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Aroadside attraction is a feature along the side of a road meant to attracttourists. In general, these are places one might stop on the way to somewhere, rather than being a destination. They are frequently advertised withbillboards. The modern tourist-oriented highway attraction originated as aU.S. and Canadian phenomenon in the 1940s to 1960s,[1] and subsequently caught on inAustralia.[2] Elsewhere, similar items may be placed onroundabouts andtraffic islands in crowded cities.[3]
When long-distance road travel became practical and popular in the 1920s, entrepreneurs began building restaurants, motels, coffee shops, cafes, and unusual businesses to attract travelers.[4][5] Many of the buildings were attractions in themselves in the form ofnovelty architecture, depicting everyday objects of enormous size, typically relating to the items sold there.[6] Some other types of roadside attractions include monuments and fictionalized-paranormal/illusionary amusements such as theMystery Spot near Santa Cruz, California,[7] or curiosities such asThe Thing? alongInterstate 10 in Arizona.[8]
With the construction of the U.S.Interstate Highway System in the mid-1950s, many roadside attractions were bypassed and quickly went out of business.[5] Some remained attractive enough to divert travelers from the interstate for a brief respite and thus remain in business. The best example of this change is alongUS Route 66, where in the southwest,Interstate 40 provided for non-stop travel.[9][10] In 2017, the publicationBest Life listed 33 top roadside attractions in the U.S. Among those listed wereLucy the Elephant, Margate, New Jersey;Cabazon Dinosaurs, Cabazon, California;Oregon Vortex, Gold Hill, Oregon;Jolly Green Giant, Blue Earth, Minnesota; andSecret Caverns, Howes Cave, New York.[11]
Shrinking small towns have built roadside attractions to "foster civic pride", "make our own fun...especially in the middle of winter", and "make it interesting for people to come and move here".[12] Examples include Big Tom, a 22-foot-tall turkey in Frazee, Minnesota; a collection of giant items including a wind chime, mailbox, golf tee, and pitchfork, in Casey, Illinois; and a giant sugar beet in Halstad, Minnesota.[12] Other Minnesota supersized attractions include a giant loon, otter, prairie chicken, crow, pelican, and three Paul Bunyans.[12] Giant balls of twine are located in four Midwestern states.[12] TheEnchanted Highway in North Dakota comprises a 32-mile (51 km) pathway of roadside sculpture.
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