Best Photographs from the Federal Government: Eat and Sleep in a Wig Wam

Just in time for summer roadtrip season, the Library of Congress posted this lovely picture of a still-standing roadside attraction on their Flickr page.

Cabins imitating the Indian teepee for tourists along highway south of Bardstown, Kentucky (LOC), originally uploaded by The Library of Congress.

Wigwam Village Cave City, KY from U.S. 31., originally uploaded by esywlkr.

village10, originally uploaded by Zapgun.

From the Wigwam Village No. 2 motel's website...

"... Wigwam Village Inn #2 was completed in 1937 in Cave City, and five more were built over time in Alabama, Florida, New Orleans, California, and Arizona. From the beginning, the Wigwam Villages were gathering places with an atmosphere of old-time neighborliness. The community area at the center of the circle of wigwams seemed to invite people to come and talk. Nowadays, our playground at the center of the teepees invites young folks to play and our new 16'x16' "Misting Deck" is a great way to cool off on a hot summer day - regardless of your age!...

...Of the seven original Wigwam Villages, only three remain: #2 in Cave City, Kentucky, #6 in Holbrook, Arizona. and #7 in Riallto, California..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wigwam Village No. 2, Cave City, Kentucky
601 North Dixie Hwy
Cave City, Kentucky 42127
Google Map

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

7 more Best Photographs from the Federal Government blog posts.

Hole in the Walls: Utah & Cappadocia, Turkey

Hole N' The Rock, originally uploaded by bielanko-photography.

IMG_3488 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
"Gamirasu Cave Hotel, Ayvali Village - Cappadocia, Middle Anatolian Region of Turkey.

1960's Underground house, Las Vegas

Humming Birds, Tee Pees and Museums, Oh My

, originally uploaded by redhandcase.

Texas, home to so much uniqueness.

I had high hopes for a weekend trip but it will have to wait. I wanted to view the fall migration of hummingbirds in Rockport, TX and stay at/visit the Tee Pee Motel in Wharton TX, 60 miles outside of Houston. As I write this, CNN is talking about the motel and US Today wrote recently about the motel's restoration by lottery winners.

Instead of a road trip, we're going to be closer to home. I've been lazy about visiting the local art institutions. Tomorrow, we will be running around Houston's museum district, taking advantage of free admission.

While the hummingbirds will be gone after this weekend, the Tee Pee Motel will be there for another trip.

More Mapping: Google Maps Addiction

I continue to add place to my Roadside Attractions, Museums, Etc. google map. As I cruised the net amassing more weird and unique places to visit, my wife looked over my shoulder and said something to the effect, "This used to overwhelm me, I thought we were going to have to visit every one of these places last summer." While in a dream-world, cruising the U.S. (before tackling the rest of the world) would be a wonderful way to spend time, I like being married more.

Back to my latest find. Margaret's Grocery and Market is an almost perfect intersection of my interest in folk art and masonic tourism.

Margaret's Grocery 2005, Vicksburg MS, originally uploaded by Deep Fried Kudzu.

This fantastic place was built by Reverend H.D. Dennis and named for his wife.

From Lucky Mojo's entry on Margaret's Grocery and Market

"...what will be apparent to any Freemason viewing this illustration, is that the Double Headed Eagle atop the signage is not just any eagle: it is that of the 32nd degree of the Scottish Rite. Furthermore, the two pillars flanking the door of the store are marked with the golden letters B and J, initials familiar to all Masons."

This place look fantastic, and so worth a visit. Must drive more!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Roadside Art Online: Margaret's Grocery environment
Flickr: Search for "Margaret's Grocery"

Summer Trips: Grottos and Baggage

With summer approaching, some travel looks to be in our future. The American south east is full of strange roadside attractions, which means something for me to see in almost any direction from Atlanta. My wife would like to take a trip to the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama. Looks to be a quick 2 hours drive. Howard Finster's folk art heaven-on-earth Paradise Gardens might be on the way. But since I would really like to see the Ave Maria Grotto (in Cullman, Al) we may have to pass up Howard's place.

