1

Miniature Graceland

Image: Florian Herzog

If you are on the East Coast and you are not planning a trip to the South to visit the real Graceland in Memphis anytime soon, you can always settle for Roanoke, Virginia's miniature version.

The handcrafted structures at Miniature Graceland include the mansion itself, a replica of the Elvis Presley Car Museum, as well as the King's birthplace in the city of Tupelo. This magical tribute was built in 1980 by Don Epperly, an Elvis fan, on the property next to his home. Over time, the attraction deteriorated, but a local group is now in charge of maintaining the site, which can still be visited.

2

World’s largest Christmas store

Image: Brandi Alexandra

Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan, is the self-proclaimed world's largest Christmas store. And no wonder—the amount of electricity required to run the 100,000 lights that illuminate the sales floor costs approximately $1,250 per day.

The salesroom showcases more than 350 decorated trees, and you can find decorations and gifts from 70 countries, as well as over 150 styles of nutcrackers. Also, Bronner's has in-house artists who customize over 100,000 ornaments annually. This place is so fantastic that hundreds of celebrities have visited it. So, now you know—if you're ever in Frankenmuth, chances are you'll be rubbing elbows with a Hollywood star while shopping for your next Christmas tree.

3

Missouri’s Mount Rushmore

Image: Takefreebies

Although often overshadowed by the original Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, Missouri’s Mount Rushmore with Fake Celebrity Heads still manages to attract a crowd. The "monument," located in Branson since 1996, includes sculpted faces of John Wayne, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and Charlie Chaplin.

This attraction is part of the Hollywood Wax Museum and is featured on the exterior of the building. Inside, you can find wax replicas of dozens of iconic stars —a true photo opportunity! But, if you get bored, Branson offers plenty of other attractions for the curious tourist. Just next door to the museum, you’ll find the Castle of Chaos, the world's first 5D ride and game, as well as Hannah's Maze of Mirrors.

4

World’s Largest Egg

Image: Daniele Levis Pelusi

There have been four versions of the "World's Largest Egg" throughout the history of Winlock, Washington, where it is displayed. The current version is made of fiberglass, weighs 1,200 pounds , and sits atop a ten-foot steel pole in the center of town. But why an egg?

Until the 1950s, Winlock was America's second-largest egg-producing town, and its residents were very proud of this distinction. In fact, the first "big egg" they built to celebrate it, a canvas version, dates back to 1923. In 1944, it was replaced by a plastic version, and in the 1960s, a fiberglass model took its place. The current version, crafted in 1993, was made possible thanks to a local chicken hatcheryman.

5

Virginia’s Dinosaur Kingdom

Image: Fausto García-Menéndez

If you ever wondered what would happen if giant dinosaurs had fought during the Civil War, look no further than the Dinosaur Kingdom in Natural Bridge, Virginia. Visitors to this quirky destination are treated to scenes of giant plastic lizards devouring Union soldiers in re-enactments of famous battles.

But it’s not all fantasy—there's some truth to it all. The park's 30 fiberglass statues are built around the premise that paleontologists discovered dinosaurs in 1863. This unique attraction was created in 2005 by local artist Mark Cline, who was inspired by the movie The Valley of Gwangi, in which cowboys discover living dinosaurs in a Mexican valley.

6

Thomas Edison’s Last Breath

Image: Zach Lucero

Who wouldn’t want to capture the soul of a loved one before they passed away? Believe it or not, that's what American industrialist Henry Ford did in 1931. Ford considered Thomas Edison a hero and a role model. In fact, as a young man, he took a job at the Edison Illuminating Company while working on his first experimental automobile. Edison, impressed by young Ford’s inventiveness, eventually became his friend.

As the legend goes, Ford asked Edison's son to sit by the inventor's deathbed. Believing that the soul left the body with one’s dying breath, Ford captured the final gasp of his dear friend in a test tube. The artifact, labeled "Edison’s Last Breath?", is now on display at Henry Ford’s Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. If you ever visit, you'll find other interesting memorabilia, like George Washington's camp bed and the rocker in which Lincoln was shot.

7

The Golden Driller

Image: Zbynek Burival

To celebrate the discovery of vast oil reserves in the area, the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, created a statue depicting an oil worker and presented it at the International Petroleum Exposition in 1953. The monument became so popular that in 1966, a new twenty-two-ton concrete and iron statue of a golden man standing next to an oil derrick was permanently installed in front of the Tulsa Expo Center.

The Golden Driller stands seventy-six feet tall and can withstand a 200 mph tornado. In 1979, it was declared Oklahoma’s official state monument. A plaque at its base reads: "To the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God’s abundance a better life for mankind."

8

Glass Beach

Image: Kevin Lanceplaine

From 1950 to 1967, the citizens of Fort Bragg, California, dumped tons of garbage onto a nearby beach. Over the decades, the ocean transformed the refuse into thousands of small, smooth, colored glass pebbles that still litter the shoreline today.

