Because not every Wash U student hails from the Midwest, it’s likely that you or a close friend will be traveling a fair distance by car to return home for the summer. Perhaps on your way back to New York or Philadelphia or L.A. you’ve stopped off along the way. Maybe you’ve spent an evening or two in a small town along I-70 or I-80. If you have (and probably even if you haven’t), you’re likely aware that besides some cows and market or two, there aren’t many fun places to get out of the car, stretch, and enjoy. However, there are a plethora of unique, off-beat and unknown attractions across the entire country, perfect for an intermission on a 15-hour drive – so we’ve taken the liberty of telling you about eight of them. If you want more information about these and other oddball tourist stops (or if you just want to see how ridiculous America really is) visit www.roadsideamerica.com.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Big Coffee Pot
College students, who know the malaise incurred by constant sleep deprivation, also recognize the benefits of imbibing that big cup of joe each morning. These caffeine addicts will appreciate the giant coffee pot located in the restored Moravian Village of Old Salem in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The coffee pot stands at a height of about 12 feet, has circumference of about 16 feet, and holds an estimated volume of 740 gallons of coffee. The pot has seen numerous relocations, initially due to common “traffic” accidents involving horse and buggy teams. If it could talk, could spout off many stories such as concealing a Yankee (or Confederate) soldier during the war, and even being the target of an explosive Halloween prank. The coffee pot marks the continuance of caffeine in our daily lives and visiting this landmark will surely provide a perk to any road trip.
Louisville, Kentucky: World’s Largest Baseball Bat
A Mecca for baseball fans everywhere, Kentucky’s Louisville Slugger Museum is a home run hit with the world’s largest baseball bat propped up against the museum’s brick exterior. The bat is 120 feet tall and weighs 34 tons, in honor of baseball legend Babe Ruth’s 34 inch-long wooden bat. The museum offers visitors a history of baseball, interactive displays, fun facts, and a look into the art of the bat and hitting.
Louisville native and freshman Whitney Lesch takes pride in her city’s baseball tribute.
“I have been to the Slugger Museum many times and I am very proud of our big bat. It’s cool because you get a mini Louisville slugger to remember your trip. You can even see the bat from the highway and I drive by it almost every day.”
Darwin, Minnesota: World’s Largest Twine Ball
What roadside journey would be complete without the compulsory big ball of string? While large twine balls are dotted throughout the country, Darwin, Minnesota holds the claim to the world’s largest rolled by one man. Started in 1950 by Francis Johnson, the ball of twine is now 12 feet in diameter and weighs in at 17,400 pounds. Others have tried to surpass this 39+ year endeavor, but Darwin still maintains the king of string.
Berwyn, Illinois: Cars on a Spike
If you’ve seen Wayne’s World, then you’re already familiar with this forty-foot-tall spike impaled through eight cars. It resides in Berwyn, Illinois’ Cermak Plaza Shopping center, not too far west of Chicago. It’s titled “The Spindle,” and was sculpted (if that’s the right word for it) by Dustin Shuler in 1989. A drive through this art-full parking lot will prove that Berwyn’s got more to offer than just the impaled autos: besides a handful of other sculptures, another of Shuler’s outrages pieces calls Berwyn its home, too.
Audubon, Iowa: Albert, the World’s Largest Bull
“Born” in 1964, Albert, the World’s Largest Bull is 30 feet tall, spans 15 feet from horn and weighs a mighty 45 tons. He’s named after a past president of Audubon’s State Bank, and if you push a button next to him, he’ll let you know he was built to resemble a Hereford Bull. His message ends with a reminder to drive carefully, either on to your next destination, or into town to buy a replica of Albert to take home. Your immature side may be interested to know that our bovine friend has two giant, concrete gonads.
Goodland, Kansas: World’s Largest Easel
Kansas is one of the flat plains states where anything remotely tall attracts attention. An 80-foot-tall easel, then, is very obvious. Goodland is home to such an easel, complete with a 32-foot by 24-foot representative painting of Van Gogh’s sunflowers. Kansas, the sunflower state, and Goodland, the heart of the sunflower industry, is the perfect setting for this $150,000 work of art.
Helendale, California: Exotic World
A minor detour from the typical star-studded sights in L.A. and Hollywood leads travelers along a dirt road to Exotic World in Helendale. This museum, run by retired burlesque queen Dixie Evans, celebrates the history of stripping and exotic dancing. Visitors are welcomed by boa-wrapped Dixie herself, and then take a tour, passing walls decorated with stripper posters and glass display cases holding garter belts, costumes, pasties, and G-strings. Decorative urns containing the remains of past celebrated greats adorn the halls along with commemorative photos, each with a story. For example, a stripper named Siska trained her Macaw parrots to fly around and bit by bit remove pieces of her clothing. The museum is filled with many other such stories and visitors can pick up helpful hints such as, “how to keep your pasties on.”
Effingham, Illinois: The Giant Cross
Familiar to many Wash U students, the “Crossroads of America” in Effingham is home to one of the world’s largest crosses. The giant cross is reported to be 198 feet tall with a 113 foot crossbar. Initially constructed by the First Baptist Church of Effingham, a Meditation Walk and Ten Commandments monument have also been added to the area to provide a fully religious experience. Take a walk around the base of the cross and you’ll find audio recordings of each commandment in 10 small stone boxes. And of course, the Crossroads of America is complete with the obligatory gift shop nearby.