables on Route 66 On my summer Route 66 Vacation, the Catoosa Whale was my wife's and my favorite stop. We didn't come close to going the full Route, but we stopped here again on the way back home. A highlight of this place which I didn't know about before I got here (I never saw it in any of the photos or videos of the place before I left home) are all of the picnic tables in the foreground. Many of the tables are little whales where you can sit on the tail. While there are several solo tables on the right, there's a larger table on the left. The surface of the table is four hearts put together. (The place was an anniversary gift to his wife after all!) Behind it to the left is a round table with six of these whale seats in a circle. From this view, we can also see how the whale is wearing a tiny baseball hat with a small C on it. Here's the description on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Whale_of_Catoosa The Blue Whale of Catoosa is a waterfront structure, just east of the American town of Catoosa, Oklahoma, and it has become one of the most recognizable attractions on old Route 66. Hugh Davis built the Blue Whale in the early 1970s as a surprise anniversary gift to his wife Zelta, who collected whale figurines. The Blue Whale and its pond became a favored swimming hole for both locals and travelers along Route 66 alike. Originally, the pond surrounding the massive Blue Whale was spring fed and intended only for family use. However, as many locals began to come to enjoy its waters, Davis brought in tons of sand, built picnic tables, hired life guards, and opened it to the public. Originally calling it Nature's Acres, Mr. Davis continued to add to the roadside attraction until it eventually included The Fun and Swim Blue Whale and the A.R.K. (Animal Reptile Kingdom). The attraction also featured Hugh's brother-in-law, Indian Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt, a full blooded Acoma Indian, who was famous in his own right for his Indian paintings and as a highly skilled silversmith. Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt once ran the Arrowood Trading post across the highway from the Blue Whale attraction. By 1988, the Davises were not able to continue managing the attraction, so they closed it to the public. Davis died in January 1990, followed by his wife Zelta in 2001. The park soon fell into disrepair, crumbling from neglect and weather. However, after a decade the people of Catoosa and employees of the Hampton Inn launched a fund-raising and volunteer effort to restore the Route 66 landmark. The Blue Whale was restored and repainted to its original brilliant blue. The adjacent picnic area has also been restored. Brent's note: Recently, the place has come under the ownership of the city which has helped it thrive. I believe the creator was also an employee for the nearby Tulsa Zoo, which gave him experience with tourist attractions, animals, and building things out of concrete.
Catoosa Whale on Route 66 On my summer Route 66 Vacation, the Catoosa Whale was my wife's and my favorite stop. We didn't come close to going the full Route, but we stopped here again on the way back home. I consider this the traditional view. But, when I searched for pictures when I got home, I realize that few people walk around to the end of the lake to get a view like this. Here's the description on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Whale_of_Catoosa The Blue Whale of Catoosa is a waterfront structure, just east of the American town of Catoosa, Oklahoma, and it has become one of the most recognizable attractions on old Route 66. Hugh Davis built the Blue Whale in the early 1970s as a surprise anniversary gift to his wife Zelta, who collected whale figurines. The Blue Whale and its pond became a favored swimming hole for both locals and travelers along Route 66 alike. Originally, the pond surrounding the massive Blue Whale was spring fed and intended only for family use. However, as many locals began to come to enjoy its waters, Davis brought in tons of sand, built picnic tables, hired life guards, and opened it to the public. Originally calling it Nature's Acres, Mr. Davis continued to add to the roadside attraction until it eventually included The Fun and Swim Blue Whale and the A.R.K. (Animal Reptile Kingdom). The attraction also featured Hugh's brother-in-law, Indian Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt, a full blooded Acoma Indian, who was famous in his own right for his Indian paintings and as a highly skilled silversmith. Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt once ran the Arrowood Trading post across the highway from the Blue Whale attraction. By 1988, the Davises were not able to continue managing the attraction, so they closed it to the public. Davis died in January 1990, followed by his wife Zelta in 2001. The park soon fell into disrepair, crumbling from neglect and weather. However, after a decade the people of Catoosa and employees of the Hampton Inn launched a fund-raising and volunteer effort to restore the Route 66 landmark. The Blue Whale was restored and repainted to its original brilliant blue. The adjacent picnic area has also been restored. Brent's note: Recently, the place has come under the ownership of the city which has helped it thrive. I believe the creator was also an employee for the nearby Tulsa Zoo, which gave him experience with tourist attractions, animals, and building things out of concrete.
World Peace Bell - Newport, KY In my opinion, this is an under-appreciated site to see in the KY suburbs of Cincinnati. The bell rings daily at 11:55 from it's clear tower. From Wikipedia: The Newport, Kentucky, World Peace Bell is one of more than twenty Peace Bells around the world. It weighs 66,000 lbs. and is 12 feet wide. From 2000 until 2006, it was the largest swinging bell in the world. It was dedicated on December 31, 1999, and was first swung as the year 2000 opened. In keeping with its theme of world peace, the bell features an inscription commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and engravings marking important events from the past 1,000 years The plan in 1997 was to cast the bell near Newport, Kentucky, in an on-site foundry. The bell would have hung in a 1,400-foot Millennium Monument tower to open on New Year's Eve 1999, with an 85-bell carillon featuring this bell as its largest. At first the bell was called "The Millennium Bell." Later the plans were reduced to a smaller tower for the bell with an accompanying museum. The Verdin Company managed the project on the U.S. side on behalf of the Millennium Monument Company. On December 11, 1998, the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the bell was cast on the premises of a ship propeller foundry in Nantes, France, under the strict supervision of staff from French bellfounders Fonderie Paccard of Annecy. The mastermind behind this bell was veteran bellfounder Pierre Paccard who accomplished this mammoth feat together with his sons, Philippe and Cyril Paccard, under the close collaboration of Master Founder Miguel Lopez. The World Peace Bell was first rung in Nantes on March 20, 1999, in a public ceremony. It then underwent a month-and-a-half-long sea voyage from France to the U.S. port of New Orleans, Louisiana, where the bell was made part of that city's Fourth of July celebration. The bell was then transported by barge up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, making stops in 14 cities along the way and arriving at its final destination in northern Kentucky on August 1. Its arrival coincided with the 1999 Tall Stacks Festival, held along the Cincinnati-Covington-Newport section of the Ohio River. This event was named the nation's "Top Tourism Event" by the American Bus Association in 1999. For the first time in the U.S., the bell was rung by swinging on January 1, 2000, at midnight. Struck twelve times, its peal was heard for distances of about 25 miles. The striker is of cast iron and was produced at Cast-Fab Technologies, Inc., in Cincinnati, Ohio. A special iron was used to prevent the striker from damaging the bell when it hits the outside rim of the bell. The striker allows the bell to be chimed without swinging it. The bell tower and the bell and most of the other components of the Millennium Monument, were produced at companies local to the Newport, Kentucky, area. The World Peace Bell Center is located at 425 York Street, Newport, Kentucky, 41071.
Big Man - Washington, GA Big Man is a former Muffler Man on the east side of Washington, GA along Bus US78. He had been in storage for quite a while when he was installed in front of a tire shop in the late 1990's where he held a tire. A few years later, the tire shop owner won the Mega Millions jackpot and retired. Maybe Big Man brings good luck to others, but he stood in disrepair for a few years. Eventually, the building was purchased to be a Christian thrift store and Big Man got a fresh coat of paint. The thrift store moved so today the building is a restaurant.
Tow Tater - Galena, KS "Tow Tater" is a 1951 International boom truck which the people at Pixar used for the inspiration of Tow Mater in the Cars movie franchise. With that in mind, several Cars characters from Radiator Springs appear around the town of Galena. Here, a replica of Tow Mater appears next to the original Tow Tater. His home is Cars on the Route, which is a restored Kan-O-Tex service station and tourist stop on Route 66.
Kansas Route 66 Tin Man - Baxter Springs Located in front of an antique store along Route 66
Super Museum - Metropolis, IL This is the museum dedicated to Superman in his hometown of Metropolis, IL. The museum opened in 1993, the same year as the large Superman Status in the nearby town square. The museum has a colorful edifice, vintage car and 2nd floor superman statue. The car represents the car which Superman is holding up in Action Comics #1.
Noel Neill (Lois Lane) statue - Metropolis This statue of Noel Neill is a few blocks up from the oversized Superman in Metropolis, IL. She portrayed the Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane in the 1950s Adventures of Superman TV show. She has come to visit the town several times for the yearly Superman celebration, and she was immortalized in this statue which was unveiled in 2010.
Super Big Boy - Metropolis, IL Metropolis is the home of Superman, and this Big Boy statue is decorated with a Superman wardrobe. This is located in front of an antique store on Market Street in Metropolis, just a couple of blocks from the big Superman. Inside the store, and barely visible in the photo is a statue of the iconic MariLynn Monroe on a vent pose, also repainted in Superman colors.
Big John - Metropolis, IL Superman isn't the only large man in Metropolis. Big John is a friendly oversized grocery store clerk statue on the east side of town along highway US45. He is holding two grocery bags with his left arm after the right arm fell off in 2014. Before then, each hand held a bag. During the repair, his shirt was given a fresh red paint job as it had been red and white checkerboard before then.
Metropolis, IL - Home of Superman for 50 years In June 1972, the city of Metropolis, IL got permission from D.C. Comics to be the official home of Superman. In June 1993 in the town square, this 15 foot tall and three ton statue. It cost $120,000, funded by the sale of engraved bricks. Earlier this month, the town had their 50th year celebration of making it officially the home of Superman. I missed the celebration by a week. The town also has a Superman Museum, Lois Lane and Daily Planet statues, and a giant kryptonite. This will be my first photo in my Illinois set as it was my first visit to the state in nearly 20 years.