"The Ave Maria Grotto known throughout the world as "Jerusalem in Miniature", is a beautifully landscaped, four-acre park designed to provide a natural setting for the 125 miniature reproductions of some of the most famous historic buildings and shrines of the world. The masterpieces of stone and concrete are the lifetime work of Brother Joseph Zoettl, a Benedictine monk of St. Bernard Abbey. Begun as a hobby, with various materials he could find, and infinite patience and a remarkable sense of symmetry and proportion, Brother Joseph re-created some of the greatest edifices of all time."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Flickr: Photos tagged with paradisegardens

Flickr: Photos tagged with avemariagrotto

Flickr: unclaimed baggage center

Itching for a Trip: The West, Abroad, and Chicago

Me and the missus are wanting to do some travel. The cruiseship work is bringing in some decent bank so a trip may be happening after school ends. The discussion ranges from "The Great American Road-Trip, Part 2" or in an aeroplane over the sea (Everywhere else in the World.)

I'd love another trip to the strange American West to see places like...

The Cabinet National Library in Cabinetlandia, Luna County, NM

Cabinetlandia National Library
Originally uploaded by Sean F.

"Cabinetlandia is located 10 miles east of the town of Deming in Luna County, New Mexico, off Interstate 10 heading east." - Cabinet Magazine Online -


Official Center of the World, Felicity, California, Felicity, AZ

Center Of The World - 010
Originally uploaded by Homer-Dog.

Center Of The World 2007 - a photoset on Flickr

Salvation Mountain, Niland, California, near the Salton Sea

Salvation Mountain
Originally uploaded by CharlieChu.

As for global travel, as long as being white Americans doesn't mean immanent danger anything goes. Spain, South-East Asia, India, Croatia, Black Sea, etc. Chances are a cheap airfare to someplace will determine where we go.

As for Chicago, well that's a long shot. But The Boring Store would be destination #1.


The Boring Store
Originally uploaded by ScanTheVan.

The store is a combination spy-shop/after-school education program founded by novelist Dave Eggers who also started McSweeney's Magazine. Read this article for pictures and commentary on what may be the coolest place that "is not a spy store."

The Other Georgia Stonehenge: I Went There So You Never Have To

Few things disappoint like an interesting theme poorly explored. Take the idea of naming a neighborhood Stonehenge ( Google Maps), in Athens, GA. Even at the height of the 70's this could not have sounded like a wise choice for community development: druids, strange street names like Salsbury Plain Dr., Sersen Cir., and Heelstone Ave., the hope/fear of human sacrifices. So, the likelihood of an interesting spectacle is always something to be hoped for, and the reason for a trip. At the best it could be a fantastic recreation in stone, honoring the spirit of the original and infused with something additional from the new place it was built. If nothing else, it might look funny, like the scene in "Spinaltap." ( tiny audio file)

All I knew was there was a recreation of the Druid's monument there, courtesy of someone on Virtual Globetrotting. Armed with a map, we headed out. Little did I know when my wife and I ventured out to Athens, Georgia in search of this local stonehenge that we would be seeing the least-interesting Stonehenge ever. We've seen stonehenges made out of cars, and one in North Georgia dedicated to population control and insulting politicians. There are loads of amazing stonhenges that populate the US. This was not one of them.







If I sound disappointed, it's because so many of the other roadside attractions I've visited have been interesting in at least one way. So many of them have been kitschy, well-made, historically interesting, etc. The Stonehenge of Athens was a complete letdown, however. Barely henge-like. And the neighborhood that was behind the shrine, boring. Just regular house, some with cars being worked on in front and no sacrificial alters.

But a trip into Athens proper, and the sweet shoes and wallet found on sale at Junkman's Daughter helped ease the "pain". There are many times that I hope people go where I got a chance to visit. This isn't one of those times.

