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There’s A Twitter Bot That Shares Vintage American Roadside Pics Dated ’60s–’00s, And So Here Are 30 Of The Most Interesting Ones
The US is unique, for a lack of a better word, when it comes to domestic travel. And I’m not talking about flights—rather about road trips. The long roads are what made commercial airlines the predominant mode of transport, but looking at the vast skies, though romantic, doesn’t really beat the roadside attractions that were built specifically to make long-distance terrestrial travel much more manageable.
Incidentally, this now-corporate phenomenon has drawn enough attention to become an object of documentation. A lovely fellow by the name of John Margolies took it upon himself to snap photographs of the American roadside scene and make an archive of it.
And then another lovely fellow by the name of Parker Higgins took it upon himself to create a Twitter bot that would share these impressive pics on the dedicated Twitter page called Old Roadside Pics.
And then yet another lovely fellow from Bored Panda took it upon himself to spread the word and compile the list you can find below. By this point, you, the lovely reader, know what to do next.
More Info: Old Roadside Pics | Library Of Congress
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Angela Vezdos 2 years ago
Stumbled across this place by complete accident in 2007 - one of the best memories of my whole life.
Sleepy Panda 2 years ago
Isn’t it amazing how the small and seemingly ordinary things end up meaning the most in the long run?!
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bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
Are the woolly mammoths for the hairwashing station around back?
Esme Love and Squalor 2 years ago
Yeah these are still there. My friend shot a short movie there.
RELATED:
#2
Andrea Gager 2 years ago
How did anybody give directions in Marietta after that was taken down??
Taylor Shorey 2 years ago
It’s still there. In Marietta, Georgia. This photo is actually the new “Big Chicken”. It replaced one from the 60s.
Erin Geiger 2 years ago
I'm not from there, and I KNOW!! The big, big chicken. Lol. My bff moved from CA to Marietta for a year and every time I visited we drove by and LAUGHED. It's been 10 years and we still laugh about the big big chicken 😂😂😂
Display_Name 2 years ago
Wasn't it the Thornton Chevrolet commercial that said, "C'mon down! We are right past the Big Chicken!"?
Tom Collins 2 years ago
The year is wrong. That's the NEW big chicken, built in '94. The old one, which looked very different, was damaged beyond repair in '93.
#3
Jeffrey Pellegrini 2 years ago
Not quite Hwy 99. It is on South Tacoma Way, but one could eventually get there from the north by following Hwy 99. Iconic building and have driven past it many times.
Quinn Nix 2 years ago
There's a place very much like this in the post-apocalypse MMORPG "Fallout 76". There, you meet a robot that sends you on a quest to collect honey for it to make some tea.
Maltaros 2 years ago
Also the site of the "Tea Time" recurring event. You have to keep critters from destroying the pipes bringing in the water for the tea.
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Glenn Cuneo 2 years ago
It has a pretty big regular building added onto it. 2023-02-03...24-png.jpg 
Marissa J Bradshaw 2 years ago
We used to see 'up and coming' grunge bands there in the 90s. They served really good burgers.
#4
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
I'm pretty sure you can't say that anymore without being called a homophobe/s
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Firstname Lastname 2 years ago
There's some sort of humor in making Barney /Rubble/ out of stone.
Sexual Harassment Panda 2 years ago
You can see this place on the way to the South Rim Grand Canyon.
Born in 1940, award-winning photographer John Margolies spent a fair bit of his youth traveling locally with his family, sparking a love for the road and all things roadside. So, at 16, he got a hold of a 1948 Oldsmobile and hit the road.
Much of his academic life and career were spent doing something that somehow connected to his work in photography—journalism, art history, and architecture. In the mid 1970s, he more or less officially started photographing vernacular architecture on long road trips across the US.
It is said that Margolies knew very little about photography, but he understood exactly what he wanted from his Canon cameras that used the stock 50mm lenses and ASA 25 film. He liked the color saturation on those things.
#6
JelliTate 2 years ago
Home of the Peach Festival when I was younger and Tractor Pulls less than a mile from my house by the reservoir (lake).
Sam Juan 2 years ago
Scrolling down slowly so that only the top of the photo was visible left me with a little anxiety for a moment.
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
I never understood the double entendre about peaches until it was 100 foot tall and in my face.
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 2 years ago
This is still there too. You can see it just off I-85 as you're driving past Gaffney.
