Secret Cleveland A Guide To The Weird Wonderful And Obscure

Where in Charlotte can you… - get up-close with the “Miracle on the Hudson” plane? - indulge in conspiracy theories about occult symbols in public murals? - see a giant head sculpture by a notorious Czech artist? - eat something called burgushi? - hear a parking garage that sings? - watch a giant dragon blow smoke? - visit the grave of cojoined twin sisters who were the inspiration for a Broadway musical? Whether you’re riding at top speeds around the 24-degree bank of a NASCAR track turn, exploring the history of Charlotte’s gold rush and the 17-pound nugget that started it all, or eating ice cream at a Dairy Queen that’s a designated historic site, it’s impossible to be bored in the Queen City with a copy of Secret Charlotte: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. From delightful surprises to hair-raising theories, in these pages you’ll find answers to the questions around town you didn’t even know you had. Filled with fascinating—and often bizarre—stories about the locales that define Charlotte’s culture and history, this is the city’s ultimate scavenger hunt.

Take a journey to explore hidden nooks and crannies, that you never knew existed in Cleveland, without leaving your home. Haunted locales, “World’s largest”, odd sights, noteworthy inventions, unique foods and more exist among the pages of Secret Cleveland: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure. Discover where you can: •find a cure for your cravings •see a weeping angel •visit Lake Erie whales •walk in the footsteps of giants •take a bridge to nowhere•explore roadside attractions •visit the crypt of an ex-president •learn about a misplaced historical marker If you dare, take a leap down rabbit holes you never knew existed as you tour through ninety often overlooked gems in the greater Cleveland area. From bizarre to funny to surprising, you’ll learn what makes Cleveland such a diverse and interesting destination to visit or call home. Never a boring moment, Secret Cleveland is a literary trip that will keep you wondering what you’ll discover on the next page as it walks you through attractions in Greater Cleveland, Bay Village, Lorain, and Medina, to name a few.

Did you know that there’s a Connecticut hotel room with a real helicopter inside? Can you guess who inspired the character of Indiana Jones, who was president before George Washington, and who flew before the Wright Brothers? Find the state’s most interesting and offbeat stories in Secret Connecticut: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Are you interested in taking a safari or racing a chariot? Had you ever heard that Martin Luther King Jr. spent two summers in Connecticut? Included are more than eighty engaging stories that provide insight into one of America’s oldest states. Inside are tales of pirates, an underground prison, and a possessed doll. Aren’t you curious about the spectacular stained glass church that was unknowingly built in the shape of a fish by a famous architect? From the world’s smallest Native American reservation to professionally coiffed cows and a replica of Marie Antoinette’s palace, you’ll find intrigue around every corner of this small but surprising state. Author Anastasia Mills Healy brings to life the long history of intriguing people, places, and events that will fascinate even life long residents of Connecticut.

Where in Columbus can you find a grave of specimens from an insane asylum? Stroll down Memory Lane? See the world’s largest gavel? Sniff the rarest smelly flower in the world? Soak up relics from the old National Roads? Soak up relics from the old National Road? The progressive pulse of Columbus secretly rests on fascinating, shocking, and bizarre events. Secret Columbus: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure is a journey of awe-inspiring moments combined with exciting knowledge about Ohio’s capital city. This book discovers what trash-eating pigs have to do with the landfill and how Columbus police are related to the Short North arts district. Researched and written by Columbus native and career investigative television journalist Anietra Hamper, this book reveals exciting discoveries that take you to places you would never find on your own. From settler-era squirrel hunts to the famous smoking Mai Tais of the defunct Kahiki Supper Club, the secrets of Columbus are waiting for you. With Secret Columbus as your guide, uncover new truths about the places you thought you knew and experience an element of adventure along the way.