Oversized Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Carton This giant ice cream carton is in Memphis and visible from I-240. It is located at Klinke Brothers, a Baskin Robbins distribution center.
World's Largest Cedar Bucket - Murfreesboro, TN The original World's Largest Cedar Bucket was built in 1887 as a promotion by the Tennessee Red Cedar Woodenworks Company in Murfreesboro, TN. Eventually, the bucket went many places, like the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair. The company burned down in 1952 and a local market bought it for display for over a decade, until it was purchased by a Rossville, GA amusement park for another decade. In 1976, the town of Murfreesboro thought the bucket should come home and it became the centerpiece at the local park Cannonsburgh Village. The bucket had always been prominent in Murfreesboro's history and some even remember the nickname "Bucket town." Sadly, in 2005 someone thought it would be fun to set fire to the bucket leaving the charred, fragile remains. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the new rebuilt World's Largest Cedar Bucket was brought back to the Village on Oct. 22, 2011. Ever since the original was burnt, the local Rutherford County Blacksmiths' Association were dedicated to rebuilding it. It took a little longer than expected to try to find Red Cedar that was the right hue, free of knots and could be cut into large enough planks. The new bucket was built to similar dimensions as the old bucket: 6 feet tall, 6 feet wide at the base up to 7 1/2 at the top, able to hold 1566 gallons. Now, it's kept locked behind a fence. My photo from a decade ago shows the bucket behind a wire mesh screen, but now it's bars I can fit the camera through - Using a wide angle lens, I can get the entire bucket in the frame. See my video tour of Cannonsburgh Village here: youtu.be/3aMSDLB7Vls
Jungle Jim's Monorail Jungle Jim's is a tourist destination supermarket in the suburbs of Cincinnati. It was so much a tourist destination they decided to build a monorail system which would encircle the giant store. At some point, they decided the payoff wouldn't be as great as they originally imagined. Thus, they put the actual passenger cars as a static display out front. There is additional completed but unconnected tracks along other sides.
Constitution Elm - Corydon, IN Soon after Indiana became a state with Corydon as the Capitol, leaders began to draft the state Constitution. As it was hot in June in 1816 and the local log cabin didn't have air conditioning, the leaders went outside and gathered under the largest tree. After the document was complete, the tree became known as Constitution Elm. The tree was said to be 130 feet wide, 50 feet tall and over 150 years old. A century later in 1916, re-enactors had a ceremony to re-live the experience. The tree was an iconic symbol of Indiana Statehood. Sadly, a few years later in 1925, the tree had Dutch Elm Disease and would not survive. Extensive preservation efforts began. First the dying tree limbs and branches were removed, cut into pieces and sold as souvenirs. The stone monument was built to surround and encase the stump, while the marker was placed in 1932. In the years since, it still requires maintenance to prevent insect infestations and dry rot. At one point, the tree was covered in Coal Tar. For the 2016 Bicentennial, many experts were still consulted on how best to preserve what remains. Yet, it still remains and you can still visit it at its original location along W. High St.
Jungle Jim's Animatronic Elvis Jungle Jim's in the Cincinnati suburbs is more than just a grocery store - it's a tourist destination. Here we have an animatronic cartoon animal which sings Elvis. On the left is a terrarium with a large gummy snake.
The Monkey Woman Bridge - Cannonsburgh Village Cannonsburgh Village is a collection of historic structures from the Rutherford County area moved to this spot as part of America's Bicentennial in 1976. Cannonsburgh is the original name of Murfreesboro. The Money Woman bridge was originally west of Smyrna where an old alignment of Almaville Road crossed Stewart's Creek. The old one lane iron bridge with a wooden driving surface was quite inadequate when it was replaced and removed in the 1970s, at just the right time to be placed at this new village. But why is it called the Monkey Woman bridge? Back in the 1950's, there was an urban legend which became quite popular regarding the area around this bridge, including a nearby cemetery. Many people claimed to see a half-woman, half-monkey in this area. The story was given more credibility when local journalist Ed Bell stopped on the bridge one night to look at the creek. According to his story, the Monkey Woman jumped on the hood of his car! The legend has survived for many decades. A friend who lived in the area told me how the replacement bridge which is now on One Mile Lane is still called the Monkey Woman Bridge. He and his friends would sometimes hang out there on Halloween night, until they got scared and ran home. I'm not going to tell you what you should or shouldn't believe about this story. However, the crew who dug up this old bridge to have it moved here apparently also found some remains. Check out my video of this bridge and Cannonsburgh Village here: youtu.be/3aMSDLB7Vls
Wooden's Legacy statue - Indianapolis John Wooden is one of College Basketball's most famous coaches and was born in Indiana. This statue unveiled on March 10, 2012 was sculpted by Jeffrey Rouse and depicts Wooden in a game huddle surrounded by five pairs of disembodied legs. Presumable, this was done to make Wooden the star of the statue with the players anonymous. However, it's easy to not take it as serious as the artist intended. Some people call it the Coach of the Christmas Story Lamps.
The Big Cheese - Jungle Jim's Jungle Jim's in the Cincinnati suburbs is more than just a grocery store - it's a tourist destination. According to the sign, the Big Cheese weighs in at 762 pounds. It takes BelGioioso Cheese Inc. three months to make. Then it's aged inside this crate-looking cooler until "it's matured and is ready to be taken down for your enjoyment."
The House Made out of Coal In 1926, it took 42 tons of coal to build this house in Middlesboro, KY. Today, this house made of one of the area's most abundant natural resources serves as the town's Chamber of Commerce.
Dolly PartHEN - Frizzle Chicken - Pigeon Forge Frizzle Chicken is a one-of-a-kind tourist restaurant in Pigeon Forge, TN. The highlight is dozens of animatronic chickens which surround the patrons. Each chicken is named after a celebrity with a poultry pun like Dolly PartHEN, Dwight YOLKam or Elvis PresLAY. Then, every so often they sing together, as you can see in this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zTAfGPEW-E
The Flying Saucer House of Signal Mountain, TN probably a UFO enthusiast, Curtis King built this house in 1972. It's located along a hairpin turn along highway US127 heading up to Signal Mountain. The staircase which comes below was originally motorized and would retract up into the house, but it no longer works. (according to legend, one couple who owned the house had an argument, the wife retracted the stairs up and then moved the car where the stairs would lower, thus trapping the husband inside!) When constructed, many futuristic details were added, such as rounded rooms and furniture. It had an entertainment room and full bar. The 2000 sqft house originally cost $250,000. In the nearly 50 years since construction, it has changed owners several times, and at one point was available as a vacation rental.
The clock tower with a puppet show and glockenspiel Goebel Park in Covington, KY is best known for it's iconic German-style Carroll Chimes Clock Tower. It features a mechanical puppet show and a working glockenspiel (sometimes described instead as a carillon), both of which play every hour from April to December. Architect Addison Clipson was commissioned to design the tower and worked with partner Bill Batson. Completed in 1979, the tower was named in honor of then Governor of Kentucky, Julian Carroll. The charming mechanical puppet show briefly tells the story of the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Figurines show the Pied Piper lead way rats, Hamelin's mayor, and then dancing children. Part of the show needs repair but you can see it in this video: youtu.be/9TZMm0aBTrM
Walking Dead Mural - Cynthiana, KY Known as the World's Largest Walking Dead Mural, this is painted on the back of Roh's Opera House. Featuring Rick, Carl, Michonne and Daryl, it was painted by Sergio Odeith for the 2016 Walking Dead Day in Cynthiana. This city is the hometown of Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman.
Dolly Parton Statue - Sevierville, TN This statue of Dolly Parton was placed in front of the Sevier County Courthouse on May 3, 1987. According to the plaque, the Sculptor is Jim Gray and it was made possible through the generosity of the people of Sevier County. Recently on a TV interview, Dolly shared this story: After my dad died, one of my brothers told me that daddy used to put a big bucket, a big oil drum, of soapy water and a broom in the back of his truck and late at night he’d go down to the statue and scrub all the pigeon poop off [the statue],” Parton admitted. “It touched me. I cried my eyes out! My daddy’s gone but the pigeons are still there – I’m not sure who is doing that now.”
Oversized Strawberry Crate - Portland, TN The claim to fame of the small town of Portland, TN is their annual Strawberry Festival. In 2021, it is this weekend, May 7-8. With that in mind, Citizens' Park along Main St. was redesigned in early 2019 with this oversized crate to hold strawberries. Likewise, oversized strawberries were placed around the crate as well as all around the block. Inside the crate are a couple of park benches. See a video of the area here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCoi6HD-Rxo
The Spike that Binds This sculpture is a life-sized man made entirely out of railroad spikes. It's located at the Hattiesburg, MS train station and was unveiled by artist Jason Kimes in 2010 as part of the stations centennial celebration.
Alfred E. Neuman Muffler Man This Muffler Man with the head of Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman was built over 50 years ago for Ken's Muffler Shop in Beaumont, TX. Today, it's a tire shop. About 10 years ago, he had a yellow shirt, but it was painted blue. His official name is Happy Half Wit.
World's Largest Working Fire Hydrant In 1999, this World's Largest Fire Hydrant was built by Walt Disney as a promotion for the re-release of the animated 101 Dalmatians movie to home video. With Dalmatians also linked to firemen, the hydrant was placed in a park across the street from the Fire Museum of Texas in Beaumont. At the dedication ceremony, the hydrant sprayed water and confetti, and then firefighter families went to view a screening of the film. This hydrant is 24 feet tall, and the paint is maintained by the Fire Museum. Two years later, a 29 feet tall hydrant opened in South Carolina, so this one is now known as the largest working fire hydrant.
