Thedailymiaminews– Oklahoma most likely conjures images of cornfields, tornadoes, oil, and cowboy hats. However, this state is so much more than that. With a rich Native American heritage, the Sooner State works to safeguard 38 federally recognized tribes.
The 400 miles of Route 66 that run through Oklahoma are also home to a number of famous, albeit peculiar, historical and contemporary landmarks. Unusual landmarks are not limited to this section of the US highway system.
Oklahoma has something to offer everyone searching for an odd landmark. Explore some of the strangest landmarks you might encounter if you are traveling through the state or intend to go there.
The Blue Whale of Catoosa
Catoosa’s Blue Whale is a must-see if traveling through Oklahoma on Route 66 is on your bucket list.
Hugh Davis constructed the massive Blue Whale sculpture in the 1970s as part of an old tourist attraction with an animal theme. The ever-smiling blue whale with its adorable little cap has been brought back to its former splendor, while the remainder of the attraction has long since been abandoned to deteriorate.
The joyful whale also evokes memories of the heyday of Route 66, when families would drive up and down the 2,400-mile route in search of roadside oddities and create memories.
The 20-foot-tall, 80-foot-long whale took Davis two years to finish. When individuals started sliding off the sculpture’s fins and diving off its tail into the nearby pond in 1972, it had not yet been painted.
It’s still fun to look at Old Blue while fishing, even since you can’t swim anymore. Additionally, visitors can still ascend inside the whale’s head, a hidden chamber accessible by ladder.
The Biggest Peanut in the World
The blueness and size of Old Blue are its main selling points, however its next attraction only asserts that it is the biggest of its sort. The World’s Largest Peanut, which is situated on a pedestal in Durant, Oklahoma, is actually much smaller than that.
Nevertheless, this Oklahoma attraction is very well-liked in spite of its mediocre size. People travel great distances to pose for selfies with the peanut monument. It was even stolen more than once in 2010.
The peanut itself was dedicated in 1974, and a time capsule was placed in the ground in front of the monument in 1973. To much excitement, the capsule was discovered in 2023. There were newspapers, letters, and photographs among other centennial artifacts inside. The objects will be transferred to the Three Valleys Museum after being on display at City Hall.
Circus Cemetery
The peanut monument and time capsules are the most wholesome of Oklahoma’s attractions. Some are genuinely unsettling.
Hugo, Oklahoma, is well-known for being the preferred location for traveling circuses during the winter. Therefore, it is not surprising that The Showmen’s Rest, a part of the nearby Mount Olivet Cemetery, has graves with personality and sculptures of elephant tusks.
Gravestones feature images of circus tents and dancing elephants. Even some of the graves have circus tent-like shapes.
Big John, who had more friends than Santa Claus, is honored on one of the gravestones. Others include images of people buried in the earth, wheels from circus wagons, and representations of animals like hippos and horses.
The Endangered Ark Foundation, which is close by, is a wonderful choice for people who wish to stay away from the circus graveyard. A tour that allows tourists to get up close and personal with Asian elephants is available here.
The Cemetery at Blanchard
There are other eerie landmarks in the Sooner State besides the Circus Cemetery. Ghost hunters go hundreds of miles to “raise the dead” at Oklahoma’s own haunted attraction, Blanchard Cemetery.
A gloomy figure wearing a trench coat may be seen waving at anyone who dares to enter this cemetery. They might see a young girl darting between the gravestones if they continue to walk.
In Section 2, visitors may see a blue light hanging above the graves or hear a small child sobbing if they like to feel a little of the spookiness firsthand.
Completed in 1917, the cemetery is regarded as one of the most eerie places in Oklahoma.
The Overholser Mansion
Just a few years older than Blanchard Cemetery, but possibly just as spooky, is Overholser Mansion, located north of Oklahoma City. Rumor has it that Anna Ione Overholser, who previously controlled the mansion and Oklahoma society, finds it difficult to let go of her past.
