Six of the weirdest roadside attractions in Minnesota

From a two-story outhouse to a squad car's crash with a UFO, here's a list of some of the state's weirdest attractions.

Author:
Melissa Turtinen
Updated:
Nov 29, 2021
Original:
May 10, 2021

rocky taconite-silver bay — Jimmy Emerson, DVM, Flickr

Minnesota is dotted with quirky roadside attractions, and chances are wherever you're going you can stop at one without going too far out of the way.

There are hundreds of these roadside oddities in Minnesota, from statues of fish and animals to folk heroes like Paul Bunyan, but here are six of the most unusual roadside attractions in the state:

6 weird roadside attractions in Minnesota

Minnesota is dotted with hundreds of quirky attractions, from several Paul Bunyans to world's largest statues. Here are six of the weirdest roadside oddities in the state.

The bulbous figure, which is made of steel storage tanks, dons a hardhat and is holding a pick atop a boulder of taconite. The statue, named Rocky Taconite, represents the industry that drew thousands of people to Silver Bay in the 1950s to mine for taconite and serves as the City of Silver Bay's mascot and a symbol of the city being the "Taconite Capital of the World," the City of Silver Bay's website says.The statue was dedicated in 1964, and for several years after a local woman crafted bobblehead Rockys, which Silver Bay natives brought with them around the world, according to a Duluth News Tribune story. You can find Rocky on Highway 5/Outer Drive and Adams Boulevard in Silver Bay, just west of Highway 61.

At the Marshall County Historical Society's Settlers' Square Museum in Warren there's an old squad car that folklore says was hit by a UFO. Val Johnson, a Marshall County Sheriff's deputy, on Aug. 27, 1979, hit something with his squad car around 2 a.m. near Stephen, Minnesota. Johnson apparently saw an orb of light above the road and the last thing he remembered was driving into the light and then seeing the orb enter the car through the windshield before going back out, Forum News Service said. He ended up waking up 40 minutes later. There were skid marks from the vehicle for 800 feet, the car's windshield and headlight were smashed and both antennas were bent. Johnson was diagnosed with a "welder-type" burns on his eyes. The cause of the crash was never determined and Johnson never claimed to have seen a UFO, but UFO believers say it was one, calling the incident significant. Either way, Johnson's squad car now calls the museum home and is the museum's biggest attraction. You can see the squad car at the museum at 808 E Johnson Ave. in Warren. It's open Monday-Friday, Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Centennial Memorial Park in Belgrade, Minnesota, is home to what's called the world's largest black crow, according to the city's website. The big crow dates back to the late 1980s when Belgrade was celebrating its centennial, WCCO reported. The crow, which is about 42 feet tall, was added to help make the city stand out. You can find the big crow off Highway 71 in Belgrade.

The hobo statue is at Hobo Park Campground and Marina in Starbuck. According to the city, the 1930s brought the depression and arrival of homeless people to Starbuck. Hundreds of "hobos" of all ages "rode the rails" into the western Minnesota city, where they'd seek work for food and at night would gather in a wooded area what is now called Hobo Park."Although some were vagabonds, most were destitute people. Many had left home and family in search of jobs. They were quiet, gentle people — down on their luck but not without hope," the city says, noting in many cases the "hobos were befriended by many families."You can find the hobo statute at 401 E 1st St. in Starbuck.

The Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House in Belle Plaine was built in 1871 by Sandford Hooper, a local businessman, and is most well-known for its two-story outhouse that's connected via a skyway, which was added after Samuel Bowler bought the house in 1886, according to the City of Belle Plain's website.  The city now owns the home and makes tours available. The home, at 405 N Chestnut St., is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rocky Taconite in Silver Bay

The bulbous figure, which is made of steel storage tanks, dons a hardhat and is holding a pick atop a boulder of taconite.

The statue, named Rocky Taconite, represents the industry that drew thousands of people to Silver Bay in the 1950s to mine for taconite and serves as the City of Silver Bay's mascot and a symbol of the city being the "Taconite Capital of the World," the City of Silver Bay's website says.

The statue was dedicated in 1964, and for several years after a local woman crafted bobblehead Rockys, which Silver Bay natives brought with them around the world, according to a Duluth News Tribune story.

You can find Rocky on Highway 5/Outer Drive and Adams Boulevard in Silver Bay, just west of Highway 61.

Planning a drive somewhere in Minnesota or elsewhere? There are various phone apps you can download that will point out quirky attractions on your route or within a short detour, as well as tons of websites dedicated to roadside oddities, such as Roadside America and this website dedicated to the world's largest attractions in the state.