Random Small Towns With Weirdest Claims To Fame (20 items)

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  (#1) Dublin

  • Ohio, USA

  Dublin, OH, is a quintessential small town in the Midwest. It has a large Irish population, as well as a major obsession with golf — but that's not what makes the town so interesting. In 1994, sculptor Malcolm Cochran created a field of 109 concrete ears of corn that each stand over six feet tall. 

  After its construction, locals weren't crazy about what they referred to as "Cornhenge," but it's pretty cool looking and definitely worth a look if you're passing through central Ohio. 
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  (#2) Casey, IL: The Smallest Town With The Largest Objects

  There are a lot of spots across the US where you can find a large recreation of an inanimate object, but if you'd like to see eight large, Guinness World Record-holding objects in one place, stop in Casey, IL.

  The large objects arrived thanks to local businessman Jim Bolin's desire to increase tourism in the area. In order to bring in more people, he commissioned the construction of objects like the world's largest mailbox, the world's largest pencil, and the world's largest wind chime, which was dedicated to his grandmother. There's also a giant bird cage in which you can take a seat.
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  (#3) Marfa

  • Texas, USA

  Marfa, a town so entrenched in West Texas it's almost Mexico, became an instant art hub in 2005 when artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset installed a replica Prada store along Highway 90. With the help of the Art Production Fund, a group helping to create public art, the store was built with the hope it would slowly fall apart in the middle of the Texas desert. 

  At the time, Yvonne Force Villareal of the Art Production Fund told the New York Times, "If someone spray-paints graffiti or a cowboy decides to use it as target practice or maybe a mouse or a muskrat makes a home in it, 50 years from now it will be a ruin that is a reflection of the time it was made." However, the duo have had to maintain a semblance of upkeep due to overzealous vandals, and at least one thief. 
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  (#4) Eau Claire, MI: The Cherry Spitting Capital Of The World

  Every year on the Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm in Eau Claire, MI, the International Cherry Pit-Spitting Championship takes place. People come from all over to show off their projectile skills. In 2004 Brian "Young Gun" Krause set a record for spitting a cherry pit more than 93.5 feet during the competition. 

  The International Cherry Pit-Spitting Championship is an all-day affair that begins at 10 AM, so if you want to go the distance you better make sure your jaw is in shape.
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  (#5) Riverside, IA: The Future Birthplace Of Captain Kirk

  It's a huge deal to be the birthplace of arguably the greatest Starfleet captain ever. Captain James Tiberius Kirk won't be born until 2228, which gives residents of Riverside, IA, enough time to prep the town for the emergence of the future space commander. 

  Riverside wasn't written into Kirk's backstory initially, although series creator Gene Rodenberry did state the character was from Iowa. Seeing an opening to put Riverside on the map, Trekkie and city council member Steve Miller brought up the idea to rechristen Riverside as the future birthplace of Captain Kirk at a meeting in 1985. Everyone embraced the idea. The town changed their slogan from "Where the best begins" to "Where the Trek begins," and began hosting "Trek Fest."
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  (#6) Austin

  • Minnesota, USA

  Are you or someone you know obsessed with SPAM, that inexpensive tinned meat product that's been feeding people since 1937? If so, you need to go to Austin, MN. Here you'll find a museum, paid for by Hormel, dedicated to all things SPAM. 

  You'll learn how SPAM was created, how it's manufactured, and you can even find a history of the cans that have housed SPAM over the decades. If you'd like to spice up your recipes, you can also attend an on-site cooking demonstration at "Chez SPAM." 
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  (#7) Alton

  • Illinois, USA

  Many places in America claim to be the most haunted, but while New Orleans or Chicago may be bigger, they don't have the eerie, small town charm of Alton IL. According to Alton's website, the town has a history of "murder, war, death and destruction," which sounds like the perfect recipe for a small town haunting. 

  The most haunted hot spot in Alton is the McPike Mansion, a giant house built on top of a Native American burial ground that supposedly also served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. There are a number of haunted tours one can take through Alton, so why not do them all?
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  (#8) Mitchell

  • South Dakota, USA

  What's your favorite way to eat corn? On the cob? Creamed? Popped? Whatever kind of corn you fancy, there's a monument to the most versatile vegetable on Earth, but you have to go to South Dakota to find it. The Corn Palace beckons travelers to Mitchell, where they take a trip through the world of all things corn.

  Every August, the palace hosts the Corn Palace Festival, an annual redecoration of the venue. If you can't make it to South Dakota in the near future, you can always enjoy the Corn Palace's 24/7 Corn Cam.
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  (#9) Montpelier

  • Vermont, USA

  In 1974 in Montpelier, VT, a local businessman wanted to advertise a new set of sneakers he had on sale. So, he set up a contest for the most rotten sneakers in the world at the Montpelier Department of Recreation. What began as a very strange advertising gimmick has turned into a very big deal in the area. 

  In 1988, Odor-Eaters became a sponsor, and in 2014, Ripley's Believe It Or Not took over the day to day of the contest and moved the whole shebang to New York City. Despite big business getting into the smell game, Montpelier will always be the heart of rotten sneaker country. 
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  (#10) Ames

  • Iowa, USA

  There's a surprisingly contentious air to the world of large decorative gnomes. Three very tall gnomes in the world vie for the title of "world's largest," but Elwood — as the gnome in Ames, IA, is known — takes the cake. Rather than fiberglass, Elwood is made of concrete and rebar, something that sets him apart from his brethren. 

