Sadly (or not), we no longer seem to be experiencing the heyday of the unusual roadside attraction, which was based on the public’s fascination with such oddities as the largest ball of twine in Kansas, the Houston Beer-Can House and the Nevadan Shoe Tree.
But there are still roadside relics of this golden age to enjoy, each one the product of a person who was determined to share a quirk with the world. For the most part, these can be viewed and enjoyed either from the car, or after a very short walk, and they’re all free — elements that make them the perfect goofball destination for an adventurous family excursion.
Here are a few of our favorites from the Upper Valley:
No survey of roadside oddities would be complete without a large, wooden lumberjack offering his services as a photo opportunity while looming over the public way. In the Upper Valley, seekers can find Paul Bunyan at the Hammond Grinding and Recycling facility at 11 Hammonds Way in Canaan.
The so-called “Vermontasaurus” dinosaur definitely catches the eye of passersby traveling through Post Mills on Route 244, but whether the massive and messy wooden sculpture is art or junk is in the eye of the beholder. Take Robinson Hill Road to get a closer look at the piece, which was erected by hot air balloonist Brian Boland, over the objections of some residents.
Who in the world would ever think to modify a vehicle to look like a mosquito? We’re not sure, but if you travel up Route 5 in Fairlee, a couple of miles north of Route 244 you’ll see exactly that. Whatever its purpose, the rusty metal bug shows no signs of swooping down to drink the blood of passersby, which makes it a safe photo subject.
People say that, for reasons unknown, the unique gravestone of Emil Hanslin was designed to look very much like a large loaf of bread.
The gravestone is located beneath a large maple tree in the center of the Old Main Street Cemetery.
From the outside, the Hartness House, located at 30 Orchard St. in Springfield, looks like many other attractive country New England country-style inns, with charming architecture, expansive grounds and a well-kept garden.
But if you look more closely, you’ll see a large turret-mounted historic telescope on the front lawn, which hints at another treasure — at the end of a tunnel, the property is home to an underground telescope museum. Innkeeper Zachary Jones says he offers a daily tour at 10:15 each morning, and is developing a night tour schedule that includes the opportunity to view special celestial events through the telescope, which is more than 100 years old.
If you’ve stuffed your face at Thanksgiving, or enjoyed the nursery rhyme Mary Had A Little Lamb, you owe it to yourself to go see the sculpture of the woman who is responsible for both: Sarah Josepha Hale, whose likeness can be seen in bust form as part of a seven-piece sculpture at the corner of North Main Street and Belknap Avenue in Newport. Hale is credited with successfully campaigning to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, and with penning the poem that inspired the popular nursery rhyme.