#7
adam craker 2 years ago
It was there before America's 2nd favorite fast food restaurants took over. New burger king even tired to sue them and lost if I remember correctly
David Hale 2 years ago
And the chain cannot build within so many miles of it. 25 or 50. I remember reading about it, but can't remember the number.
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#8
Sleepy Panda 2 years ago
If you think this is cool, you should see the Flying Saucer Restaurant in Ontario, Canada!!
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Androgyny Lunacy 2 years ago
This is actually real? The spaceship looks like a cartoon drawing.
#9
Kimberly O'Connell 2 years ago (edited)
I remember going there as a child and this past summer I visited with my granddaughter. Great ice cream and good people.
Mickipickie 2 years ago
I've eaten frozen custard there my whole life! That's where you get to stop on the way home from a day at Water Safari!
#10
Gretchen Esquilin 2 years ago
There's also a Storybook Land in Egg Harbor, NJ. My kids have all been there 100x due to field trips, but I've yet to go. One day...LOL They do a really nice xmas display too.
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Margaret Zahn 2 years ago
I'm from Aberdeen and it is still up and running. It's obviously storybook themed but the bigger attraction/focus is The Wizard of Oz. Everything from Dorothy's House, to the yellow brick road, haunted forest/flying monkeys. They have a carousel and a mini rollercoaster and a petting zoo.
Michelle H 2 years ago
This place is just down the road from Dinosaur hill. Great place to go, only open from May until October. Then they Decorate it for Halloween and they doing a trick or treat on the weekends during October. Lastly, they do a Christmas lights display, which runs on the weekends from around mid November until New Years.
Margaret Zahn 2 years ago
You're thinking of Storybook Island in Rapid. We in Aberdeen have Storybook Land at Wylie Park
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TheAnxiousDuck 2 years ago
WAIT WAS TOM AND JERRYS GIANT ADVENTURE BASED OFF OF THIS? CUZ THAT MOVIE WAS LIKE, MY CHILDHOOD
Mary Mosher 2 years ago
Where's the cat and the fiddle? The little dog? (We already know the dish ran away with the spoon.)
In his 2010 book “Roadside America,” which included a lot of Margolies’ photography, journalist and author Phil Patton elaborated about how Margolies would set out on the road. Margolies would typically rent a car and leave in late spring, or just after Labor Day, when tourist season hasn’t kicked off yet and the roads are vacant.
He’d pack coolers to keep his film cool (reduces film degradation and desaturation), while his other belongings would be put away in bags. Most times, he’d stay in motels until early morning as that was the prime time for photography—places were the least crowded at that time, and so that meant the cars wouldn’t mess up the visual vibe. Also, Margolies really loved the lighting during that time of the day, which was thanks to the clear blue skies.
#11
RagDollLali 2 years ago
That place was food poisoning central, so I feel like the shrimp guns should have been enough of a warning for people to stay away
Nunya Bidness 2 years ago
What part of town was that in? I kind of remember seeing it when I was a kid and we visited Houston..
Load More Replies... bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
Nobody saw ALL these red flags huh? They must have had a buffet for like 2.99.
#12
Theresa Stephenson 2 years ago
I grew up in South and have been there many times. This photo is not the best one there. They have at a halt dozen including the giant one with the long neck and tiny head. Also it is on a hill in town so you can get a pretty view of town. I have pictures of me sitting near them in 1970's so it has been around for long time.
Your Local Battleship 2 years ago
That Dimetrodon lost all its teeth. Poor fella needs dentures now.
Margaret Zahn 2 years ago (edited)
This place was awesome. Loved going there every summer when I was a kid. Family would travel from Aberdeen to Rapid City every summer to come here and for the Black Hills, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Keystone.
Νίκος Μηλιώρης 2 years ago (edited)
-Do you know how to make a dinosaur look real? -Of course, I am paleontologist!
Michelle H 2 years ago
Lived in Rapid down the hill from Dinosaur Park, stunning sunsets up from there.
#13
Stephanie Cunningham 2 years ago
Mother Goose took a hit in 2021 when her head fell off, but she's good now: https://www.wymt.com/2022/03/24/one-year-ago-head-falls-off-hazards-mother-goose-inn/
Daycare Attendant Sun 2 years ago
I wanna live there. I wanna be a witch and live in the duck house.
Gwynne Greene 2 years ago
Too right that there will be a HAZARD, if everything isn't in PECKING ORDER lol 😆 🐔
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
In Hazard? Where are Bo and Luke? And Ragdoll is right. That bird is givin some serious side eye. I feel like Boss Hogg and Roscoe are in there snoopin on the boys.
