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America's Love Affair With Roadside Attractions

Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.
Thomas Hawk/Creative Commons
Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.

The great American road trips are the stuff of legend. But what really makes them stand out are…roadside attractions.

You know the ones. The world’s largest rocking chair. The world’s largest ball of yarn. And what one listener described as “a huge peanut in Alabama.”

This country is full of culture and kitsch.

And really, aren’t they kind of the same thing? We’re exploring what makes these weird, wacky destinations great.

We’re creating a listener sourced map of the best roadside attractions in America. And we need your pictures. Send them to us at 1A@wamu.org with the subject line, “Roadside,” and check out the map below.

Produced by Avery J.C. Kleinman. Text by Gabrielle Healy. Map by Avery J.C. Kleinman.

GUESTS

Doug Kirby, Publisher & Founder, Roadside America; @RoadsideAmerica‏

Mark Cline, Artist; Roadside Attraction Creator & Preservationist

Amy Webb, Senior Field Director, National Trust for Historic Preservation; @SavingPlaces

Jim Heimann, Author, “California Crazy: American Pop Architecture”; Executive Editor, Taschen America; @TASCHEN‏

For more, visit https://the1a.org.

© 2018 WAMU 88.5 – American University Radio.

Copyright 2018 WAMU 88.5

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