Post-Christmas Trip: Philadelphia

I'm in the cradle of American democracy tonight, accompanying my wife on a business trip. When our trips revolve around her work, we have concluded that for me the attractions usually breakdown to 'Things Made to Look like Big Things" and "Anything Masonic".

The "big thing" in the trip was supposed to be the recreation of Noah's Ark on the I-68 in Maryland. But all that we saw was a bare framework of metal I-beams. I had thought about documenting the place for fans for such things, but at such an incomplete state it wasn't worth getting off the highway. Pastor Richard Greene had a vision in 1974 of the Rebuilding Of Noah's Ark. He hasn't much to show for it Fortunately, someone else took the picture for me.


Someone With WAY Too Much Time On Their Hands
Originally uploaded by jocieposse.

As for "Anything Masonic", our huge corner hotel room on Penn Square overlooks The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania. Not even a half-block away. And there are public tour! Yes.

Plus, there is the Mutter Museum in Philly.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When we drove through Lexington, KY in the afternoon, we passed the lovely sign for the Parkette Drive-In. By day it looks promising, and at night its a true thing of beauty. Gotta love the carhop on top. We also saw another great sign, that will keep until next post.


The Lexington, Kentucky Parkette Drive In
Originally uploaded by kthread.

Parkette Drive-In, Lexington KY
Originally uploaded by baikinange.

Richard Cheese, Free Music Hurray & Still Have to Pay for a Car

There are many reasons to love loungestar Richard Cheese, but his "private letter" to soon-to-be-single Britney Spears is just beautiful...

"...Together, Britney, you and I will finally find the kind of marital happiness that only Annette and Warren have known. We'll travel the globe, inspire the masses, make the whole world sing. And, we'll do it on the floor about a hundred times a day. Hey, I'll even drive the car so you can hold the babies on your lap in front of the airbag. "

Just a small sample of one man's love for Britney.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

While cruising my usual collection of MP3 blogs, found out from largehearted boy that Minty Fresh Records is giving away a free EP by french band Prototypes.

I heard them on Georgia State's radio station, and liked them ever since.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Today was spent looking for a new car to replace the one injured in an accident.  While we thought the process would be like getting root canal, it turned out pretty painless.  The biggest surprise was the salesmen and woman.  No high pressure, polite, and professional.  Remarkably low-key and none of them reeked of desperation.  Which was a welcome change.

The new car will be very unsexy.  Since the insurance company ruled our current car a total loss (but still completely drivable), we had been forced to buy another.

The day we found we needed a replacement car, my sweetie drove by one much like this on Peachtree Industrial and the 285...



I wish.

New Orleans Roadtrip = A Stop At the Lunchbox Museum

A wedding in New Orleans had me driving down to the Big Easy by myself. A short sidetrip to Columbus, GA allowed for a visit to the River Market Antiques Mall and Lunchbox Museum. Many pictures were taken, and are now online. Wonderfully odd, the antiques mall not only houses the Lunch Box Museum, but the Southern Stoneware Museum and Larry Hall's "Empire City," a fictional model city.

River Market Antiques Mall, Columbus, GA - Lunchbox Museum & Larry Hall's "Empire City" - a photoset on Flickr

Roadtrip Weekend: Back From Savannah

A short trip was taken to Georgia's second largest city.  Not impressed, but unwilling to write it off completely.  It paled in comparison to New Orleans, my home for 7 years.  But two really good meals held out the hope that future visits will be more promising.

Assorted pictures from the trip...  a huge dog, a welcoming church, The Scottish Rite Temple at Madison Square, and a detail shot at the Gryphon Tea Room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Double Bubble Bubble Cars! Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum

Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum Panorama
Originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

After all this time of thinking about tiny-car goodness in nearby Madison, GA, all 6 rechargable batteries that I took on my roadtrip were pretty much dead. So when we got to the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum that meant fewer pictures than hoped for.