Now known as Glass Beach, this area adjacent to MacKerricher State Park attracts thousands of treasure seekers each year. The beach is accessible by foot via a short climb down the cliffs, although collecting the remaining glass is discouraged by State Park Rangers.

9

Hometown of Superman

Image: Zachariah Aussi

Although the rural town of Metropolis, Illinois, is a far cry from the bustling, imaginary city featured in the Superman comics, it has fully embraced its superhero ties. In 1972, Metropolis proudly declared itself the "Hometown of Superman."

A fifteen-foot bronze statue of the Man of Steel stands on Main Street in front of the county courthouse, while Lois Lane has her own statue just a few blocks away. If this inspires you to visit Metropolis, mark your calendar for the second weekend of June. Every year, Superman fans from around the world gather here for the Superman Celebration , which features discussion panels, costume contests, and appearances by celebrity guests.

10

Wonder Tower

Image: Martin Podsiad

One hundred miles east of Denver, in Genoa, Colorado, sits the World’s Wonder View Tower, a tribute to all things weird and obscure. In reality, it was a roadside attraction built in the mid-1920s by American showman P.T. Barnum as a sort of tourist trap. The promoters claimed that if guests climbed to the top, they could allegedly view six different states: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Mexico, and South Dakota.

For years, the sixty-five-foot tower housed a museum and gift shop featuring stuffed two-headed animals, a collection of 50,000 glass bottles, rooster eyeglasses, and scores of other curiosities. Unfortunately, today the tower is closed to the public due to the owner’s death. Nevertheless, visitors can still admire the weird-looking structure from the outside and, we assure you, it’s totally worth it!

1

New York

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

New York was one of the 13 original colonies and is one of the most populated states today. Its flag, with a vibrant blue in the background, features a sun symbol, one supporter on each side, and the state’s inspiring motto "Excelsior," meaning "ever upward."

The scene in the coat of arms paints a picture of the Hudson River flanked by Liberty on the left, and Justice on the right. Topping it all off is a bald eagle, always majestic, perched atop the world. Powerful, isn’t it?

2

California

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

California was the 31st state to be admitted to the Union (1850) and the history behind its flag has elements present in previous models of banners used by what we know today as Mexico.

This flag was first hoisted in 1846 after American settlers in the territory fought for its independence. Finally, it was recognized as official in 1911.

The flag depicts a grizzly bear —also the official state animal— and a lone red star symbolizing previous attempts to gain independence.

3

Indiana

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

Indiana’s flag was designed by Paul Hadley and approved as the state flag in 1917 after the Daughters of the American Revolution held a flag design contest.

Over the dark blue flag stands a golden torch surrounded by 19 stars . The 13 stars on the outer circle represent the 13 original colonies, while the five stars in the inner circle were added to symbolize the next five states that joined the union, Indiana being the 19th.

The torch? You guessed it right, it represents liberty and enlightenment.

4

Louisiana

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

Blue background abounds among the official state flags and it’s no surprise since it’s one of the national colors. Louisiana’s flag is not the exception.

This flag is the only one to depict a pelican nurturing its offspring in a nest. What is curious about it is that the pelican, an animal that symbolizes devotion to progeny, is crying tears of blood, which represents sacrifice. Underneath, belted in a white ribbon, the state’s motto: "Union, Justice, and Confidence".

5

New Jersey

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

New Jersey’s flag is the only state flag to have a buff background , although it is wrongly depicted as yellow most times. This background color represents the uniform worn by soldiers from New Jersey’s regiments in the Revolutionary War.

In the center of the flag, there is a coat of arms supported by Liberty and the goddess Ceres, representing agriculture. Above the coat of arms, a horse’s head that stands for strength, and, below it, a helmet that symbolizes sovereignty.

6

Arkansas

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

Arkansas’s flag depicts a complex symbolism using well-known elements: a diamond shape, with 25 stars on the outer part, the state’s name in the middle, one star above, and three stars below.

Arkansas was the 25th state to join the union, hence the stars around the diamond. The star over the word "Arkansas" represents the Confederacy to which it was admitted in 1861. The three stars below represent different things: the nations Arkansas belonged to, the Louisiana Purchase, and the fact that it was the third state formed after such purchase. A simple design, yet a complex meaning, don’t you think?

7

Colorado

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

Colorado’s flag is quite simple in its design, although it represents many state elements . For example, the name, a Spanish word that means "red", is symbolized by the red C in the middle. But that’s not all, the letter C also means "columbine" the state flower, represented by the colors blue, yellow, and white. These two last colors also stand for the gold and silver present in the area.

Last, but not least, the letter C stands for "Centennial State" as Colorado became a state in 1876, when the nation was celebrating a century of its independence.

8

Washington

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

Washington is the only state to have a flag with a green background. At the same time, it is the only one to depict a real person . George Washington’s picture is surrounded by a golden ring that reads "The Seal of the State of Washington 1889," the year in which the territory became a state.