Half Taxi Cab/Half Savannah Police Car This dual-painted car is located on the grounds of the historic Savannah Police Department Headquarters. It's is used as an Anti-DUI reminder. Above the phone number on the Taxi side, it says, "This ride: about $20." Above the front wheel on the police side, it says, "This ride = $1800+"
Mount Rush Hour - Houston, TX "A Tribute to American Statesmanship" is a tribute to U.S. Presidents Lincoln and Washington as well as important early Texas leaders Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin. It is humorously also called Mount Rush Hour due to its 4-figure similarity to Mt. Rushmore as well as its viewing location of the Houston bottleneck location where Interstates 10 and 45 meet. This photo was taken while I was in that bottleneck, but you can get a closer view at American Statesmanship Park at the end of Bingham St. These oversized busts are the creation of David Adickes, who is well known for several other large statues. Since everything is bigger in Texas, he has created massive statues of Houston and Austin. He also created President's Park which showcased all Presidents through George W. Bush, but closed in 2010.
Animatronic Son of a President Charlie Taft was the son of President Taft. He was born in Cincinnati and moved to the White House at age 11. As an adult, he became a lawyer in Cincinnati, then a councilman, and eventually Mayor. Later in life, Charlie acquired and restored his boyhood home so it could be preserved as the William Howard Taft National Historic Site. After he passed away, this display in the visitor's center was built with a robotic talking likeness. He loved fishing, so the display was made to look like he was setting up on the riverbank. The display also features the back portion of his '70 Ford Maverick which always had a canoe on top. It might seem strange for a display at a President's historic site to feature such a display for somebody else. However, when you consider the relationship, the effort he put in to preserving the site, and his larger tie to the Cincinnati community, it makes sense.
Vietnam War US Army LRRP Ranger This Vietnam War Army Ranger sculpture is made out of Scrap Metal. It is one of several similar statues made by Ryan Barbour of Barrel House Metal and Woodworks in Clarksville. It was placed in 2018 at Lewis Country Store west of Nashville at the intersection of Old Hickory Blvd. and Ashland City Highway (TN12).
Chicago Coin's Band-Box Here's a video of what this looks like in action: youtu.be/Ufv6HNY9-t8 The Chicago Coin Band-Box was an early 1950's enhancement to a juxebox. When a patron would put a coin in the juxebox, the curtains will open up and the tiny mechanical musicians will play along with the music. This specific Band Box was found at the Anchor Grill in Covington, KY. Other people came in to take pictures of this and leave. If you're there, and you like greasy spoon food, you might as well get your meal there as well. I had some Goetta. Learn more about the Band Box here: chicagocoinsbandbox.com/history-of-the-chicago-coins-band...
Pink Elephant with Martini Glass Seen in Cross Plains, TN at Exit 112 Antique Mall.
Footprints in the Sand - Carthage, TX Footprints in the Sand is a famous Christian Poem from the 1930s which describes the way Jesus picks up the narrator to help with his struggles in life. Sculptor Bob Harness read the poem in 2008 and wanted to turn it into a sculpture. After some fundraisers and local volunteer work, the memorial park opened August 19, 2014. The old man carried by Jesus is Willie George who donated money at the start of the project. The Bronze statue of Jesus is 14 feet tall atop a five foot pedestal. The path from the parking lot starts with two sets of footprints half of the way, with one set after Jesus carries the man.
Peach Park Lighthouse Fountain Peach Park is a tourist attraction just off Interstate 65 on the south side of Clanton, AL. They have this nice fountain featuring a lighthouse even though it is hours from a place where you'd need a lighthouse.
Stephen F. Austin - Father of Texas Everything is bigger in Texas, including the statues of their founding fathers. This 60 foot tall statue is on a 12 foot base. It is located outside of Angleton, TX and was created by David Adickes in 2006.
Grave of Queen of the Gypsies - Meridian, MS In 1915, Kelly Mitchell, "Queen of the Gypsies," died in childbirth to her 15th child. Since Thousands upon thousands of Gypsies would travel far and wide to attend this funeral, Kelly's husband needed her to be buried at a cemetery which offered refrigeration, to preserve the body. The body was transported 40 miles to Rose Hill Cemetery in Meridian, MS, a city ironically known as "The Queen City." Rumors said the casket was made of gold or mourners placed gold into the grace. Thus, the capstone was cracked several times from vandals who smashed it.
Giant Longhorn Armadillo - Houston Even the mutant armadillos are bigger in Texas. This one is 14 feet long, 22 feet tall perched on a boulder, with glowing red eyes, and the horns of longhorn cattle. This is outside a restaurant called Goode Company Armadillo Palace.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Cave of Machpelah See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: The Resurrection See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Christ in Gethsemane See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Zacchaeus up a tree See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: The Crucifixion See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: The Last Supper See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Transfiguration See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Sermon on the Mount See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Jesus in the Temple See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Nativity See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Cave Entrance See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Abraham's Oak See the entire photo set here. Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Crystal Shrine Grotto: Covered Bridge Crystal Shrine Grotto is a historic artistic tribute to the life of Jesus at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, TN. Cemetery founder E. Clovis Hinds wanted a tribute to Jesus to uplift the mourning visitors to the cemetery. The Grotto features many years of work by Dionicio Rodriguez, but many of the sculptures inside the cave were added decades later by David Day, Luther Hampton and Marie Craig. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery." Here is the description from Wikipedia: In 1935 Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez was hired to beautify the park with sculptures. Annie Laurie’s Wishing Chair, Broken Tree Bench, Abrahams Oak, Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found in different locations throughout the cemetery. In 1938, construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began. The grotto is a 60 ft deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with 5 tons of quartz crystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto was completed after Rodriguez' death in 1955. The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Here is my video tour: youtu.be/gjmBQRq4mUk See the entire photo set here. Here's the writeup from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11606 "The Secrets of Crystal Shrine Grotto" by Memphis Magazine: memphismagazine.com/culture/the-secrets-of-crystal-shrine... Photos uploaded on Easter Day 2019.
Tombstone Rock of Urban Legends - Nashville City Cemetery City Cemetery is the Nashville's original cemetery and the primary burial ground for many of the city's founding fathers. Instead of a standard tombstone, one cemetery plot is covered by a large boulder, plus a large iron fixture to hold a lantern. Because this is unusual, it makes for some good urban legends. The legend goes something like this: Up until 2014, there was a plaque with the name Ann Rawlins Sanders 1815-1836 on it. (If you look closely, you can see the outline where a plaque was.) As one story goes, Ann was killed in a carriage accident on the way to her wedding. In another version, after a lover's quarrel, Ann jumped off this rock into the Cumberland River to drown away her sorrows. While going through bereavement, her husband somehow moved the rock she jumped off of to her grave site. The iron fixture held a lantern so that if her spirit was scared or wanted to look for her husband, she would have a light. None of this is true. Instead, Ann is buried in the stone box barely visible behind the rock. The lantern seen in older pictures was removed as it was not original or from the same time period. The Rock is actually the tombstone for Lucy Rawlins Steele (perhaps Ann's sister.) Her name was actually carved in the rock on the other side, but it's weathered and not visible today. Lucy died in May 1847 of Tuberculosis. Her husband Edward G. Steele was a commissioner overseeing the building of the state capitol. He had this stone from the same quarry as the capitol delivered here for the tombstone. Two years later, Edward moved to another state and the locals forgot who Lucy was. Read the entire story in this PDF from the Nashville City cemetery association, starting on page 3: They tell the real story and how they learned about it: www.thenashvillecitycemetery.org/spring2014.pdf www.thenashvillecitycemetery.org/180060_steel.htm www.thenashvillecitycemetery.org/180058_sanders.htm www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/24272
Gatorland Weather Report Rock Normally I see the weather report rock as a cheap redneck souvenir in a tourist trap gift shop. This one is just as silly, but they went to more of an effort to build this one and I like it.
Goofy Golf neon sign - Ft. Walton, FL I think the old school minigolf courses are the best. This one is now sixty years old, opening in October 1958. Learn more at Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/19405
Goofy Golf: "Hammy" the dinosaur - Ft. Walton, FL I think the old school minigolf courses are the best. This one is now sixty years old, opening in October 1958. Learn more at Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/19405 In 2003, the 23 foot dinosaur collapsed, but was repaired and placed here again for their 50th anniversary.
The VegaCal Iron Man - Hartselle, AL VegaCal Gets the Bile (other side): VegaCal For the Liver It used to be that advertisements along the roadside used to be more imaginative. Vega-Cal was a liver tonic sold in the Birmingham area back in the 1930s. The company had a few of these iron man advertisements placed at important roads around the area. However, only the one near Hartselle survives. To find this, from Hartselle, take AL Highway 36 west from town. Since it is a local landmark, the cross street is Iron Man Rd. To walk up and see it, park in front of Iron Man Market. It is repainted every three years by the Hopewell Homemakers Club. For more info: www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/56363 www.birminghamrewound.com/features/vegecal.htm
Knoxville Confederate Cemetery Monument I first learned of this confederate monument here on Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/37547 Perhaps I didn't follow instructions well as I had trouble finding it. I started at the nearby Calvary Catholic Cemetery driving up and down every turn. Then, I found the nearby Odd Fellows Cemetery and the Potter's Field Cemetery. Then, I was at Walter Hardy Park when I thought I spotted it on the other side of a large fence. I drove back to Bethel Ave., where I found a gate to the fence that appeared to be accidentally unlocked. I knew I was in the right place because there was a historic marker for "Confederate Cemetery" on the other side of the fence. I opened the gate and felt like I was breaking in to someone's back yard as there was a house inside this fenced area. There were even a couple of parked cars around the monument, one of which can be seen here. As it turns out, the area may only be open to the public on Saturday's, so I arrived on the right day. The home which was the original caretaker's cottage is apparently a museum today. As I was leaving, another couple who drove all over Calvary Catholic Cemetery parked next to me on the street as they were looking for the same thing. Here is the text of the marker: During the Confederate War, 1861-1865, more than 1600 Confederate soldiers and about 50 Federal prisoners were buried here. About 20 Confederate veterans have been buried here since the war. The tall monument was erected in 1892 by the Ladies' Memorial Association. See also: www.tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/content/the-bethel...