But it also meant I actually looked at all the candy-colored motorized treats. Bruce Weiner, former owner of Double Bubble Bubblegum (seriously!), is spending much money on a larger and still growing collection of microcars. Much in the same way that a puppy is cuter than a grown dog, these miniaturized-but-roadworthy cars are seriously charming. Retro fantastic and beautifully restored, this museum is a worthwhile and cheap roadtrip from Atlanta.

Weird Georgia On My Mind: Google Earth and Flickr Maps

Little did I know when we moved to Atlanta that we would be moving to a state chock full of strange museums, roadside attractions and other cultural eccentricities.  Just my kind of state!

Spending many hours (ask my wife) I have accumulated hundreds of places on Google Earth that meet the criteria to make them worth a future visit.



Some we hit during our Summer Roadtrip (pictures), like the RV/MH Heritage Foundation with its huge collection of historic travel trailers, Carhenge, and the historic Blue Swallow Motel on Rt. 66, amongst other places.  If it weren't for Google Earth and my compulsive collecting, I don't think we would have known about or thought of visiting these places.

While amassing the growing collection of Google Earth sites, I was pleased to see a large collection of places in Georgia or in nearby states.  



Already we made the trek to the Georgia Guidestones in Elberton, GA.  This week, it may be a trip to The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum in Madison, GA.  Eventually, we hope to go to the Georgia Rural Telephone Museum, Leslie, GA.



Just unveiled this evening on FlickrBlog is a newly added geotagged photos on a map feature.  I found it while editing some pictures, and it is great!  I like the intuitive interface -- it is very easy to add my pictures to the map.  I don't like the map itself; it's modeled on Google Map but just not as slick and the imagery doesn't have the resolution that Google has.  So, I now have started adding roadtrip pictures to my map. I am curious to see if Google Earth/Google Map has a project that is similar, because I'd love that.

And in a triumph, I have even converted my wife to the pursuit of weirdness.  I came home to have her tell me that she recorded a local PBS show about Joni Mabe and Everything Elvis.  Now if I can get her to break into abandoned buildings and let me fly this thing...



... I don't know what else I could ask for.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Anyone who wants my collection of Google Earth sites (in .kml format), just leave a comment.

Roadtrip: Elberton Granite Museum, Watson Mill Bridge State Park & A Monument to the New World Order in Cowfield

More pictures -> August 2006 Roadtrip

Additional Georgia Guidestone pictures on Amber Rhea's Gallery

Musicals, Circus Freaks and Another Place to See on the Roadtrip?

Tony Quinonez as Tom Cruise , photo copyright 2004 Les Freres Corbusier, Ltd.

My post-musical-theater-work surfing has me finding a strange assortment of musicals. I would go see A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant if it were to show in town! Les Freres Corbusier produced this children's show to some pretty great reviews and the soundtrack will certainly be appearing on my christmas list. A trip to the label that is selling the cast recording also offers a discounted bundle of "A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant" and with the musical Debbie Does Dallas.

Please, please, please, someone in Atlanta do these shows. And hire me to do... something.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



Previous web surfing had me checking out some strangeness in the form of circus freaks. Ironic Sans posted an article titled Freaks stay at Marriott? which provided a link to the Johnny Ecks Musuem. Dedicated to the man, who when not being a circus attraction, drove around Phili in a specialized car, photographed friends and his loving family, and maintained a small fleet of rideable scale trains.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Also recently found, the American Dime Museum. Based in Baltimore, this museum is the last remaining of its kind; a celebration of people's desire to see the odd and freakish in a place where the items may not be all that they seem. Many of the exhibits in old dime museums were just fabricated oddities to attract people that would otherwise not put down the 10 cent admission. Based on differing reports, due to funding issues it may or may not be open.

I don't know if this will be a place visited on the summer roadtrip, but it's another reason besides John Waters that makes us want to go to Baltimore.

Also see: American Dime Museum - a photoset on Flickr