#14
Monika Brandt 2 years ago
I am from Seattle and I remember driving by these buildings all the time when I was little, ahh memories
Bill Swallow 2 years ago
Long ago, on Rte. 30 in southwest Pennsylvania, a few miles down the road from our family farm, there was the Ship Hotel. Ship-Hotel...cddb84.jpg 
#15
Bored Panda has also gotten in touch with Mark Bobich, California-born "atypical American" who's been taking adventure-thirsty travelers around USA, Canada, Mexico and Central America for nearly two decades, to talk all things roadside attractions.
Mark has led tours in the USA visiting the most breathtaking corners of 32 states. Originally, a major in economics who ended up getting soaked in the world of tourism and has been unconventionally and authentically sharing the culture, adrenaline-filled activities, local cuisines and beauty of local people with his clients.
#16
#17
#18
Js 2 years ago (edited)
This is my hometown! I wonder why they showed this picture of a picture rather than a picture of the actual dinosaur statue its based on? The statue has been a roadside attraction for the town for decades. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinah_the_Pink_Dinosaur Edited for spelling
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
This town is famous for its dinosaur wall, it is a national monument and they do let you touch some bones
Susan Robinson 2 years ago
This is so stupid! Everyone knows that dinosaurs don’t wear clothes! /s
Theresa Stephenson 2 years ago
I understand they showed a less interesting photo area posts up that was not the best of that either.
#19
GirlFriday 2 years ago
This is a place my dad would have had a travel coupon for and gotten two rooms for the price of one so all 13 of us kinds would be in one room and he and mom would have stayed by themselves.
#20
Comix and tats 2 years ago
I remember as a kid being on the boardwalk with my grandparents, hearing the creepy organ music a mile away. Good times
Now, sure, Wikipedia will do a great job in defining a roadside attraction, but it doesn’t really explain the pathos and cultural significance of the phenomenon. And now that is hard to explain. But Mark took a stab at it:
“It can be an ‘abandoned’ town on Route 66, an unusual bathroom stop, a giant concrete dinosaur, or even a national monument. Some roadside attractions are what many would describe as ‘kitsch’ and some might even be described as works of art. To be honest, it wasn’t until I was much older that I began to appreciate these uniquely American attractions.”
“I mostly traveled abroad as a young adult and it wasn’t until I was in my 40s that I began to travel more extensively in the US while leading tour groups. Foreigners on my tours seemed to be more fascinated with these attractions than many Americans. I slowly began to gain an appreciation for things like giant concrete dinosaurs, ‘ghost towns’, and waterfall toilet stops.”
“Regarding specific factors and characteristics of roadside attractions, I think they are incredibly diverse. It can be anything from what was once an ‘over the top’ advertisement, to something a local artist created, to an entire town.”
#21
Sexual Harassment Panda 2 years ago
Too bad the stairs aren't coming out of the dogs butt. Missed opportunity.
#22
Scott Rackley 2 years ago
Pigeon Forge is full of weird signs, not just that one. Even have an upside down building.
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
I assume everyone has to lose at the Rebel Yell? BECAUSE THEY LOST! Ok, sorry to yell, some people just act like they need reminding.
#23
You Should Do Nothing with the Fence 2 years ago
Holy cow, he looks like he's standing on a straight pin. Must have been designed really well?
#24
#25
Gretchen Esquilin 2 years ago
There really is a no nut Nov. b/c this shop closes for the winter (it's down the shore).
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bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret. And I'd be in jail.
Load More Replies... seriouslykarma 2 years ago
Creamy fudge and salty taffy? I'd check out the ingredients closely.
The description becomes even crazier when you factor in all the fierce competition among the various roadside venues—after all, they had to stand out in whatever way they could, and stand out they did:
“As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What one person may think is ridiculous, another might think is amazing. Seligman, Arizona is a tourist trap to some and a piece of Americana to others. A urinal in a hotel in San Luis Obispo, CA might be a piece of creative sculpture or simply a funny place to pee. A Jolly Green Giant statue in Minnesota can represent 1970s American corporatism or, to some, nostalgia.
The whole point of Margolies’ “Roadside America” was to preserve the structural authenticity and socio-cultural relevance of the roadside scene in the United States. And it does that—to some degree. According to Mark, roadside attractions might not be losing their relevance, but interest in them is definitely being lost.
