Show Us Your Favorite Roadside "Big Thing"

[EricGrundhauser]

Australia’s roadside Big Things is one of my favorite wonder trends in the world. All over the country you can find oversized… stuff. There’s a titanic mango and a massive pineapple, a gargantuan koala and a big ol’ ram, and don’t forget Larry the Giant Lobster. The list goes on and on. And the appeal of giant things isn’t confined to Australia. All across the world there are other oversized novelty attractions from chairs to gnomes. Now we want to hear about your favorite giant things from around the world!

(Image: Tony Bowden/CC BY-SA 2.0)

In the comments below, tell us about the greatest oversized roadside attraction you’ve ever encountered, where and how you found it, and anything you might know about it’s history. Of course if you have any terrific pictures of your Brobdingnagian find, post those as well! Your response may be used in an upcoming round-up article on Atlas Obscura! Let’s show some big love for the world’s giant things.

[AnyaPH]

If you ever travel to the Philippines, you’d see these big Coca-Cola storage tanks when driving on the interstate. Pretty good marketing ploy, now that I think about it. Especially if you’re stuck in horrendous traffic (always the case) and dying of thirst.

Image from this website

As it turns out, Coke has also done this in other countries, like Iceland - albeit just as giant sculptures, not storage tanks. Check out the link above to find out more.

[EricGrundhauser]

I really hope those are all filled with the soda they’re painted as.

[LeighE]

Duncan, BC, has the world’s largest hockey stick and puck. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-largest-hockey-stick-puck

And Manning Park has a giant marmot sign which I always enjoyed stopping at as a kid.

image|690x460

[Asta]

Giant PISTACHIO north of Alamogordo on Hwy 54, New Mexico

One big FRYING PAN in Long Beach, Washington

The HAT n’ BOOTS, originally at this gas station in Seattle (hat hung over the office, and boots held the bathrooms); later restored and transferred to Oxbow Park

Giant TURTLE in Dunseith, North Dakota

The GRAND VIEW SHIP HOTEL (as it was), along the Lincoln Highway, West of Bedford, Pa (more on its history: Ship Hotel | PHMC > History > Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine > Current & Past Issues > 2014 > Spring)

The BOMBER GAS STATION, with a B-17 Flying Fortress hanging over; in Oak Grove, Oregon.

The STRAWBERRY POINT, in Iowa; The 15-ft. tall painted sculpture in front of City Hall.

Giant BUFFALO in Jamestown, North Dakota

and a giant PRAIRIE CHICKEN in Rothsay, Minnesota

TWIN ARROWS TRADING POST, on Route 66 in Arizona

THE SPINDLE (CAR KABOB) at Cermak Plaza in Berwyn, Illinois. Created in 1989 and skewered by Los Angeles artist Dustin Shuler, it had cameo appearance in the film ‘Wayne’s World’. The cars badly corroded in time, so the Spindle was finally demolished in 2008, after failed attempt to sell it on eBay.

POPS SODA RANCH on Route 66, in Arcadia, Oklahoma

Giant DINOSAUR AND MAN skeleton sculpture in Murdo, South Dakota

CORN WATER TOWER, in Rochester, Minnesota

WIGWAM MOTEL in San Bernardino, California

Giant AXE in New Brunswick, Canada

World’s tallest THERMOMETER in Baker, California; commemorating the record 134 degrees temperature recorded in nearby Death Valley in 1913.

World’s largest FORK, WIENER and NUT, finally together; in Springfield, Missouri

BOTTLE TREE RANCH on Route 66 in Oro Grande, California

ENCHANTED HIGHWAY sculptures in North Dakota

[EricGrundhauser]

So it’s safe to say that you enjoy giant roadside novelties, @asta?

[Asta]

Not necessarily. I do have few good pics of roadside bugs and clovers too!
I just love to travel, a passion of mine since the early days.

[EricGrundhauser]

And I can’t thank you enough for sharing that passion with all of us!

[Shane_McGraw]

Sadly “ship motel” (as it was known to us locals when I was a kid) is no longer with us. I think I talked about this here in the past. Regardless: Grand View Point Hotel - Wikipedia

[Kirsten_Madsen]

I have beautiful memories of seeing the World’s Largest Popcorn Ball in Sac City, Iowa. Since it is stored in a non-climate controlled shed, it serves as a very large snack for bugs and has seen better days. As one visiting child adeptly noted in the guestbook located beside it: “It big and drity.”

[annacborg]

[jonathancarey]

These are awesome

[jonathancarey]

I passed this every summer as a kid heading to Myrtle Beach. I always wanted to stop there and my mom always refused. Fast forward a couple of years and she did the same thing with my niece, she refuses to go there. My mom is not a fan of the South of the Border lol. In her words “ain’t nothing over there worth stopping for”

[PQPP3]

Maybe not my favorite, but a fun one none-the-less. It can be found along Interstate 94 West Between the Southfield Freeway interchange and Outer Drive overpass in
Allen Park, Michigan.

It was created by the Uniroyal Tire Company for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, as a Ferris wheel.

[MisterCustomer]

I was sure I had more of these, but particularly the brobdingnagian Paul Bunyan and Babe at Trees of Mystery outside of Crescent City, CA

The Cabazon Dinosaurs are still classics.

They’re not the biggest, but I have a low-key obsession with finding repurposed “Muffler Men” around California (Photo courtesy of LA Magazine, not my own work)

https://cdn2.lamag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/07/lasalsa.jpg

[annacborg]

In Hayward California, Bell Plastics resides.
They can make ANYTHING out of plastic, fiberglass, and the like. They specialize in restoring large promotional statues such as the “Muffler Men” / Paul Bunyons of the world.

They hold an annual open house. My photos are from last year. - come visit Sunday August 18th 2019 10AM-5PM
2020 National Ave. Hayward, CA

[tralfamadore]

That Alfred E. Newman is horrifying.

[EricGrundhauser]

Oh wow. This place looks incredible. I see a doggie diner head!

Doggie Diner Head

[wagonerl]

I’m confused by the use of the word “oversided”.

[ronlavoie]

The world’s largest psyanka is in Vegreville, Alberta, Canada.