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I’m a sucker for interesting roadside attractions, which you have probably noticed from some of my other posts. Anything to chop up a long roadtrip into smaller segments is OK in my book. Here are a few novelty architecture buildings you should keep an eye out for when you’re on your travels.
1. Lucy the Elephant, a six-story building in New Jersey that has been around since 1882 to sell real estate and attract tourists.
2. The Longaberger Company’s headquarters in Ohio, which is shaped like their medium market basket.
3. Tail ‘O The Pup, a hot dog stand in L.A. that was built in 1946.
4. The Brown Derby, another Los Angeles celebrity staple.
5. The Big Pineapple
in Queensland, Australia. It’s a souvenir stand for the working farm and tourist attraction that even Prince Charles and Princess Diana once visited.
6. The Big Chicken, built in 1963, was originally home to Johnny Reb’s Chick, Chuck and Shake restaurant. The owner sold it to his brother and it became a KFC franchise.
7. If we have a Big Chicken, there must be a Big Duck. And there is - it lives in Flanders, N.Y., and was used to sell ducks and eggs in 1931.
8. The Wigwam Hotel is shaped like, well, Teepees. The first of the chain opened in 1933 in Kentucky and was quickly followed by more in Arizona, Louisiana, Florida and Alabama. You can still find some of them on Route 66 in Holbrook, Arizona.
9. King Kone in Perry, Michigan, looks like it could be Paul Bunyan’s ice cream desserts.
10. The Dog Bark Park Inn in Cottonwood, Idaho, is one dog you definitely wouldn’t want to lift its leg. I’m not sure that I could walk up stairs and enter a giant dog’s butt in good conscience.
Shhh… super secret special for blog readers.
A favorite of mine is the Shoehouse in Hellam, PA. It was built by a, now defunct, shoe company owner. It has survived via tourists and as an ice cream stand. Drive from York to Lancaster on Rt 30 and you can’t miss it.
posted by bucsfan on 7-25-2008 at 3:42 pm
In Orlando (or nearby on the main drag) there is a Giant Orange. They serve food/drink out of it.
In Los Angeles, there is also the Giant Donut (Randy’s Donuts), the Giant Golf Guy on the 405 at the golf range near Carson, The Giant Western Exterminator guy shaking his finger at a mouse, the Giant Felix the Cat downtown for the Felix car dealership. AND don’t forget, one of the original McDonald’s in Downey complete with Speedee and HUGE golden arches.
posted by kcz on 7-25-2008 at 4:30 pm
I have actually stayed in the hotel behind the Orange. A friend from South africa thought it was a pumpkin. We had a good laugh.
posted by Sean on 7-25-2008 at 4:51 pm
Cool!
There’s also a restaurant just south of Natchez, MS, in the shape of stereotypical black mammy (think Ms. Butterworth’s). It began as a gas station and now is a restaurant that serves incredible blueberry lemonade and the best ham sandwich (with blueberry preserves) I’ve ever had. Check out my name for pictures.
posted by Lindsey on 7-25-2008 at 5:28 pm
Aww. I’m a few miles down the road from the Big Chicken here in Marietta, GA, yet we don’t get a location shout-out in this post?
posted by Wisteria on 7-25-2008 at 6:57 pm
There are still some teepee motels in Kentucky.
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 7-25-2008 at 7:41 pm
With regards the ‘Big Pineapple’ you mention above that’s actually in Queensland, Australia. (You were thinking of Queens Town New Zealand right?) We also have a Big Banana in Coffs Harbour, The big prawn in Ballina and a large Marino sheep… Need I go on?
posted by Don on 7-25-2008 at 10:34 pm
i LOVE lucy!
posted by weeble warble on 7-26-2008 at 12:10 am
Erm, re Big Pineapple; “Queensland, New Zealand”? Might want to change that to Australia. You don’t want a bunch of angry Aussies on your hands, we are very proud of our gargantuan fruits!
posted by Miss Mortimer on 7-26-2008 at 12:11 am
If you are looking for the Big Pineapple in New Zealand, you’ll probably need quite a bit of time … and maybe a boat as well. The Big Pineapple is in Queensland, AUSTRALIA. We are that big-ass country just a touch west of NZ.
posted by Kate on 7-26-2008 at 2:03 am
when I was 5, I demanded to go to the big chicken everytime I visited my mema. It is also the reason I crave unreasonable amounts of kfc mashed potatoes. yes, sometimes i go just for the mashed potatoes.
posted by emily on 7-26-2008 at 2:15 am
ahem …. sorry guys but Queensland is actually in AUSTRALIA!
posted by Simon from Australia on 7-26-2008 at 4:26 am
whoops, sorry guys. I’ve been watching a lot of Flight of the Conchords so I think I had New Zealand on the brain.
posted by Stacy Conradt on 7-26-2008 at 10:47 am
Mary Lou’s Milk Bottle (www.historicspokane.org/Garland/Garland%202006%20(8).jpg) in Spokane, WA, is just down the street from me.
It’s a 75-year-old former dairy that is now an old-fashioned ice cream parlour that serves handmade shakes and malts as well as delicious burgers and fries.
Stop by for the best huckleberry shake you’ve ever had when you’re in town!
posted by Ciao Bambina on 7-26-2008 at 10:55 am
those are some nice big pictures there
posted by tim on 7-26-2008 at 1:03 pm
Portland or. used to have a “little brown jug” building. not sure if still there
posted by drain surgeon on 7-27-2008 at 3:41 am
In detroit there is a giant tire along i-94. it’s not a structure that is made to look like a tire, it is a tire with real tread. click on my name to see it
posted by kat on 7-27-2008 at 11:13 am
Since the location was left out for the Big Chicken…I’ll add it here…It’s in Marietta, GA.
posted by Corey on 7-27-2008 at 10:45 pm
There is a shoe shaped building where I live… it’s a shoe repair store.
www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10289
posted by Jason! on 7-28-2008 at 9:49 am
In Jabiru, Northern Territory, Australia there is a hotel shaped like a crocodile. The swimming pools at the hotel are okay to swim in, but there is a lake in the town that sometimes has crocodiles in it.
posted by Steve on 7-29-2008 at 12:27 am
In this, the International Year of the Potato, I am sorry to see you omit the Big Potato in Maugherville NB.
posted by Randy MacDonald on 7-29-2008 at 10:17 pm