12 America’s Oldest Roadside Relics Worth Seeing + 5 That Do Not Live Up To The Hype
America’s highways are dotted with quirky, oversized, and sometimes ancient attractions that tell stories of our past. These roadside relics have beckoned travelers for generations, standing as monuments to creativity, marketing genius, and pure American oddity.
From giant animals to buildings shaped like everyday objects, these landmarks represent both the best and, well, the most disappointing pit stops you’ll encounter on your cross-country adventures.
1. Lucy The Elephant – Margate, New Jersey
Standing tall since 1881, this enormous pachyderm has watched over the Jersey Shore for generations. Lucy the Elephant stretches six stories high and once served as a hotel, summer home, and tavern.
Visitors can climb inside this National Historic Landmark for panoramic ocean views. Her wooden frame has weathered hurricanes and development threats, making her America’s oldest roadside attraction still in her original location.
2. The World’s Largest Catsup Bottle – Collinsville, Illinois
Towering 170 feet above the Illinois prairie stands a water tower unlike any other. The World’s Largest Catsup Bottle was built in 1949 for the Brooks catsup factory.
Painted in vibrant red and white, this quirky landmark survived demolition threats when the factory closed. Local preservationists rallied to save this beloved roadside giant, hosting an annual festival celebrating its condiment-shaped glory.
3. The Blue Whale Of Catoosa – Catoosa, Oklahoma
Nestled alongside a small pond sits a smiling cerulean giant built as a love gift. Hugh Davis created this playful structure in the early 1970s for his wife’s anniversary present.
The Blue Whale became a beloved Route 66 swimming hole where travelers could slide down its tail. After years of abandonment, local volunteers restored this whimsical creature, preserving its charming smile for future generations.
4. The Paul Bunyan Statue – Bemidji, Minnesota
Looming over the northern woods since 1937, this legendary lumberjack has greeted generations of travelers. Paul Bunyan stands 18 feet tall beside his faithful companion, Babe the Blue Ox.
Created for a winter carnival, this concrete giant quickly became the town’s most photographed resident. His imposing figure represents the region’s logging heritage and has inspired countless roadside imitators across America’s northern states.
5. Cabazon Dinosaurs – Cabazon, California
Rising from the desert floor like prehistoric mirages, these colossal creatures have been stopping traffic since 1964. The Cabazon Dinosaurs include a 150-foot Apatosaurus and a 65-foot T-Rex visible for miles.
Originally built to attract customers to a roadside restaurant, these concrete behemoths gained fame in the 1985 film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” Today, they remain among America’s most photographed roadside wonders.
6. The Giant Coffee Pot – Bedford, Pennsylvania
Perched alongside the historic Lincoln Highway sits a charming relic from the dawn of automobile tourism. The Giant Coffee Pot was constructed in 1927 as a lunch stand catering to early motorists.
Standing 18 feet tall and crafted from brick and metal, this peculiar pot once served hungry travelers. Rescued from demolition in 2003, it was carefully restored and relocated to its current spot as a beloved symbol of quirky roadside architecture.
7. Salem Sue – New Salem, North Dakota
Visible for miles across the prairie stands the world’s largest Holstein cow sculpture. Salem Sue measures an impressive 38 feet tall and 50 feet long, weighing over 12,000 pounds.
Erected in 1974 by proud local dairy farmers, this fiberglass bovine celebrates the area’s dairy industry. Her elevated position on a grassy hill ensures she catches the eye of every passing motorist, making her North Dakota’s most distinctive roadside guardian.
8. The Big Duck – Flanders, New York
Hatched in 1931, this feathered architectural oddity has become an enduring symbol of American roadside whimsy. The Big Duck was originally built by a duck farmer to sell his poultry products.
Measuring 20 feet tall and 30 feet long, this concrete fowl features glowing red taillights for eyes. Architectural historians coined the term “duck buildings” for structures shaped like their products, making this Long Island landmark the mother of all novelty architecture.