Where can you see a spider as big as a school bus? How did the world’s largest flying dinosaur land in Austin? Where is the college dorm room where a struggling student started Dell computers? And why are there thousands and thousands of bats in Austin? Find the answers to these questions and many more in Secret Austin: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Learn about the lost-cause oil rig that became a gusher and funded higher education for generations. Follow in the footsteps of famous Austinites like Janis Joplin, Farrah Fawcett, and Matthew McConaughey. With life long journalists and Austin fans Cheryl and Les Thomas as your guides, you’re bound to find more than a few surprises about Austin—even if you’ve lived there forever. Whether you’re a slacker, an entrepreneur, a poet, or just a bluebonnet admirer, you’ll find Austin’s most fascinating hidden gems, strange history, and obscure trivia in this guide to the “City of the Violet Crown.”

Charlottesville, Virginia is best known for its role in history, current affairs, and its connection to Thomas Jefferson, Monticello, and the University of Virginia. Secret Charlottesville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure takes readers on a magical tour of lesser-known haunts, pulls back the curtain on the region’s historical sites, and whispers of treasures found around many corners. This beautiful city in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains has so much to offer, from secret swimming holes like Snake Hole, to unfrequented hiking trails like those at Foxhaven Farm, gorgeous hidden gardens like New Dominion Bookshop’s secret rose garden, and historic church graveyards, like Grace Episcopal Church in Keswick. Learn where to find hidden restaurants, like Vu Noodles or Lampo, to delight your palate. Climb a keelboat at Darden Towe Park or a giant salamander sculpture at Wildrock. Explore art from far-flung regions and experience the joy of sports teams with unique challenges. Do you know about Charlottesville’s connection to the Grand Duchess of Russia? Or Edgar Allen Poe? How about the time a famous painter got unstuck from her creative block at the University of Virginia? Local author Marijean Oldham finds inspiration in hidden attractions, outstanding architecture, extra-special restaurants, fun activities, and fascinating backstories. This guide provides behind-the-scenes detail and answers to Charlottesville questions you didn’t even know you had and unlocks local secrets just waiting to be told.

In this updated edition, it's plain to see that the state of Illinois has only gotten weirder. Where there was once just a single Popeye statue in downstate Chester, today the town has monuments to Olive Oyl, Swee' Pea, Bluto, the Sea Hag, and more. The creepy Piasa Bird petroglyph on the bluff in Alton now has a roadside pullout with picnic tables, and the two-story outhouse in Gays has a new contemplative garden. With almost twice as many destinations as its predecessor, this edition boasts detailed information on each site—address, phone number, website, hours, entry fees, and driving directions—as well as maps, photos, and a wealth of regional history in the descriptions. Some new sites include Henry's Rabbit Ranch, the World's First Jungle Gym, Ahlgrim Acres (a miniature golf course at a funeral home), the Leather Archives and Museum, General Santa Ana's two wooden legs, the World's Largest Sock Monkey, the Friendship Shoe Fence, a truck stop with a marionette show, and a coin-operated fire-breathing dragon. There is more between Chicago and St. Louis than cornfields and plenty of fascinating places in the Windy City that aren't on Michigan Avenue, and here is a chance to see these underappreciated sites throughout the state.

Most visitors know all about Kansas City’s barbecue, jazz, and football success, but there are hidden gems and wild pieces of trivia around every turn in Missouri’s largest city. Is the giant Hereford bull anatomically correct? Can a seed that’s been to outer space still grow into a normal tree? And who really killed President William Henry Harrison? You’ll find answers to the questions you didn’t know you had in Secret Kansas City: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Learn why three completely unrelated groups have chosen Kansas City as the center of the world and the place you want to be when the world ends. Between these covers, you’ll also find castles, a horse buried in a cul-de-sac, a ghost who likes a good laugh, and the world’s longest snake. This is not a tour guide for outsiders; it’s a scavenger hunt—insiders only, please. Longtime Kansas Citian Anne Kniggendorf is at your service to bolster your love and boost your respect for this middle-of-the-map city. With her eye for the odd leading the way, you’ll have a great time discovering Kansas City.