Welcome to Gatorland sign I like the billboard that is located outside of the popular and vintage Gatorland tourist attraction.
Peach Park - Clanlton, AL - Pose with a giant peach Peach Park is an old-fashioned tourist attraction in Clanton, AL where US31 and I-65 meet. Peaches are usually associated with Georgia, but there are several Peach and produce markets in the area between Birmingham and Montgomery. Peach Park tries to set itself apart with things like this peach statue in a garden, a lighthouse, a caboose, a Playground set around a replica barn. My wife bought some home-made cantaloupe ice cream which she calls the best she's ever had.
Oldest Metal Bridge in Virginia (Under Construction) The Roaring Run Bowstring Truss Bridge (a.k.a. King Tubular Arch Truss Bridge) is a historic bowstring truss bridge located at the Ironto Rest Area near mile 128 along northbound I-81. It was built by the King Bridge Company in 1878, and is a single-span, four-panel tubular arch pony truss. It measures 55 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 6 feet, 6 inches, high with an open roadway width of approximately 9 feet, 6 inches. The bridge was partially disassembled and moved from its original location to a second site during the early 20th century where it remained until moved to its current location in 1977. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. During my visit in June 2017, all of the wooden boards had been removed so it can be rebuilt with better safety. www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/40448 bridgehunter.com/va/montgomery/roaring-run/
Big Apple Time Capsule - Martinsburg, WV This time capsule was placed by the Martinsburg Jaycees along King St. in 1990 and to be opened in 2040. Just so you will feel old, we are closer to 2040 than 1990 now. From the marker: This community pride project is an attempt to preserve the Apple Capital City and surrounding areas of our Southern and Shenandoah Valley heritage. May God bless our endeavors.
Gatorland entrance - Orlando, FL Gatorland opened in 1949 as the "Alligator Capital of the World." For many years, visitors would go into the entrance through this large Gator mouth. However, a fire in 2006 burned the building at the entrance to the park. Now the entrance is a bit away from the gator mouth. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatorland
Welcome to the Turkey Capital Rockingham County has a deep agricultural heritage and leads Virginia in poultry production with 170 turkey farms. This is celebrated with two of these 1950s Turkey statues, one at each end of the county on highway US11
Goofy Golf - Panama City Beach, FL Dating back to 1959, this tourist attraction is one of the oldest places to visit along the beach. This Roadside America article can explain the history of this iconic miniature golf course much better than I can: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/6161
Elvis Presley Statue - Downtown Memphis Welcome Center This 1996 statue of Elvis, as well as a statue of B.B. King are located inside a visitors information center located along Riverside Dr. in downtown Memphis. This note is from Roadside America, talking about its previous location: In 1980 the world's first bronze Elvis statue was unveiled on Beale Street, where the future King of Rock and Roll crafted his early musical style. But the statue, by Eric Parks, proved too delicate for the elements and souvenir-crazed fans, who stripped its guitar strings and tore the tassels from Elvis's suit. It was taken down in 1994 and moved indoors to the downtown Memphis Tennessee Welcome Center. www.roadsideamerica.com/story/34517
International Friendship Bell - Oak Ridge, TN The International Friendship Bell is a gift to the United States from Japan. The other side provides the dates of Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima & Nagasaki, however, the bell was given to signify that the two countries are now share friendship and peace. As a Coincidence, I took this photo while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe was visiting the United States. The bell is made of over 4 tons of solid bronze, is 6.7 feet tall and 4.8 feet in diameter. This side features two bas-reliefs, with an American scene on the left and a Japanese scene on the right. Each side features a local bird chirping at a rainbow that leads to an atomic symbol. Oak Ridge was chosen because the city was home to the Manhattan project which did much of the work to create the Atomic Bomb. The bell is located at AK Bissell Park. For many years, the bell had been suspended in a pavilion and one could strike the bell with a Japanese style mallet. Recently, the bell was losing it's support, so it lays on the ground, but can be examined close-up. There is a project to build a new pavilion at friendshipbell.com/
Large Bowling Pin - Lebanon, TN This oversized bowling pin is located at Pro Bowl West along Baddour Pkwy (US70) in Lebanon, TN.
Muffler Man - Tampa, FL This Muffler Man holding a giant wrench is located along US41 (50th St.) at the intersection of Causeway Blvd. in Tampa, FL. RoadsideAmerica.com has a convenient map of the locations of these around the country: www.roadsideamerica.com/map/theme/86
The Big Chicken - Shady Lawn Truck Stop The Big Chicken, adorned with a chef hat, knife and fork, is located at the Shady Lawn Truck Stop at exit 6 off Interstate 65 in Giles County, TN. Inside, the truck stop sells T-shirts advising one to Respect the Chicken." It has been here for many years, but until recently it had been colored white and dark gray.
Nashville tourist spot If you see a statue of a hillbilly horse playing guitar, you are likely at a Nashville toruist spot. Specifically, this one is at Opryland Hotel
Hermes Guided Missile - Huntsville, AL This missile is on display at John Hunt Park in Huntsville at the intersection of Airport Road and US231 Parkway. According to the historic marker: Hermes guided missile: First American-made guided missile put on public display. First showing was May 14, 1953 at Huntsville, home of the world's largest rocket and guided missile research and development center, Redstone Arsenal.
Rowing Man - Knoxville, TN Located in downtown Knoxville, this statue was sculpted by David L. Phelps in 1988. The over-sized bronze oarsman appears to be submerged halfway into the sidewalk.
Monument of States - Kissimmee, FL During World War II, tourism leaders in Kissimmee had the idea to build a patriotic monument for national unity. (Another goal was to boost tourism, but with Disney in the area, tourism is now not an issue. Still, Disney submitted some rock in 1966 which is on an adjacent marker.) They asked every state to send some local rocks and these, plus a few more were compiled to make this Monument of States. (Since I am from Tennessee, I found that our contribution was from Lookout Mountain, although I would have guessed Crab Orchard stone). For more of the story, see this article from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/6158
Monument of States (rear view) - Kissimmee, FL During World War II, tourism leaders in Kissimmee had the idea to build a patriotic monument for national unity. (Another goal was to boost tourism, but with Disney in the area, tourism is now not an issue. Still, Disney submitted some rock in 1966 which is on an adjacent marker.) They asked every state to send some local rocks and these, plus a few more were compiled to make this Monument of States. (Since I am from Tennessee, I found that our contribution was from Lookout Mountain, although I would have guessed Crab Orchard stone). For more of the story, see this article from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/6158
Monument of States (Walt Disney Studios contribution) - Kissimmee, FL During World War II, tourism leaders in Kissimmee had the idea to build a patriotic monument for national unity. (Another goal was to boost tourism, but with Disney in the area, tourism is now not an issue. Still, Disney submitted some rock in 1966 which is on an adjacent marker.) They asked every state to send some local rocks and these, plus a few more were compiled to make this Monument of States. (Since I am from Tennessee, I found that our contribution was from Lookout Mountain, although I would have guessed Crab Orchard stone). For more of the story, see this article from Roadside America: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/6158
Orange World - Kissimmee, FL As someone who lover the charm of old school tourist attractions, there's not much to find in the area surrounding Disney World. Disney has its own charm that can't be replicated. But when I drove the main roads through the area, I was looking for a happy reminder of a bygone era in a sea of modern boring cookie-cutter stores that all promise $1.99 t-shirts. That's where Orange World stands out, in a way that only the largest orange in Central Florida could. It's a throwback to the golden age of Auto travel when tourist spots looked for ways to really stand out, and this place has. I think I even got a free Mandarin slice.
Wilson Central High School Wall of Honor Wilson Central High School is located south of Lebanon where Highway TN109 meets TN840. As you pass the entrance to the school, you see the Wall of Honor. Painted on a large rock face is a U.S. Flag, the words "Wall of Honor" and "We Support Our Troops", and alumni of the school who have served or are still serving in the U.S. Military. Also highlighted on the wall is Michael L. Stansbery who was killed in action on 7/30/2010. Learn more about Army Spc. Stansbery HERE. This photo was uploaded in honor of Veterans Day 2015.
Bobby's Idle Hour Tavern Bobby's describes itself as the only live music venue along Nashville's Music Row. Fans of Roadside America will recognize this for it's 10 ft tall moldy weather-worn 2D guitar playing musician statue
Welcome to Memphis Vinyl Record sign If you are coming to Memphis from Mississippi along highway US51, once you cross the Tennessee state line (and Memphis City Limits), you will pass this Welcome to Memphis vinyl record album neon sign. In this part of town, US51 is also the Elvis Presley highway as your are on your way to Graceland. I have been told that this sign was put up to appear in a movie, but I can't find out which one. I suppose it is starting to show it's age as some of the neon tubing has fallen off.