The main reason for this is that folks have mostly seen it all at this point. The age of the internet has allowed folks to see and experience things without even going there, desensitizing them to pretty much any freak-show roadside attraction that might be out there. This is besides more people opting for air travel due to the long distances. And so, it becomes increasingly harder for these locations to stay afloat.
#26
What does this button do? 2 years ago
Lol, I was there about 4-5 yrs ago, it was just getting fixed up and refurbed then, need to go back soon!
LJ Robinson 2 years ago
It reminds me of something from a Tim Burton movie. Cool with some scary thrown in.
#27
Susan Robinson 2 years ago
Finally! One from my home state of Michigan! Also, I had no idea just how many dinosaur statues/pictures, etc. were out there!
Ozymandias73 2 years ago
I'm still waiting to see the Marlboro Man sign or the Giant Tire. (Grand Rapids native myself)
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Michael Largey 2 years ago
A half mile certainly is the distance I'd choose for viewing deadly cobras. Minimum.
Mike Fitzpatrick 2 years ago
Not to worry, by now the snakes are wearing dentures.
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Josh Brose 2 years ago
I grew up near there and as a kid this one of my favorite places to go. It was pretty sketchy and I remember there being a homemade pit with snakes in it.
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
Yeah, cuz a snake could never get 1/2 mile, especially thru our chain link fences!
#29
Eric G 2 years ago
Can we beat the children with the clubs like the sign implies? If so, I'm in.
#30
But despite the seemingly imminent demise of the roadside scene, Mark is optimistic about their survival, at least in one shape or another, as he joked in our interview: “They absolutely are unique and I only mentioned a few! They will stand the test of time until the fall of the empire.”
So, how can you help keep the American legacy alive? Go out there and experience everything that the long American roads have to offer. And renting a car and just going exploring is the best way to go about it, as Mark explains. Either that, or calling him and booking a tour.
Speaking of Mark, here’s his Instagram where you can follow his adventures. But remember that this list is nowhere near the end, so keep on scrolling, and why not share some of your favorite roadside locations that are a must to visit in the comment section below!
Exploring the vastness of America through the lens of quirky roadside attractions is an adventure in itself. One timeless way these attractions have been preserved is through the lens of photographers like John Margolies, who devoted himself to capturing the essence of roadside America.
Finding out more about these charismatic places through photographers’ views complements how we perceive hidden gems on American highways.
#31
Mike Fitzpatrick 2 years ago
I miss the drive-in days. The movies were typically c**p, the food over priced and the sound from those speakers was abominable, but the experience was great. Sorry for the "old man rant".
A Bobcat From Philly 2 years ago
Did ya really go for the movie? LOL! I ran movie houses and actually had the opportunity to run 2 drive-ins. Loved the "2 minutes til showtime... 1 minute til showtime..." trailers.
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bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
That looks like a set up, probably planned at Rock House liquor
#32
Mike Fitzpatrick 2 years ago
Is it just me or does that look like a big booty in corduroy pants?
#33
Lyone Fein 2 years ago
OMG. I remember when this chain had stores all around the area. I grew up in southern Maine, in the 1960s--80s.
Chairman Miaow 2 years ago
I seriously thought mister donut was Japanese. Hear me out, I first saw their doughnuts in Shanghai at a Japanese shopping mall. They had matcha/green tea doughnuts, cat and dog face ones... So I think not completely unreasonable assumption... Maybe a different brand altogether but 💯 that name and I think the same font...
#34
Sans Serif 2 years ago
Sadly, what's shown in this picture, was severely ravaged by Hurricane Sandy...
Chancey 2 years ago
I went to see it when it was sitting in the ocean. So sad!
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#35
#36
JelliTate 2 years ago
High Point had the BEST furniture back in the day! My mama spent HOURS looking/buying from the stores there. Glad I loved books!
Kathryn Baylis 2 years ago
The Furniture Market! I used to live in Raleigh, and worked for a rental car agency at the airport. Every year we’d rent every single car we had in the lot for Furniture Market Week in High Point, because the agencies in Greensboro were already sold out.
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Your Neighborhood Alien 2 years ago (edited)
Why does the sign say 1988 if the photo was taken in 1987?
Vanessa Richardson 2 years ago
They change the sign all the time—even though it looks permanent, it’s only made of corn, so they can change it to whatever they like easily.
Load More Replies... Theresa Stephenson 2 years ago
FYI corn palace has been around for a long time and they change it every year I think.
#38
#39
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
Reminds me of Witches in Britches in Melbourne, Australia capi_6bd2b...9-jpeg.jpg 
#40
Octavia Hansen 2 years ago
Really? This is the angle shot posted? It's adorable and you missed it here . . .