9. The Haines Shoe House – York, Pennsylvania
Resembling a giant work boot complete with laces and a pointed toe, this whimsical dwelling stops traffic along Route 30. The Haines Shoe House was built in 1948 by “Shoe Wizard” Mahlon Haines to advertise his chain of shoe stores.
Measuring 25 feet tall, this five-story structure features living spaces inside the ankle and toe. Newly married couples once received free honeymoon stays in this fairytale-like footwear home.
10. Benewah Milk Bottle – Spokane, Washington
Resembling a giant dairy container from a bygone era, this charming structure has delighted passersby since 1935. The Benewah Milk Bottle served as an ice cream parlor and retail outlet for the Benewah Dairy Company.
Standing 38 feet tall and constructed of concrete and metal, this bottle-shaped building represents a dwindling architectural style. Once part of a pair, this remaining milk bottle continues serving customers as a beloved local eatery.
11. The Tee Pee Curios – Tucumcari, New Mexico
Glowing neon beckons travelers from the Mother Road into a concrete cone topped with a vibrant arrow sign. The Tee Pee Curios has been welcoming Route 66 adventurers since the 1940s.
Originally a gas station, this distinctive structure transitioned to a souvenir shop as highway travel evolved. Its iconic silhouette represents the golden age of roadside architecture when businesses competed for attention with flamboyant designs that referenced romanticized Western imagery.
12. The Wigwam Motel – Holbrook, Arizona
Arranged in a semicircle around a vintage car display sit 15 concrete tepees with neon “SLEEP IN A WIGWAM” sign glowing overhead. The Wigwam Motel has housed Route 66 travelers since 1950.
Each 21-foot tall structure contains a cozy room with modern amenities despite the primitive exterior appearance. This architectural oddity represents one of just three remaining wigwam village motels from a chain that once stretched across America.
13. The Jolly Green Giant – Blue Earth, Minnesota
Reaching skyward at 55 feet tall stands a verdant figure familiar from countless food labels. The Jolly Green Giant statue was erected in 1979 to celebrate the vegetable canning company with local roots.
Despite impressive stature, visitors often leave feeling flat after the brief photo opportunity. With no museum, interactive elements, or even informational displays, this massive marketing mascot offers little beyond a quick selfie before travelers return to Interstate 90.
14. Carhenge – Alliance, Nebraska
Jutting from prairie grasslands stands a peculiar replica of England’s ancient monument made entirely from vintage American automobiles. Carhenge was created in 1987 by artist Jim Reinders as a memorial to his father.
Despite creative concept, many travelers feel shortchanged after driving miles through cornfields. The brief experience offers little context beyond spray-painted cars arranged in a circle, leaving visitors wondering whether the detour was worth precious road trip hours.
15. World’s Largest Ball Of Paint – Alexandria, Indiana
Hidden in a nondescript shed sits a baseball gradually transformed into a 5,000-pound sphere through 25,000 layers of paint. The World’s Largest Ball of Paint began in 1977 when Michael Carmichael coated his son’s baseball.
Despite its record-setting status, visitors often leave disappointed. The attraction amounts to a brief viewing of a large orb in someone’s backyard, with the optional thrill of adding your own layer of paint—an experience that rarely justifies the journey.
16. The Shoe Tree – Middlegate, Nevada
Rising from the desert landscape stands a cottonwood festooned with hundreds of dangling footwear pairs. The Shoe Tree tradition began decades ago, though origins remain murky—possibly involving a newlywed couple’s dispute.
Many road-weary travelers feel letdown upon arrival. With no facilities, explanatory markers, or activities beyond looking at decomposing shoes hanging from branches, this puzzling roadside oddity exemplifies the “why did we stop here?” category of attractions dotting America’s lonely highways.
17. The Peachoid – Gaffney, South Carolina
Looming over Interstate 85 stands a water tower with unmistakable posterior-like curves painted in sunset hues. The Peachoid was constructed in 1981 to celebrate the region’s peach production.
Despite brief television fame in “House of Cards,” visitors frequently express disappointment. The fruit-shaped reservoir offers no tours, museum, or activities—just awkward giggles from travelers noticing its unfortunate resemblance to human anatomy rather than appreciation for agricultural heritage.