  Elwood is 15 feet tall and cost $8,000 to construct. He stands in the middle of some lovely greenery, about 30 miles from Des Moines. 
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  (#11) Pine Bush, NY: The UFO Capital Of The East Coast

  There are plenty of places in America where you can check out supposed proof of extra terrestrials, but Pine Bush, NY, claims to be the eastern seaboard's UFO capital. Each year, the town throws the Pine Bush UFO Fair, a street festival featuring a parade as well as a speaker tent.

  There, visitors learn about the spooky history of Pine Bush and hear about some of the close encounters that have happened in the area. 
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  (#12) Lily Dale, NY: The World's Largest Center For The Religion Of Spiritualism

  Most towns have at least one psychic or tarot card reader, but Lily Dale, NY, is knee-deep in mediums, shamans, psychics, clairvoyants, and the like. Spiritualists descended on the town in the late 19th century, and even though the population is only about 200, 22,000 visitors wanting to commune with the dead make their way to the town every summer.

  Susan Glasier, executive director of the Lily Dale Assembly, told the Huffington Post, "People come here for a lot of reasons. They come for the private readings, the workshops, or they come just to be. It’s a beautiful place. You don’t have to talk to anybody (while you’re here), but you’ll never meet a stranger."
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  (#13) Scottsboro, AL: The Lost Luggage Capital Of The World

  If you're a bargain hunter, then get to Scottsboro, AL. This town in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains plays host to the "Unclaimed Baggage Center," a massive flea market-like shop that only sells luggage that's gone unclaimed throughout the years. 

  Bryan Owens, owner of the Unclaimed Baggage Center, says when his father started the business, it was just a way to make some extra money. However, it blossomed into a massive enterprise. Owens even works with airlines after they've determined they can't return lost luggage to its rightful owner.
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  (#14) Peachtree City

  • Georgia, USA

  Peachtree City, GA, goes all out for the holidays. To celebrate Independence Day every July 4, this small town has it all: food, acrobats, fireworks — oh, and a golf cart parade. But what about during the winter? On December 25, the town hosts a festival featuring a Grand Menorah Lighting and another golf cart parade.

  The residents know there's no holiday that can't be improved with a parade of people driving golf carts on city streets. 
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  (#15) Lewisburg

  • Tennessee, USA

  You've probably heard of fainting goats, also known as "Tennessee Stiff-Legs." They're members of the goat family whose legs tense up when they're startled. According to residents of Lewisburg, TN, the first mention of these goats came from a man named Tinsley who arrived in town in the 1880s and sold off his goats to the locals before hitting the road again.

  Lewisburg hosts an annual festival to celebrate their unique goats. Attendees can listen to music, eat food, and watch a goat show. 
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  (#16) Springfield

  • Ohio, USA

  Some towns boast about how happy people are to live within their city limits; others brag about a high quality of life. Not Springfield, OH. According to a 2011 Gallup poll, this town is the least happy city in the United States. The general malaise comes from a loss of jobs and the rise of crime in the area since the 1980s. 

  Clarence Payne, a local, explained, "The city had so much going for it. That's what made people so unhappy when things went bad."
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  (#17) Solvang

  • California, USA

  Ensconced in southern California's Santa Ynez Valley is Solvang, a small town modeled to look like a village from the Danish countryside. There are replicas of monuments from Copenhagen – specifically the Little Mermaid statue – and the buildings are built in the same style you'd find if you hopped on a plane and went to Denmark. 

  Outside of the architecture, Solvang's main draw is aebleskiver, a puff pastry topped with powdered sugar and jam. 
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  (#18) Sac City, IA: The Barn Quilt Capital Of the World

  Barn quilts are possibly the most underappreciated form of quilt to come out of America in the 20th century. These quilts are hung from the sides of barns like Jolly Rogers atop pirate ships, and while the practice began in Ohio, the barn quilting hot spot is actually in Sac City, IA. The entire county is full of barn quilts ranging in shapes and sizes, which makes for a truly interesting drive for any quilt-heads out there. 

  There are more than 150 barn quilts throughout the county. If you're afraid of getting lost on the trip through quilt country, there's a year-round motor coach tour of the area. 
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  (#19) Holyoke

  • Massachusetts, USA

  The next time you're watching Top Gun, remember to thank William George Morgan for the visual feast: he's the one who invented the sport in 1895. No, not on a beach somewhere on the west coast – volleyball was created in Holyoke, MA.

  Residents of this landlocked burg claim Morgan created volleyball after chatting with the inventor of basketball. Morgan wanted to make a sport that was slower-paced and suitable for older people, and after some trial and error, he came up with volleyball while working at the Holyoke YMCA. 
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  (#20) Colon

  • Michigan, USA

  If you're a fan of magic, be it sleight of hand or sawing a person in half, then you need to make a pilgrimage to Colon, MI. This 1,200 person community doesn't have much in the way of amenities, but they do have multiple magic shops and a magician's walk of fame.

  Every year, the population of Colon expands for an annual magic convention and a magic camp that helps instill a love of magic in youth from across the country. 

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