Modern-day visitors to the 1903 home have claimed to have seen a little woman in a white robe flowing around the ornate halls. The gown resembles the one Anna wore to a formal reception in 1900.
The mansion, which now serves as a museum, occasionally has an alarm that goes off in the middle of the night. Nothing is out of order when security personnel arrive. When staff members hear their names spoken through the walls of their rooms, they discover that they are vacant.
The spookiness might be related to the fact that Anna and her husband Henry had a boy who died in the house after only six months of life. Anna and Henry both passed away in the house.
Rock Frog
There are more than joyful whales and depressed ghosts in Oklahoma. The well-known Frog Rock is also located in the state. The large rock that has been decorated to resemble a frog with gooey eyes is just what its name suggests.
Big also implies very big. The frog is more than six feet tall and difficult to reach. You will need to cross a bridge and make your way through the backcountry if you wish to take a selfie with this well-known amphibian.
In 1975, Juanita Coulson painted the rock because she thought it resembled a frog. Thousands of people showed up to take pictures with the amiable frog after it began as a prank.
The Dinosaur Cimmy
Make time in your itinerary to see Cimmy the Dinosaur if you plan to spend time at Frog Rock. Simply put, Cimmy is a massive metal dinosaur who stands watch at the entrance to the Cimarron Heritage Center in Boise City.
Cimmy is 35 feet tall and 65 feet long, and it is based on an Apatosaurus. He was made to represent an 18,000-pound genuine dinosaur fossil that was found in Cimarron County in the 1930s.
During the holiday season, Cimmy is decked out in glittering Christmas lights, making for an entertaining sight for families.
The Universe’s Center
The Center of the Universe ought to be on your list of things to do in Oklahoma if you’re searching for something a bit more enigmatic than the rocks and animal sculptures you see along the highway.
Given that the attraction is merely a tiny concrete circle in downtown Tulsa, you might initially be let down. However, attempt to shout or sneeze into space. You will be startled as the sound reverberates significantly louder. Because of this, the small rock circle becomes an actual echo chamber, resonating sounds that are only audible to you.
There is even a fascinating legend about the Center of the Universe. It is stated that even if someone were standing directly outside the stone circle’s border, they would not be able to hear you if you let off a foghorn in the center of the circle.
Experts are unsure of the cause of the sound distortion, which only serves to heighten the mystery.
The Lake Hefner Lighthouse
Despite being landlocked and not situated near the coast, Oklahoma is home to a well-known lighthouse. Lake Hefner is protected by it, but what kind of lake craft would require a lighthouse to direct it?
Most people thought the lighthouse was a gimmick when it was first constructed. Given that it was constructed in 1999 adjacent to a sizable reservoir, it is simple to understand why. However, with the installation of an actual light, it is no longer a so-called false lighthouse.
The lighthouse was not constructed by the government, but it now has a red light that glows every night into the darkness. It also serves as a private navigational aid for boats.
As you travel to all the places on your Oklahoma bucket list, this stunning lighthouse offers a fantastic opportunity for a selfie.
The Gravity Hill
The greatest way to end your tour of Oklahoma’s many attractions is to visit Gravity Hill.
There is a hill close to Springer that is also known as Magnetic Hill. It will feel like your car is sliding uphill when you stop here and switch off the engine.
To get to the hill, simply drive to the rural road and get off near the bottom of the slope. Put your vehicle in neutral and watch for the magnetic attraction that tries to push it upward.
Even plastic objects seem to go uphill, therefore the stories of a massive subsurface magnet seem illogical. Some have chosen the sinister conspiracy path and think that spirits and aliens are active at Gravity Hill.
It is a very entertaining draw, regardless of what is creating this occurrence, which is probably an optical illusion.
Every visitor to Oklahoma is both surprised and delighted by the state. There is something for everyone here, whether you want to learn more about the history of the state or take amusing pictures with odd roadside curiosities. Whether they arrived hundreds of years ago or more recently, every location contains the history of those who came before. Therefore, if you follow your interest, you can discover that you will remember your trip to this stunning state for a very long time.