UselessKnowledgeFont 2 years ago
To be fair, they did also post a Circuit City (which was not a roadside attraction)
Load More Replies... Jessica Cifelli 2 years ago
She was just restored to her fabulous former glory too! But why this angle?
Gretchen Esquilin 2 years ago
That's Lucy the Elephant! Omg...wtf!!! And you can't even look out the butt anymore b/c they renovated inside. :(
#42
Octavia Hansen 2 years ago
This was probably originally and A&W Rootbeer stand, when they served frosty cold root beer in frozen glass mugs. Used to be everywhere!
Daniel Erickson 2 years ago
This original design started in the late 1920's with a chain of drive-ins called XXX Root beer. They spread across the upper mid-west from Montana to Michigan. They had larger buildings than this.
RagDollLali 2 years ago
If it's like the rest of Amarillo, then probably crack and prostitutes 🫤
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#44
#45
#46
GingerPanda 2 years ago
Did the elderly female owner of this establishment have a copious number of children?
#47
Emily Manning 2 years ago
This place is still open and hopping! Steaks are very good, no tvs in the dining room and fiddlers come around the huge dining hall. Very corny, but food is actually quite good and very fun. Tons of shooting arcade/fortune teller style games to play in the foryer during your very long wait.
#48
GingerPanda 2 years ago
So, do they give someone a $10,000 award if the gorilla/girl isn't alive or do they give out $10,000 if the gorilla/girl kills someone?
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
I need a native to help here. I can buy a replica sign online, but I can't find out WTF this all means!
ƒιѕн 2 years ago
Princess Uranna the ape girl I think. Old Atlantic city steel pier attraction.
Load More Replies... #49
Duane Ringlein 2 years ago
Bought my first computer to connect to the internet at Circuit City
#50
Sexual Harassment Panda 2 years ago
I didn't read the description at first and thought "what a pathetic slide".
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 2 years ago
Jockey's ridge, home of the eastern end of the Mountains-to-Sea trail (https://mountainstoseatrail.org/)
#51
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
I feel like the walls and the floors in here have been redone many times and hold many secrets. Why does a cafe need 3 roll down doors?
#52
SweetCheesySpaghetti 2 years ago
In 2004 I drove cross country from Boston to Seattle. I remember stopping here just so i could take a picture of my mom with this mouse!
Brooke Weber 2 years ago
For a second, I thought the streetlight in the background was a pistol, like he was defending the cheese from imminent attack lol
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
I thought he was slurping it through a straw!
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#56
#58
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Suzy Creamcheese 2 years ago
I'm just gonna leave this here... 😉 https://www.roadsideamerica.com/
adam craker 2 years ago
The cheese castle in Kenosha Wisconsin definitely needed to be a part of this list. Enchanted forest near Salem Oregon aswell
Ches Yamada 2 years ago (edited)
Aww, no route 9 dinosaur? I loved our huge dino in NJ, used to be a carpet store. At some point his neck got snapped during a car accident and when they fixed him they made him "rounder" (an attempt to be cuter) and painted him like Barney! I remember groaning when that happened, lol. I liked when he was fierce. Along the same stretch, several minutes later, we had a HUGE neon cowboy sign that waved. I remember eating at that place, it was good, a dingy little Jersey restaurant. ....aaaaannnnd now I'm 20 year homesick again. Ugh.
Frank Ropen 2 years ago
Twitter API isn't free anymore, so I think these Twitter bots will end
Suzy Creamcheese 2 years ago
I'm just gonna leave this here... 😉 https://www.roadsideamerica.com/
adam craker 2 years ago
The cheese castle in Kenosha Wisconsin definitely needed to be a part of this list. Enchanted forest near Salem Oregon aswell
Ches Yamada 2 years ago (edited)
Aww, no route 9 dinosaur? I loved our huge dino in NJ, used to be a carpet store. At some point his neck got snapped during a car accident and when they fixed him they made him "rounder" (an attempt to be cuter) and painted him like Barney! I remember groaning when that happened, lol. I liked when he was fierce. Along the same stretch, several minutes later, we had a HUGE neon cowboy sign that waved. I remember eating at that place, it was good, a dingy little Jersey restaurant. ....aaaaannnnd now I'm 20 year homesick again. Ugh.
Frank Ropen 2 years ago
Twitter API isn't free anymore, so I think these Twitter bots will end
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