Sallie Howard Memorial Church - Mentone, AL Atop Lookout Mountain near Mentone, AL is a place where someone literally followed the passage in the gospel of Matthew, "Upon this rock I will build my church." Col. Milford Howard was born in 1862. In 1894, he was elected to the US House of Representatives from Alabama after writing a book entitled "If Christ Came to Congress." By 1908, he ran for President but failed to win the nomination of the Independence Party. in 1923, Howard moved to Hollywood where he produced, wrote and starred in a movie called "The Bishop of the Ozarks." Soon after the film was released, Milford's wife Sallie died. At the Los Angeles cemetery where she was buried, he was inspired by their chapel. After a brief second marriage and writing a book praising Fascism, he searched his vast Lookout Mountain property to find a rock he could build a church around. In the spring on 1937, construction began on the rustic church building that has a giant boulder at the pulpit. A quote from Sallie has been etched into a support beam, "God Has All Ways Been As Good To Me As I Would Let Him Be." The church was dedicated June 27, 1937. Milford died a few months later and his wish was for his ashes to be placed inside the rock.
Music City's Microphone Bike Rack Located along Nashville's Music Row, this public street art microphone doubles as a bicycle rack. “Microphone Rack” by Franne Lee, Keith Harmon and Mac Hill of Nashville, is located at the northeast corner of Demonbreun Street and Music Row. The rack, made of stainless steel in 2010, represents Nashville’s history as a communications, broadcasting and music center. My favorite detail is the audio jack that plugs into the ground.
Old Car City, USA - White, GA Walk 6 miles of trails! Located along highway US411, this roadside attraction might be the perfect spot for the old car lover. This place opened as a car dealership in 1931. At some point over the years, the business became a junkyard. As the decades went by, they kept adding more cars (over 4,000) and expanded to 34 acres. At some point, they realized they were better off as a tourist attraction than a junkyard. They offer the chance to see classic car relics up through the 70s. I didn't even know this place existed when I drove past it. They were already closed for the day. I didn't even realize it was a tourist destination when I stopped, as I just wanted to take a picture of their fence, which had their name spelled out in hubcaps. According to their website, they have two different admission prices, depending on whether or not you're going to bring a camera. $25 if you are going to take photos and $15 if you are not. oldcarcityusa.com/
Big John Statue at US61 TN/MS State Line In the late 1960's Big John's Supermarkets were known for their 30 foot tall statue holding large grocery bags. When one of the stores closes, someone will usually buy one of these statues and give it a new purpose - without the bags. I'm not really sure who put it here or who maintains it, but this one is located at the Tennessee / Mississippi border along US61. Barely on the TN side in the Memphis city limits, this is about as southwest as you can get in the state. Pictures of this guy from a decade ago show his with a yellow painted shirt, so someone changed that in 2007.
Fiberglass Crappie at Reelfoot Lake Located at Kirby Pocket at Reelfoot Lake in Obion County is this large fiberglass Crappie. Dating back to the 1970s, it could use a fresh coat of paint.
Jewel Cave - near Ruskin, TN I thought I knew all of the tourist spots in Tennessee, but here's one I had never heard about, probably because it isn't open for business anymore. Online information is sparse, such as when it closed for business. The best I could tell, the Cave was last owned by the Renaissance Center in Dickson, who also owns the nearby historic Ruskin Cave as a campground. (However, the Renaissance Center recently was sold to Freed Hardeman University, and I don't know if a small Christian college wants to own a cave or two.) Any updates would be appreciated. Here's a pretty good history of the cave: freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~regena/biograp...
Hamptons of Skullbone, TN Skullbone is a small community in West Tennessee located at the intersection of highway TN105 and Shades Bridge Rd. Or, perhaps a better explanation is: This is Skullbone, TN. The main (or only) attraction in Skullbone is Hampton's General Store, a building from 1898 which over the years also served as a post office, gas station, City Hall and Mayors Office. Under the awning, we read that the store (addressed as 102 Davy Crockett Ave. North) has been owned by Landon & Ruby since 1964. By reading around the awning, we also see that Skullbone is the "Capital City of Skullbonia." So, Where did the name Skullbone come from? For that, we look at the murals on the side of the store. This region was home to the "Undefeated Champions of Bareknuckle fist and Skullbone Fighting: Hence the name Skullbone." Want to learn more about Skullbone? Check out this website, which includes the text of an interesing letter. In 1952, the locals wrote a jovial letter to TN Governor Browning petitioning the state to officially recognize the kingdom of Skullbonia. tn-roots.com/tngibson/towns/Skullbone/skullbonia.htm Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/pretty-small-towns-tn/ These 12 Perfectly Picturesque Small Towns In Tennessee Are Delightful or here www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/funny-phrases-tn/ or here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/eccentric-tn-town/ or here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/welcoming-small-towns-tn/ 15 Welcoming Small Towns In Tennessee Where You’ll Feel Like Family
Tom Lee Memorial (Action View) - Memphis Riverfront Late during the afternoon of May 8, 1925, Tom Lee steered his 28 ft skiff Zev upriver after delivering an official to Helena, Arkansas. Also on the river was a steamboat, the M.E. Norman, carrying members of the Engineers Club of Memphis, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and their families. Lee witnessed the M.E. Norman capsize in the swift current 15 mi (24 km) downriver from Memphis at Cow Island Bend. Although he could not swim, he rescued 32 people with five trips to shore. Lee acted quickly, calmly and with no regard for his own safety, continuing to search after night fell. Because of his efforts, only 23 people died. Today. Tom Lee Park is a city park located to the immediate west of downtown Memphis overlooking the Mississippi River. Encompassing about 30 acres parallel to the river for about one mile, it offers panoramic views of the river and the shores of Arkansas on the opposite side. Tom Lee died of cancer in 1952. Two years later, the park was named in his honor and a granite obelisk was erected. In October 2006, a bronze sculpture by artist David Alan Clark was erected in the park to commemorate the event and to honor the civil hero. The sculpture depicts the rescue of a survivor saved from drowning in the Mississippi River.
Tom Lee Obelisk (View at dusk) - Memphis Riverfront Late during the afternoon of May 8, 1925, Tom Lee steered his 28 ft skiff Zev upriver after delivering an official to Helena, Arkansas. Also on the river was a steamboat, the M.E. Norman, carrying members of the Engineers Club of Memphis, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and their families. Lee witnessed the M.E. Norman capsize in the swift current 15 mi (24 km) downriver from Memphis at Cow Island Bend. Although he could not swim, he rescued 32 people with five trips to shore. Lee acted quickly, calmly and with no regard for his own safety, continuing to search after night fell. Because of his efforts, only 23 people died. Today. Tom Lee Park is a city park located to the immediate west of downtown Memphis overlooking the Mississippi River. Encompassing about 30 acres parallel to the river for about one mile, it offers panoramic views of the river and the shores of Arkansas on the opposite side. Tom Lee died of cancer in 1952. Two years later, the park was named in his honor and a granite obelisk was erected. In October 2006, a bronze sculpture by artist David Alan Clark was erected in the park to commemorate the event and to honor the civil hero. The sculpture depicts the rescue of a survivor saved from drowning in the Mississippi River. To quote the RoadsideAmerica.com listing for this park: "Memphis genuinely loved the guy, but its old 'very worthy Negro' monument is a modern anachronism." UPDATE: In late May 2017, a strong windstorm powered through Memphis which knocked over this monument and shattered it into many pieces. Read the full story and see a video here:
Lirpa-Anad-Nitsud - Ft. Payne, AL This Recycled Metal Art Robot is located on Highway 89 which leads to DeSoto State Park from Fort Payne. It's located in front of "The Barnyard" and was made by Ekim Snaggog. (Here's a hint: Read all the names backwards and you'll see that Mike named the robot after his three children.)
Dixie Cup Water Tower The Dixie Company, the best known maker of the 3 oz. paper bathroom cup, moved to this location in Lexington, KY in 1958. Thus, it would make sense that the water tower for their manufacturing facility would be made out of an over-sized Dixie Cup. However, I suspect it's not really an actual dixie cup, or it would have started leaking in 1959. As the story goes, when Georgia Pacific purchased Dixie, they wanted to remove their local landmark. However, the nearby airport asked them to keep it standing as the pilots used the landmark as a point of reference. Besides, where are you going to find a bathroom wastebasket big enough to throw it away in? White Dixie Cup, I fill you up, Gonna take some medicine... (Do you think my song is going anywhere?)
Billy Tripp's Mindfield (View from the Inn-Side) One of the most surreal but expansive work of art I have ever come across is in the small Tennessee town of Brownsville. This metal behemoth is the work of one man, Billy Tripp and he has named it his Mindfield. The Mindfield is located in a narrow but deep strip of land between the Sunrise Inn and a strip mall along Main St. (old US70/79), just a couple of blocks east of the town square. Started in 1989, he plans on adding to it until the day he dies. He is always on the lookout for scrap metal, such as the abandoned water tower he found once when he was on a trip. If you visit, you might get lucky and find a free copy of his book The Mindfield Years, Vol. 1 which is a stream-of-consciousness for 725 pages which he describes as a difficult read. There's a whole lot more I'd like to say but these sites say it better: The Official site Roadside America's writeup I have a coworker who came from Brownsville, and she thought it was cool how it brings attention to the city.
