RoadsideAmerica.com

Jinxed 9-11 Statue in Trouble Again

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:09:25 +0000

In late 2007, sculptor Stan Watts finally erected his large statue of three 18-foot-tall firefighters raising a U.S. flag above the rubble of the World Trade Center — literally, with real rubble from Ground Zero scattered at their feet. Emmitsburg, Maryland Watts had worked on the sculpture for five years. The 8-ton bronze, titled To Lift A [...]

More and More Rushmore

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:49:19 +0000

On Fourth of July weekend, All-American vacationers from coast-to-coast proudly cut out of work early so they can flock to our nation’s most treasured patriotic sights.

Grave of Johnnie Brown, the Human Monkey, Palm Beach, FL

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:50:11 +0000

Feature: An unusual pair of pet graves in Palm Beach. ...

Hitler Head Trash Can: Spoils for USA

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:45:34 +0000

The National Infantry Museum has moved into a new, $100 million facility ... The splashy highlight of the museum is its "Last 100 Yards" exhibit, where visitors can walk up a slope accompanied by attacking U.S. soldiers from the past 200 years.

Industrial Strength Sights

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:16:46 +0000

Bethlehem Steel Works A factory closing is a sad affair: breadwinners are left reeling, communities go shrinking, and the sight of an empty architectural behemoth hovering over the landscape reminds us daily of the less lovely side of capitalism. With the increasing pace of company restructuring, outsourcing, and just plain “don’t slam the door on your [...]

Animal Magnetism: Roadside Poll Results

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:01:02 +0000

In a recent online poll, RoadsideAmerica.com asked site visitors: “Which taxidermy wonder would you travel farthest to see?” We couldn’t present America’s full breadth of stuffed dead exhibits, so we chose a tiny sampling of more common oddities, and a few true rarities. The Merman. Perhaps not surprisingly, more than a quarter of respondents will not go out [...]

Furniture Fuels Roadside Funtasms

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:01:21 +0000

We’ve long been impressed with Jordan’s Furniture stores in Massachusetts, which offer mad mixes of water shows and Mardi Gras and thrill rides in places that sell, basically, furniture. Thomasville, NC. Today, a big chair isn't enough. They seemed like unique extremes in the world of house-outfitting retail, which had already produced a giant chest of [...]

Mind Your Mini-Golf

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:55:22 +0000

The New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York, recently launched a new astro-attraction: Rocket Park Mini Golf, a valiant educational effort that attempts to teach kids about physics through the joy of amateur putting (And we don’t mean discovering how time seems to stretch out into infinity when stuck behind slowpokes trying to [...]

Eerily Lit Steelworks Hulk, Bethlehem, PA

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:13:56 +0000

Feature: Rusting remnants of the old Bethlehem Steel Works are brought to a strange kind of life with Frankenstein lighting and a convenient casino. ...

Roadside News: June 22, 2009

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:53:05 +0000

Amos Come Home - PA | Giant Head, Pot Head - SD | Air Runs Out for Moon Walker - OH | Middle 1800s American Idol - KY

Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, PA

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:08:41 +0000

Visitor Tip: A tour of a historic prison where the art of isolation was perfected. ...

Eastern State Penitentiary Tours, Philadelphia, PA

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:42:16 +0000

Feature: 19th century prison has always been a choice destination for (unconvicted) tourists. ...

Turn Off, Tune In, Drop By

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:48:50 +0000

Luckenbach, Texas was never a bustling metropolis. In 1904, its population peaked at a far-from-astounding 492. And by the 1960’s, Luckenbach was three citizens short of being a complete ghost town. Then, in 1970, a group of friends (Hondo Crouch, Guich Koock, and the normal-named Kathy Morgan) bought the entire kit and kaboodle for $30,000 [...]

Monument to Lady-Whacking Meteorite

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:08:17 +0000

History was made just outside of Sylacauga, Alabama, in late November 1954. An 8.5-pound meteorite crashed through the ceiling of Ann Hodges’ home, bounced off of a radio, and hit her on the thigh. She was the first known person to be hit by a space rock. The meteorite was big news for a time, but [...]

Museum of Bad Art, Dedham, MA

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:48:28 +0000

Feature: Run your taste buds over these fine artworks hung outside the basement men's room. ...

Bonnie and Clyde's Death Car, Primm, NV

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:52:00 +0000

Feature: On display in a casino, along with Clyde's shirt of death. ...

FAST: Fiberglass Statue Mold Yard, Sparta, WI

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:25:17 +0000

Feature: Where big fiberglass statues come from, and where you can always wander the Mold Field, and see the latest creations. ...

FAST: The Fiberglass Statue Factory, Sparta, WI

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:07:16 +0000

Visitor Tip: FAST President Jim Schauf tells us about the appeal of his "Bone Field" full of fiberglass statue molds. ...

King of the Windmills, Stockton, CA

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:06:43 +0000

Visitor Tip: 1996 interview with Frank Medina, known worldwide for his windmill collection and his incredible teeth. ...