Walking the USA – Some Other Roadside Attractions
- Author Tony Maniscalco
- Published March 15, 2011
- Word count 435
An entire generation grew up with the beat novels of Jack Kerouac; inspiring a love of travel and the ‘dusty Americana’ of the roadsides - whether they’re seen by driving, hitchhiking, or even plain old walking. USA travellers are spoilt for choice these days if they plan to follow in Kerouac’s footsteps and carve out a path to see the unique attractions of the American roadsides for themselves. Here are some you may never have heard of, but which are well worth the journey.
Vulcan, God of the Forge
On the summit of Red Mountain, overlooking Birmingham Alabama, there stands a 56-foot tall statue of Vulcan, blacksmith of the Roman Gods. Originally created for the 1904 World’s Fair, he personified Birmingham’s pride in its iron industry, weighed nearly 51 tonnes, and remains the largest cast-iron statue in the world. Those walking USA roads in Alabama will probably be able to spot this pagan landmark from a long way off.
The House of the Temple
Neo-classically majestic and menacing, the House of the Temple in Washington D.C. looks as if it’s stepped straight from the pages of a thriller novel (and indeed makes appearances in several recent Dan Brown thrillers). Modelled after the Mausoleum of Maussollos, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, its guardian sphinx statues (named ‘Wisdom’ and ‘Power’) each weigh 17 tonnes. The House of the Temple is the museum, library, and clubhouse of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. If you’re interested in walking, USA history, and the chance to learn more about a historically semi-secretive organisation, there’s no better place to be.
World War 2 Monument
If you’re walking USA soil with an eye on its military history, it might be worth stopping in Savannah, Georgia, to see their Chatham County World War 2 Monument. Officially titled ‘A World Apart’, it features two halves of a 20-foot-high globe split straight down the middle, to symbolise a world divided by war. The globe is steel, and features bronze oceans, and copper continents.
Unofficial Lego Museum
Here’s one museum to visit to satisfy the child in all of us: originally a school built in 1930, it has since been adapted to become the home of three-and-a-half floors worth of Lego statues. It houses everything from pictures of Harry Potter and the Mona Lisa, to the undeniably awe-inspiring life-sized replica of an eighteen-wheeler truck that was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records. Icons such as Darth Vader and Spider-Man can also be found painstakingly reconstructed from millions of Lego bricks within the museum.
Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. They offer over 250 guided group walking holidays in over 65 different countries. Join our walking USA tours with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, and you will see scenic locations & landscapes at the best value prices.
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- Frugal Nutrition: How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
- Fintechzoom Richard Mille
- Who owns the most Bitcoin?
- Fintechzoom IBM Stock: Powerful!
- Building a Professional Website on a Budget: Using Free Tools like WordPress and AI
- Navigating Vietnam's Tourist Immigration: Challenges and Solutions
- Bitcoin FintechZoom
- Cost-Effective Gardening: Tips for Enhancing Your Garden on a Budget
- Steve Wozniak: WOZ
- Keeping Your Garage Door Running Smoothly: A Guide to Drum Replacement with GarageDoorMagnolia
- When Your Garage Door Goes Rogue: Off-Track Repair in Tacoma and Seattle
- Same Day Service? Kiki Garage Door Repairs Your Garage Door Fast in Sammamish, WA
- Cost-Effective Strategies for Business Owners in 2024: Maintaining Efficiency Without Reducing Staff
- Navigating Compliance for Personal and Professional Contributions
- Smart Savings: The Benefits of Buying Out of Season
- Youtube To MP3 Converter -- Free
- Effective Leadership Strategies for Clinical Laboratory Directors
- 5 Ways to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars
- The Benefits of Outdoor Training
- A Fashionable, Artistic, and Modern Adventure: Three Days in Paris
- Why buy stock footage on mediaCastpro? Here are the benefits.
- GoPDF An Online PDF Editor Releases Mobiles Apps Compatible with iOS & Android: A Faster Solution for PDF Editing
- The Best AI Logo Generators in 2024
- How to prepare for a house clearance, a few tips from experts
- Adapting to Rising Parcel Rates in 2024 with Business Central and Order Ship Express
- Not All LED Lights Are Created Equal
- Zoviz Launches New Solutions Day by Day to Users as An AI Logo Maker
- Campervan Maintenance: All You Need to Know
- Fighting the Silent Epidemic: Safeguard Your Child's Future with Vitamin D Screening at KinderCure | Dr. Garima Mengi
- Valuation Methods: How Online Business Brokers Determine the Worth of a Business