Billy Tripp's Mindfield Water Tower One of the most surreal but expansive work of art I have ever come across is in the small Tennessee town of Brownsville. This metal behemoth is the work of one man, Billy Tripp and he has named it his Mindfield. The Mindfield is located in a narrow but deep strip of land between the Sunrise Inn and a strip mall along Main St. (old US70/79), just a couple of blocks east of the town square. Started in 1989, he plans on adding to it until the day he dies. He is always on the lookout for scrap metal, such as the abandoned water tower he found once when he was on a trip. If you visit, you might get lucky and find a free copy of his book The Mindfield Years, Vol. 1 which is a stream-of-consciousness for 725 pages which he describes as a difficult read. There's a whole lot more I'd like to say but these sites say it better: The Official site Roadside America's writeup I have a coworker who came from Brownsville, and she thought it was cool how it brings attention to the city.
Billy Tripp's Mindfield One of the most surreal but expansive work of art I have ever come across is in the small Tennessee town of Brownsville. This metal behemoth is the work of one man, Billy Tripp and he has named it his Mindfield. The Mindfield is located in a narrow but deep strip of land between the Sunrise Inn and a strip mall along Main St. (old US70/79), just a couple of blocks east of the town square. Started in 1989, he plans on adding to it until the day he dies. He is always on the lookout for scrap metal, such as the abandoned water tower he found once when he was on a trip. If you visit, you might get lucky and find a free copy of his book The Mindfield Years, Vol. 1 which is a stream-of-consciousness for 725 pages which he describes as a difficult read. There's a whole lot more I'd like to say but these sites say it better: The Official site Roadside America's writeup I have a coworker who came from Brownsville, and she thought it was cool how it brings attention to the city.
Random East Tennessee Dragon Located right off Interstate 75 exit 134 in Caryville, TN, this dragon constructed of rebar and fiberglass has been attracting visitors to a fireworks store since 1986. In May of 2011, the Fireworks store caught fire and everything was a total loss, except for the dragon which still stands on a now vacant lot. (Contrary to some thought, the dragon did not breathe fire upon the store.) According to www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/14021? as of April, the dragon is for sale. The dragon could be yours, for the right price.
Large Mortar and Pestle - Lexington, KY For over three decades, this building was home to Bondurant's Pharmacy in Lexington. (In case you didn't know, the Mortar and Pestle is used to grind medicine. Mortar is the bowl and the pestle is the stick the pharmacist would use.) Unfortunately, within the last few years, the pharmacy went out of business. Today, the store is a drive-through liquor store with owners that don't appreciate the novelty architecture. (The ball on top of the Pestle used to have RX but it has been painted over.) Dr. Joseph A. Bondurant was the original pharmacist, store owner, and designer of the unique building, which was subsequently patented. It was also the first drive-thru service of any kind in Lexington.
Aeroplane Filling Station - Powell, TN Dating back to the glory days of roadside architecture is this vintage gas station eye-catchingly shaped like a plane built by proprietors Elmer and Henry Nickle in 1930. (Here's a photo from 1931.) Powell is located north of Knoxville along US25W on the road to Clinton, TN. The gas station went out of business half a century ago and was abandoned for a while. Other businesses moved in to keep it open, such as a liquor store, a produce stand, a bait & tackle shop and finally a used car lot. About a decade ago, locals who wanted to preserve their roadside heritage from demolition began to rally to save the plane. They created a website (now gone, I think) and sold t-shirts to raise money for the novelty architecture preservation. One thing that caught me by surprise during my visit is the exterior has shiny new sheet metal compared to other recent photos I had seen online. Also new are the windows and the light along the wing. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is also helped by the Tennessee Historic Commission
The Futuro - UFO House - Pensacola Beach, FL From 1968 to 1978 the Finnish company Oy Polykem Ab sold houses like this one known as Futuro II designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen. The prefabricated home was assembled in their facility and then flown by helicopter to this spot in Pensacola Beach. The house has one bedroom, one bathroom, a kitchen and dining area, and a 23 foot long couch that's by several of the windows. Admit it, you secretly wish this was your house. Not only is it cool, there's a second reason to love it. Round houses are better able to withstand strong wind as this has outlasted Hurricanes Ivan, Dennis, and any other storm that has come through the Santa Rosa area. Today, the home is a local landmark, and you can tell the owner embraces the spaceship look with the aliens in the windows. It's located along Via De Luna, which is the most important road through town and used to be highway US98.
The Clanton Peach - Clanton, AL Located just off the Interstate between Montgomery and Birmingham is this impressive water tower shaped like a peach. With a height of 120 feet and a capacity of 500,000 gallons, the tower was built by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company in 1992. It could hold a lot more gallons if it weren't for the peach pit on the inside (not really). It seems like most of the peach farms in Alabama were located in this area here in Chilton County. While traveling I-65, there were numerous billboards for several different farmers markets, as well as other businesses that were "just past the big peach."
The Liberty Mule The Liberty Mule, also known as the Allen Bluff Mule, has been a landmark, a mystery and a source of Civic Pride for the residents of Liberty, TN for over a century. For the residents of the Tiny DeKalb County town, the mule had been there for as long as anyone could remember. For a long time, what nobody could remember is who put it there in the first place. On a large bluff near town many years ago someone scaled it several feet off the ground and painted the black mule, which included the word MULE above it. Even still, every so often, someone goes up there to repaint it, sometimes even changing the color, and nobody really knows who does that either. It's original color is black, the way it is today, but the previous color was red. For a while, there was a story that someone had a pet mule die from falling off the cliff and this was a tribute. Another speculation was it was an advertisement for a mule trading company in town. Neither story really made sense. However, one story that worked is based on a name that's also up there: "L. Woodard." That would have been a local resident named Lavendar Woodard, and the people that knew him thought he was the kind of guy that would do such a thing. As it turns out, he may have repainted it, and he certainly added his name nearby but he wasn't the first. It was still a mystery. As it turns out, the answer may have been hiding in plain sight. The first painter of the mule may have been Dr. Wayne T. Robinson who was 21 at the time it was painted in 1906 but moved to Dallas without telling anybody he painted it. Fast forward several decades to 1957, Dr. Robinson wrote a series of articles of area history in the local paper. In one of those articles he focused on a nearby cave but casually added that he climbed the bluff to paint out of coal tar the mule to resemble the then-popular comic strip character Maude the Mule. Apparently, nobody remembered this admission and it stayed a mystery for nearly another half century until 2006 when the local county historian made the discovery and then wrote this article in the same newspaper. Today, highway US70 (as well as TN96, TN53 and TN26) passes right past this bluff and through the town of Liberty. About 10 years ago, the Tennessee Department of Transportation decided to widen the two lane highway to four lanes and the Liberty Mule was in danger of being dynamited for the project. The townspeople started a letter writing campaign which worked and the new lanes were shifted enough to save the landmark. Now, the Mule even has a website where you can buy a t-shirt.
The Liberty Mule (and the name L. Woodard) The Liberty Mule, also known as the Allen Bluff Mule, has been a landmark, a mystery and a source of Civic Pride for the residents of Liberty, TN for over a century. For the residents of the Tiny DeKalb County town, the mule had been there for as long as anyone could remember. For a long time, what nobody could remember is who put it there in the first place. On a large bluff near town many years ago someone scaled it several feet off the ground and painted the black mule, which included the word MULE above it. Even still, every so often, someone goes up there to repaint it, sometimes even changing the color, and nobody really knows who does that either. It's original color is black, the way it is today, but the previous color was red. For a while, there was a story that someone had a pet mule die from falling off the cliff and this was a tribute. Another speculation was it was an advertisement for a mule trading company in town. Neither story really made sense. However, one story that worked is based on a name that's also up there: "L. Woodard." That would have been a local resident named Lavendar Woodard, and the people that knew him thought he was the kind of guy that would do such a thing. As it turns out, he may have repainted it, and he certainly added his name nearby but he wasn't the first. It was still a mystery. As it turns out, the answer may have been hiding in plain sight. The first painter of the mule may have been Dr. Wayne T. Robinson who was 21 at the time it was painted in 1906 but moved to Dallas without telling anybody he painted it. Fast forward several decades to 1957, Dr. Robinson wrote a series of articles of area history in the local paper. In one of those articles he focused on a nearby cave but casually added that he climbed the bluff to paint out of coal tar the mule to resemble the then-popular comic strip character Maude the Mule. Apparently, nobody remembered this admission and it stayed a mystery for nearly another half century until 2006 when the local county historian made the discovery and then wrote this article in the same newspaper. Today, highway US70 (as well as TN96, TN53 and TN26) passes right past this bluff and through the town of Liberty. About 10 years ago, the Tennessee Department of Transportation decided to widen the two lane highway to four lanes and the Liberty Mule was in danger of being dynamited for the project. The townspeople started a letter writing campaign which worked and the new lanes were shifted enough to save the landmark. Now, the Mule even has a website where you can buy a t-shirt.
The Gravesite of Daniel Boone One of America's most storied pioneers, Daniel Boone died in 1820. In 1845, he and his wife Rebecca were reinterred here at Frankfort Cemetery along the edge of a bluff such that it overlooks the city of Frankfort, the Kentucky River and the Kentucky Capitol Building. However, after the body was moved, there has been some discussion that the wrong grave was dug up and all or some of the wrong person's bones were moved here. If you decide to visit the gravesite for yourself, Frankfort Cemetery has made it easy as they painted a yellow stripe along the road to lead you straight there. Once there, you will see the monument which was erected around 1880 with a small fence around it. On each side of this monument is a white marble relief panel with a vignette of his life. In one panel, he is having a conversation with another pioneer, a second panel shows that he's killed a deer. Rebecca gets her own panel as she is seen milking a cow. One unusual note is that Boone is depicted wearing a coonskin hat, which is what Davy Crockett was known for.
