Windshield Wonders II: Wacky, Witty Roadside Attractions

I remember my first experience with a giant roadside attraction. I was headed southwest from Branson, Missouri on I-65. I exited and tooled through some farmland and then into the mountains near Eureka Springs, AR via AR21/221. I noticed I kept seeing specks through the trees of this large white “thing” every now and then. I would strain my neck to make it out each time I spotted it on a curve or an open scenic vista spot. It had me quite curious. Anyway, I ambled on into Eureka, checked in at the Crescent Moon Hotel and opened the blinds and lo and behold there was this GIANT white Jesus on the next mountain over. It kinda freaked me out at first. It looked like it was built out in the middle of nowhere atop Majestic Mountain.  “Christ of the Ozarks“  was 67 feet tall and bright white against August mountain greenery. It. Looked. Huge.  I kept thinking “Who builds this stuff? And why out here on these smaller state highways or back roads venues?” As it turns out, it is all pretty interesting AND related to asphalt even. No really it is (Layne’s boss will be so impressed.) Think about it.

Most of these street side architectural pieces were constructed in the 1920’s and 1930’s and were a common way of marketing to the folks driving around in this relatively new invention, the automobile. With the automobile comes the need for more roads, right? You got it. Streets and highways sprung up and a uniform numbering system was introduced in 1925.

Once the Depression hit, these roadside attractions became vital to the survival of the local businesses owners trying to catch the eye of a passerby. The businesses that survived the rough times were the ones that were able pull in the tourists from off the street to get some gas at their store or to sample whatever local tasty goodness the town happened to specialize in; sort of  an “If you build it, they will come” mindset. And so, witty, wacky roadside architecture was born.

Of course today, there are so many it is hard to count, and impossible to cover completely in a story. But here are a few of my favorites.

Dinosaur Park

Rapid City, South Dakota

Dinosaur Park, located in South Dakota, displays five dinosaurs made from black iron pipe, and a steel skeleton surrounded in wire mesh with a concrete skin. The creatures are built to scale and symbolic of the prehistoric dinosaur remains found in the badlands of South Dakota. The Triceratops measures 27 feet long, 11 feet high and sports 40-inch horns. The T-Rex is 35 feet long, 16 feet high and has a 4 foot head. There is also a Brontosaurus (80 feet long), a Stegosaurus (11 feet long) and a Trachodon (33 feet long). Emmitt A. Sullivan is the sculptor and he also created “Christ of the Ozarks” mentioned previously. Kids are free to climb on the dinosaurs and their bold green paint makes them easy to spot from the road.

Superman

Metropolis, Illinois

Just across the river between Western Kentucky and Illinois, you will find the famous Superman sculpture outside Metropolis’ Massac County Courthouse. I saw this one for the first time a few years ago. Metropolis, self-proclaimed Superman’s small hometown, hosts a huge super hero festival each year. For one weekend in June each year, the town is maxed out on tourists from all over the map. Parking spaces are limited so I recommend going another weekend but it’s a fun trip when you go. Be sure to stop inside the “Superman Museum” just down the block from the 30 foot sculpture and take a quick tour. There have been plenty of famous pics snapped beneath the giant sculpture including one I saw of President Obama during his pre-election days.

Paul Bunyon and Babe the Blue Ox

Bemidji, Minnesota

Like many of the other towns with roadside attractions, the City of Bemidji, had these works of art constructed in 1937 as a way to boost tourism. They were built in conjunction with the Winter Carnival begun that same year. The carnival’s theme promoted their former prominence as a lumbering center. Paul Bunyon and Blue Ox served as mascots for the carnival and were actually some of the earliest roadside attention-getters constructed. Paul is 18 feet high with a three foot shoe and his behemoth partner is around 10 feet tall, eight feet across. It’s quite a bovine spectacle.

Speaking of bovines…maybe you think this article is cheesy. Well read on….

Let’s Eat!

I found a mouse eating cheese in Black River, Wisconsin and Sissy the Cow in DeForest. And there’s another rat (this one is named Igor) eating cheese in Fennimore and Bessie the Cow in Janesville (You’d think they made cheese in Wisconsin or something). Now if I could just find some giant macaroni, I’d be set for dinner.  Oh LOOK! There’s a giant noodle in Chicago, Illinois. Oh see- now I have your attention and you are wondering, “What else is for dinner, Layne?”

I should advise you that you can find the following giant fruits and vegetables roadside (and in alphabetical order no less, for all or our OCD Roadies out there); apple, artichoke, corn, garlic, lemon, orange, peach strawberry, watermelon and zucchini. Your mother would be proud. Now, how about dessert?

There is a pretty delicious sounding dessert sculpture, the “It’s It” in Burlingame, California. Best guess says it’s an ice cream sandwich encased in an oatmeal cookie and covered in chocolate. Yum!

900 words later, you are hungry. So I’ll finish up with this…

Basically, if you want to see it in giant size, it’s out there somewhere along a road in America. To ease your online search, you can find them all in one spot. Check out www.roadsideamerica.com.

Once you find them, what do I want you to do with them? Put a pic on the site for me, www.favoriteroad.com. I’d love to see what you run across out there because I will never get to see them all. I’ll even give a free Favorite Road t-shirt or cap to the first 25 people that send in pics and info on some of your favorite “Windshield Wonders” from the road (while supplies last).

Load them on the site under “Submit a Road” or send them in an email to  editor@favoriteroad.com.

Come on, it’s January and you know your ears are cold. You could really use that hat, huh?

(Some of this info comes from www.nps.gov and roadsideamerica.com. Photographers; Beth Boland, Martin Ince, and RoadsideAmerica)

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Submitted by: Layne Rider
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Road Submission Category: FVR News