The background color refers to the "Evergreen State" while the golden ring represents the wheat areas of the Eastern part of the state.

9

Wyoming

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

This flag was also chosen during a flag design competition held in 1916. It consists of a dark blue background bordered by white and red and, in the center, the silhouette of a bison with the state seal that reads "Great Seal of the State of Wyoming."

Within the seal, the state motto "Equal rights," since Wyoming was the first state to grant women the right to vote. Below the ribbon, a farmer and a cowboy, the main occupations in the state, and two pillars that read "Livestock, mines, grain, oil." And that’s not all, at the bottom, a bald eagle and a star with the number 44, the order of admission to the union.

10

New Mexico

Image: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

Let’s finish this list with what may be the simplest flag of all the 50 states: New Mexico’s. With colors that symbolize the Spanish ruling over the territory, this state flag was adopted in 1925 and it consists of a yellow background with the Zia sun in the center.

The Zia sun is an ancient interpretation of the sun and its design consists of four rays, a sacred number of the Zia. Beautiful, isn’t it?

1

John Adams

Image: Mark Olsen

Middle name: Quincy

Our sixth president, John Quincy Adams, was the son of the second president, John Adams. He was named "Quincy" after his maternal great-grandfather, John Quincy, and later signed his initials as "JQA" to avoid confusion with his father. A strong mind clearly ran in the family.

2

William Harrison

Image: STEPHEN POORE

Middle name: Henry

William Henry Harrison, the ninth president, was named for both his grandfather and uncle. Sadly, his presidency was the shortest in history, just one month after he caught pneumonia giving a long speech in the rain.

3

James Polk

Image: Daniel Weiss

Middle name: Knox

James Knox Polk carried his grandfather’s name with pride. Born in North Carolina in 1795, he expanded the nation’s territory by more than a third during his single term, finally stretching the U.S. from coast to coast. Quite an accomplishment for one presidency.

4

Ulysses Grant

Image: Jake Blucker

Middle name: Ulysses

Fun fact: "Ulysses S. Grant" wasn’t his real name. He was born Hiram Ulysses Grant, but a paperwork mix-up at West Point changed it forever. The "S" came later as a nickname, "US" Grant, something that fit a general far better than "H.U.G." ever could.

5

Rutherford Hayes

Image: Matt Koffel

Middle name: Birchard

Rutherford Birchard Hayes got his middle name from his mother’s maiden name. Born in 1822, he lost his father before birth but grew up to become the 19th president. He’s remembered for restoring faith in the presidency after a rough patch in American politics.

6

Grover Cleveland

Image: Manisha Raghunath

Middle name: Grover

Stephen Grover Cleveland dropped his first name early in life and stuck with Grover. It worked out well for him: he’s the only president in history to serve two nonconsecutive terms, making him both the 22nd and 24th president. That’s a comeback story.

7

William Taft

Image: Jake Blucker

Middle name: Howard

William Howard Taft’s middle name honored his grandmother’s family, the Howards. He remains the only person to ever serve as both U.S. president and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. That’s two of the toughest jobs in one lifetime.

8

Woodrow Wilson

Image: STEPHEN POORE

Middle name: Woodrow

Born Thomas Woodrow Wilson, he eventually dropped his first name and went by Woodrow instead. It sounded distinguished, and clearly, it worked for him. As our 28th president, he guided the nation through World War I and helped shape modern international relations.

9

Warren Harding

Image: Oz Seyrek

Middle name: Gamaliel

Warren Gamaliel Harding, born in Ohio in 1865, left his mark on American vocabulary by coining the word "normalcy." He wanted life to return to normal after World War I. His middle name, likely biblical, matched his calm, reassuring image.

10

Calvin Coolidge

Image: John Holm

Middle name: Calvin

John Calvin Coolidge, our 30th president, was named for his father but went by his middle name from childhood. Known as "Silent Cal," he led with few words and steady leadership during the Roaring Twenties.

11

Herbert Hoover

Image: Niko Vassios

Middle name: Clark

Herbert Clark Hoover shared his middle name with his father, Jesse Clark Hoover. Born in Iowa in 1874, he was a self-made man long before entering politics. Sadly, his presidency became synonymous with the Great Depression, but he remained known for his work ethic and humanitarian efforts.

12

Harry Truman

Image: Mike Gattorna

Middle name: S.

Harry S. Truman’s middle initial doesn’t stand for anything at all. His parents couldn’t decide between his two grandfathers, Solomon and Shippe, so they settled on "S." It’s a fitting story for a man known for making tough choices, including some of history’s most remembered.

13

Gerald Ford

Image: John Matychuk

Middle name: Lynch / Rudolph

Gerald Ford had two middle names in his lifetime. He was born Leslie Lynch King Jr., but after his mother remarried, his name was changed to Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., in honor of his stepfather. He’s also the only president who never won an election but took office after Nixon’s resignation.