The Gravesite of Daniel Boone and Kentucky Capitol One of America's most storied pioneers, Daniel Boone died in 1820. In 1845, he and his wife Rebecca were reinterred here at Frankfort Cemetery along the edge of a bluff such that it overlooks the city of Frankfort, the Kentucky River and the Kentucky Capitol Building. However, after the body was moved, there has been some discussion that the wrong grave was dug up and all or some of the wrong person's bones were moved here. If you decide to visit the gravesite for yourself, Frankfort Cemetery has made it easy as they painted a yellow stripe along the road to lead you straight there. Once there, you will see the monument which was erected around 1880 with a small fence around it. On each side of this monument is a white marble relief panel with a vignette of his life. In one panel, he is having a conversation with another pioneer, a second panel shows that he's killed a deer. Rebecca gets her own panel as she is seen milking a cow. One unusual note is that Boone is depicted wearing a coonskin hat, which is what Davy Crockett was known for.
The Gravesite of Daniel Boone Relief Vignette #1 One of America's most storied pioneers, Daniel Boone died in 1820. In 1845, he and his wife Rebecca were reinterred here at Frankfort Cemetery along the edge of a bluff such that it overlooks the city of Frankfort, the Kentucky River and the Kentucky Capitol Building. However, after the body was moved, there has been some discussion that the wrong grave was dug up and all or some of the wrong person's bones were moved here. If you decide to visit the gravesite for yourself, Frankfort Cemetery has made it easy as they painted a yellow stripe along the road to lead you straight there. Once there, you will see the monument which was erected around 1880 with a small fence around it. On each side of this monument is a white marble relief panel with a vignette of his life. In one panel, he is having a conversation with another pioneer, a second panel shows that he's killed a deer. Rebecca gets her own panel as she is seen milking a cow. One unusual note is that Boone is depicted wearing a coonskin hat, which is what Davy Crockett was known for.
The Gravesite of Daniel Boone Relief Vignette #2 One of America's most storied pioneers, Daniel Boone died in 1820. In 1845, he and his wife Rebecca were reinterred here at Frankfort Cemetery along the edge of a bluff such that it overlooks the city of Frankfort, the Kentucky River and the Kentucky Capitol Building. However, after the body was moved, there has been some discussion that the wrong grave was dug up and all or some of the wrong person's bones were moved here. If you decide to visit the gravesite for yourself, Frankfort Cemetery has made it easy as they painted a yellow stripe along the road to lead you straight there. Once there, you will see the monument which was erected around 1880 with a small fence around it. On each side of this monument is a white marble relief panel with a vignette of his life. In one panel, he is having a conversation with another pioneer, a second panel shows that he's killed a deer. Rebecca gets her own panel as she is seen milking a cow. One unusual note is that Boone is depicted wearing a coonskin hat, which is what Davy Crockett was known for.
The Gravesite of Daniel Boone Relief Vignette #3 One of America's most storied pioneers, Daniel Boone died in 1820. In 1845, he and his wife Rebecca were reinterred here at Frankfort Cemetery along the edge of a bluff such that it overlooks the city of Frankfort, the Kentucky River and the Kentucky Capitol Building. However, after the body was moved, there has been some discussion that the wrong grave was dug up and all or some of the wrong person's bones were moved here. If you decide to visit the gravesite for yourself, Frankfort Cemetery has made it easy as they painted a yellow stripe along the road to lead you straight there. Once there, you will see the monument which was erected around 1880 with a small fence around it. On each side of this monument is a white marble relief panel with a vignette of his life. In one panel, he is having a conversation with another pioneer, a second panel shows that he's killed a deer. Rebecca gets her own panel as she is seen milking a cow. One unusual note is that Boone is depicted wearing a coonskin hat, which is what Davy Crockett was known for.
World's Largest Bourbon Bottle Located on the west side of Louisville, which would be considered a bad neighborhood, is the Old Forester Bourbon factory. The company that makes it is Brown-Forman Corp. and atop their building is their vintage water tower which has been made to look like their signature brand. This tower was in the news lately as this new design was unveiled in Sept. 2012 to reflect the change in the packaging. See the old version here: www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/10624
Downtown Kennesaw, GA This old row of buildings makes up the small storefronts of the tiny town of Kennesaw, located along the historic Dixie Highway (and now US41). While one sign reminds us that this used to be the home of Kennesaw State Bank and another sign lets us know there's a chiropractor, it's the store in the middle that gets all of the attention. I was first informed about Dent Myers and his Wildman Civil War Surplus Store from the Roadside America website. Specifically, it was this article: www.roadsideamerica.com/story/15816 To quote the intro: "Confederate pride burns white hot in Wildman's Civil War Surplus. Run by octogenarian Dent "Wildman" Myers, it's been a fixture in downtown Kennesaw since it opened in 1971. Some townspeople can't wait for it to go away; others hope Dent never leaves."
Pal's Sudden Service #2: Big Pal's Man Pal's is a small but popular fast food chain found in and around far east Tennessee. If you've never seen one before, their standard design buildings are quite eye-catching with a giant hamburger, hot dog, fries and soda on the building. The chain started with humble beginnings with their first store remaining unchanged since 1956. It was with the opening of their second store on the north side of Kingsport (Lynn Garden area) when they started to have an attention-grabbing building four years after they opened. Here we have a Muffler Man, but instead of holding any car parts, the Big Pal's Man is holding a giant hamburger. As of 2012, he's been there for 50 years! Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/roadside-tn/ 13 Tennessee Roadside Attractions That Will Make You Look Twice reposted here: murfreesboro.com/news/local-news/roadside-tn/12/
Wytheville Office Supply & The Big Pencil From their website: wythevilleofficesupply.com/ For almost 50 years, visitors have made it a "point" to see Wytheville's Main Street landmark. The late John Campbell Findlay (the original owner of Wytheville Office Supply) had the "Big Pencil" constructed in the early 60's. Made of metal, it is approximately 30 feet long. Over the years it has had a number of facelifts to keep it in pristine condition. Recently, in the Washington Post the syndicated comic strip "Zippy" by Bill Griffith, featured the "Big Pencil". Wytheville, VA is the county seat of Wythe County and US 11 is the main road through town. This store is right in the middle of town.
Trenton TN's 31 MPH Speed Limit In the early 1960s, Mayor Lawler and the aldermen in town couldn't agree on whether the town speed limit should be 30 or 35. 31 was proposed as a tounge-in-cheek compromise and it was adopted by everyone involved. About 15 years later when the first round of signs were getting rusty, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, who didn't like the non-uniform speed limit, offered to pay for all of the replacement signs if they'd change it to 30 or 35. When asked about it, then mayor Glen Hurt said, "Of the people that have talked to me, a big majority of old people and young people think it's unique and want it to stay as it is." It has now stayed that way for half a century. Thus, if porcelain veilleuses (teapots) aren't you're thing, you still have a reason to visit Trenton.
Replica Civil War Cannonball - Elizabethtown, KY In 1862, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan led his troops into Elizabethtown to capture the city, but more importantly disrupt the railroad. During the skirmish, over 100 cannonballs were fired into the city, and one became lodged into the side of the Depp Building on the town square. Unfortunately, 15 years later that building burned down in 1887. Afterwards, the ball was salvaged from the rubble and given to local resident Annie Nourse for safekeeping. A few years after the building was rebuilt, the ball was placed back into the 2nd story of the wall as close as they could approximate to the orignal location. Also added is an arrow pointing to it and a metal plaque. Miss Nourse wrote about the story in the local newspaper in 1932: "...a fire destroyed that entire block and the cannonball fell with the wall. I...asked...the owners of the building to give me the ball, and they both kindly consented. I told the boys about it, that I would give 25 cents to the one who would find it and bring it to me. A lively scramble instantly ensued in the pile of hot bricks. I left them digging and went on home. In the afternoon a man brought it to me and demanded $5.00 for it. I told him it was already mine. After some hesitation he decided to leave it for 50 cents, which I gave him. Many years after...I restored it to the bank and they had it placed in the same spot as near as possible (in the new building), where it is seen today..."
World's Largest Guitar - Interstate View This has been several things over the years, but is currently vacant. Most recently, it was Joe Merrell's Grand Guitar Museum and Gift Shop. This spot is strategically placed where you can see it from the Interstate, I-81 from a rest area, near the TN/VA border in Bristol. The street running along the other side is US11W. The Guitar is 70 feet long and three stories high. More info: www.talentondisplay.com/grandguitar.html
The NEW World's Largest Cedar Bucket The original World's Largest Cedar Bucket was built in 1887 as a promotion by the Tennessee Red Cedar Woodenworks Company in Murfreesboro, TN. Eventually, the bucket went many places, like the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair. The company burned down in 1952 and a local market bought it for display for over a decade, until it was purchased by a Rossville, GA amusement park for another decade. In 1976, the town of Murfreesboro thought the bucket should come home and it became the centerpiece at the local park Cannonsburgh Village. The bucket had always been prominent in Murfreesboro's history and some even remember the nickname "Bucket town." Sadly, in 2005 someone thought it would be fun to set fire to the bucket leaving the charred, fragile remains. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the new rebuilt World's Largest Cedar Bucket was brought back to the Village on Oct. 22, 2011. Ever since the original was burnt, the local Rutherford County Blacksmiths' Association were dedicated to rebuilding it. It took a little longer than expected to try to find Red Cedar that was the right hue, free of knots and could be cut into large enough planks. The new bucket was built to similar dimensions as the old bucket: 6 feet tall, 6 feet wide at the base up to 7 1/2 at the top, able to hold 1566 gallons. Now, it's kept locked behind a fence. For the full story: www.dnj.com/article/20111023/NEWS01/110230319/World-s-new...
