Midway through the first day of our Labor Day road trip, my travel companion and I were getting pretty darn hungry. We wanted to stop at somewhere more “local.” No Burger Kings or McDonald’s for us. So, as we had the World’s Largest Bicyclist and FAST: The Fiberglass Statue Factory to see in Sparta, Wisconsin, …
F.A.S.T. (Fiberglass Animals, Shapes & Trademarks) is the premier manufacturer of fiberglass statues in America. It’s probably the most well known Sparta tourist attraction as you can stop by the grounds to check out the field of roadside attractions in various states of creation. But before hitting up F.A.S.T. you can see a magnificent sample …
Have you ever been driving on a road trip and come across a giant cow or a giant elephant or a giant mouse and wondered, “who even made that?” It’s a valid question. These weird fiberglass roadside attractions speckle the landscape of America in odd sizes and odd locations, beckoning tourists to take a moment …
Catch Silly America on TV! WILL-TV, the public television station in Champaign, IL contacted me about using some photos that I posted last February when I spent the month featuring Abraham Lincoln roadside attractions! The episode of Prairie Fire that they aired on Thursday, March 26, 2009 profiled photographer David Wiegers, who is traveling the …
A tribute to Lewis and Clark in Illinois next to the Popeye Statue in Segar Memorial Park in Chester, Illinois. Site: Lewis and Clark in IllinoisLocation: Segar Memorial Park, Chester, ILCost: Free to seeHours: Always VisibleDate: July 15, 2007
In 1977 a memorial to the beloved cartoon character Popeye the Sailor Man was erected in Chester, Illinois, birthplace of the comic’s creator Elzie C. Segar. The “Home of Popeye” still proudly displays this six-foot, 900 lb. bronze Popeye statue in Segar Memorial Park, overlooking the Mississippi River. And they’ve since added quite a few …
There’s a Wimpy photo stand-in in Chester, Illinois: the Home of Popeye the Sailor Man. Photo stand-ins (also called face in the hole boards, photo cutout boards, or comic foregrounds) are those big life-sized paintings (or photographs), usually of a person or animal, with a hole cut out of the face for a person (like you or me) …
Chester, Illinois celebrates all things Popeye. It’s Elzie Crisler Segar, the classic cartoon creator’s, home town so it only makes sense that the entire city serves as a shrine to his outstanding work and legacy. In fact, many of the characters were actually based on residents. In Gazebo Park, next to Spinach Can Collectibles (a …
Chester, Illinois is known as “The Home of Popeye.” The small Illinois town is the hometown of E.C. Segar (Elzie Crisler Segar) who created the popular comic book character, Popeye the Sailor Man. Today the town celebrates its status as “The Home of Popeye” with events, murals, cut-out photo ops, visitor centers and gift shops, …
Down a hallway inside Navy Pier is one of the more beautiful attractions the site has to offer: The Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows. 150 windows grace the premises covering everything from the famed Tiffany designs to religious icons to a contemporary interpretation of Michael Jordan. The museum opened in February 2000 and was …
Enjoy fun games and challenges to pass the time on your next road trip and have a keepsake to look back on for years to come with this entertaining must-have for your next vacation.
Silly America is a roadside attractions blog designed to help travelers find unique stops for their next road trip. The website is a tribute to the great American road trip, devoted to all that is odd in America: roadside attractions, tourist traps, peculiar destinations, bizarre events, road food, fun festivals, and more! It’s a travel website and trip planner for those seeking an offbeat road trip.
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