Welcome to Paris, TN Catfish sign Paris, TN is known for two things that outsiders want to some to visit and see. First, is the replica Eiffel Tower. Second, and has been around longer, is the sign welcoming visitors to town. Located at the intersection of US79 and US641, all visitors from the south will pass by here. Paris claims to be home every year to the world's largest fish fry. This premier event started in 1953 and 12,500 pounds of catfish get eaten during the week-long festivities. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/visit-unique-tn-town/ The Unique Town In Tennessee That’s Anything But Ordinary or here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/eiffel-tower-tn/ Most People Don’t Know There’s A Little Eiffel Tower in Tennessee
The Eiffel Tower of Paris, TN Paris, TN might be known for two things by casual visitors: The wordls largest catfish fish fry, and having a replica Eiffel tower. If you are travelling on Highway US 79 or US 641, look for the small sign on Memorial drive which will point the way. This 1:20 scaled tower was built by students at Christian Brothers University and given to the city in 1992. Engineering students built the 60 foot replica in 1990 for the yearly Memphis in May festival which was highlighting France that year. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/small-surprising-tn/ What You’ll Find In These 8 Small Towns In Tennessee May Surprise You
The Eiffel Tower of Paris, TN Paris, TN might be known for two things by casual visitors: The world's largest catfish fish fry, and having a replica Eiffel tower. If you are travelling on Highway US 79 or US 641, look for the small sign on Memorial drive which will point the way. This 1:20 scaled tower was built by students at Christian Brothers University and given to the city in 1992. Engineering students built the 60 foot replica in 1990 for the yearly Memphis in May festival which was highlighting France that year. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/visit-unique-tn-town/ The Unique Town In Tennessee That’s Anything But Ordinary
The Giant Knight of Cave City This roadside attraction large metal giant knight has been along the road to the entrance of Mammoth Cave for many decades. Today, the people that own it are at Debbie's Rock & Gift Shop, but the business that's located there has changed hands several times over the years. How would you like to have your picture taken with a 15 foot tall knight in not-so-shing armor? I suppose since it's not made of fiberglass, it's made to last. They also have a 15 foot tall totem pole, in case that's your preference.
The Coffee Pot - Roanoke, VA The Coffee Pot is a roadhouse restaurant built in what used to be the outskirts of Roanoke, VA in 1936. The entire building has a log cabin motif, with a large stucco Coffee Pot on the end. It serves as a great example of Novelty Architecture and for that reason has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. The Coffee Pot is 15 ft. tall and when it was built, they had steam rise out of the spout, generated by a furnace below. It was built along Brambleton Ave., which is now US 221. Various musical acts have performed inside over the years, giving it the slogan the "Biggest small stage in the south"
Big Mo. In Cave City, KY, not far from the entance to Mammoth Cave is Big Mikes, a Rock & Souvenir Shop, Mystery House and Home to Big Mo. First, they have a real "Big Mo" is said to be the skull of a Mosasaur. Outside, and probably more interesting is the concrete Big Mo, which is perfect for photo ops and is a throwback to the glory days of roadside tourist traps.
World's Largest Guitar - US11W view UPDATE: This is now gone. This has been several things over the years, but is currently vacant. Most recently, it was Joe Merrell's Grand Guitar Museum and Gift Shop. This spot is strategically placed where you can see it from the Interstate, I-81, near the TN/VA border in Bristol. The street in front is US11W. The Guitar is 70 feet long and three stories high More info: www.talentondisplay.com/grandguitar.html Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/incredible-tennessee/ 11 Incredible, Almost Unbelievable Facts About Tennessee or here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/tennessee-wants-you-to-... 12 Things Every Tennessean Wants The Rest Of The Country To Know Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/cheap-road-trips-tn/ 10 Inexpensive Road Trip Destinations In Tennessee That Won’t Break The Bank or here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/longtime-vs-newcomers-tn/ 10 Things Longtime Tennesseans Wish They Could Tell Newcomers
Dutch Mill Village - Griderville, KY Apparently less popular than the "Sleep in a Wigwam" touristy motel about five miles away was the "Sleep in a Windmill" Motel. This is in the tiny town of Griderville, KY - and this is about the only thing here. It's at the crossroads of two important highways, US31E, the North-South route from Louisville to Nashville, and KY70, the route to get to Cave City from the east. During it's heydey, Dutch Mill Village, I'm sure this would have been a great place to stay. This was the motel office and it was surrounded by several mini-windmills. It was also an Esso Gas Station, and The Old Dutch Mill Restaurant. Not too long ago, this building was used as a firworks stand. as much as I want to see this building remain around, I was glad to photograph it without the large "Fireworks" and "Half Off Sale" Banners hanging from it.
Rusty Mechanism Rusty Mechanism is a 20 ft. statue sculpted from recycled mechanical parts located at The Factory in Franklin, TN. It was installed in 2008 after 6 years and 2,500 hours were put into the construction. It was completed by Kris Nethercutt of K.A.L. Metal Products. The Factory was built in 1929 to be the Dortch Stove Works. After several years of no use, the building was converted into retail shopping, restaurants and meeting facilities. (for instance a high school reunion was held out here.) To read more about it, see these two markers: seemidtn.com/gallery3/index.php?album=historical-markers/... seemidtn.com/gallery3/index.php?album=historical-markers/...
Loretta Lynn's Indian Statue Part of the grounds of the Loretta Lynn Dude Ranch in Hurricane Mills, TN. The base reads: Great Spirit grant that I might not critize my neighbor till I have walked a mile in his moscians
Art of E.T. Wickham: Sam Davis & Bill Marsh Enoch Tanner (E.T.) Wickham was born in 1883 and lived as a farmer most of his life in the small town of Palmyra, TN on the western side of Montgomery County. After retiring in the early 1950's, E.T. started quite a hobby. Starting then and continuing for nearly two decades, he started making concrete statues. After each statue was built, it was places on the side of the road on his property. Soon, after he started building these, he put up a sign that said Wickham Park, and that is what the place became known as. The statues started with animals and family members but soon became famous Tennesseans and Americans. E.T. Wickham died in 1970.. The many statues were enjoyed by the locals, but unfortunately the elements and more importantly frequent vandalism took their toll on the statues. (which is the obvious reason why there are things missing from these pictures.) Luckily, the family has stepped in to preserve the statues (or what's left of them) and the memory. In 2006, some of these statues were moved to a better location, making them easier to see, but also behind a barbed wire fence to cut down on vandalism. They also have a website wickhamstonepark.com/ which provides very thorough information on the statues. Pictured here is the statue of Civil War heroes Sam Davis and Bill Marsh. Sam Davis is the famous Civil War hero who grew up about a mile from my house and was executed for not giving up the name of his informant. Bill Marsh, you've never heard of, so it's explained on the side: BILL MARSH WAS BORN IN TURNBULL CREEK DIXON CO. TENN. ON JUNE 8TH 1861. IT WAS LEFT TO A VOTE WHETHER TENN. WOULD REMAIN OR WITHDRAW FROM THE UNION. WHEN THE POLLS WERE OPENED IN THE 18TH DIST. OF MONT. CO. TENN. THEY ANNOUNCED THEY WERE GOING TO HANG THE FIRST MAN THAT VOTED A UNION TICKET. MARSH VOTED THE FIRST ONE. R. L. WICKHAM (E.T.'s father) THE SECOND ONE. THE ONLY TWO IN THIS DIST. On the front: IT IS ALL OVER WITH NOW BILL AND WELL THAT IT IS AS IT IS
World's Largest Cedar Bucket Made in 1887. holds 1566 gallons. (that is if it didn't have so many holes in it. This is the good side.) it's in rather bad shape as it was torched by arsonists in 2005. at Cannonsburgh Village in Murfreesboro, TN
Minnie Pearl Statue, Centerville, TN This statue honoring Country Music and Grand Old Opry legend Minnie Pearl is in the Town Square of Centerville, TN with the Hickman County Courthouse in the background. The statue was unveiled in 2005. It's listed with Roadside America and on this Opry press release. Hello to anyone who found this photo here: kentuckycountrymusic.com/2017/01/the-mystery-of-the-minni... The mystery of the Minnie Pearl Bronze Statue or here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/458537539/statue-of-grand-ol... Update: This statue has been moved to the Commodore Hotel in Linden, TN. A new statue was placed on the grounds of the courthouse in 2021.
Polar Bear Statue Snowball Fight These are in Nashville, TN at the Corner of Edgehill and 12th. I'd like to know more about their history. I've driven thru there a bunch and never noticed them, until I read about them on the Roadside America website. by the way, the historical marker is for Grand Ole Opry member Deford Bailey
![This statue of Dolly Parton was placed in front of the Sevier County Courthouse on May 3, 1987. According to the plaque, the Sculptor is Jim Gray and it was made possible through the generosity of the people of Sevier County.
Recently on a TV interview, Dolly shared this story:
After my dad died, one of my brothers told me that daddy used to put a big bucket, a big oil drum, of soapy water and a broom in the back of his truck and late at night he’d go down to the statue and scrub all the pigeon poop off [the statue],” Parton admitted. “It touched me. I cried my eyes out! My daddy’s gone but the pigeons are still there – I’m not sure who is doing that now.”](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51195968037_beda3e6dc1_b.jpg "Dolly Parton Statue - Sevierville, TN")
