9 Strangest Landmarks In Missouri

Home to the Ozark Mountains, vibrant cities, and a rich history, it is no mystery why Missouri is a great place to visit. The state is home to some stunning attractions. The St. Louis Gateway Arch, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and Mark Twain's boyhood home are all popular tourist attractions in Missouri. Beyond the ordinary attractions, Missouri is also home to some strange landmarks. In Mesnier there is a giant ice cream cone from Velvet Freeze ice cream store right in front of the elementary school. Another strange attraction is a park with red granite rocks said to look like circus elephants. These are only a couple of Missouri's strange attractions. Here, we explore nine of the state's strangest landmarks.

BoatHenge

A strange Missouri attraction with a mysterious origin is BoatHenge near Columbia, Missouri. There is a local legend stating that BoatHenge curiously appeared along the Katy Trail after the flooding of 1993 and 1995. Nobody knows the artist behind the installation. To find the art series, visitors must walk on the trail. BoatHenge is on the Katy Trail between Rocheport and Jefferson City. The installation is hard to miss and can be easily spotted near Plowboy Bend. Once visitors arrive at BoatHenge, they will see six boats that are displayed in a way to mirror Stonehenge in England. Nobody knows the story or inspiration for BoatHenge, making it an intriguing landmark for trailgoers.

The Pig Museum

Missouri is home to America's only Pig Museum, Pigs Aloft Museum. Located on Where Pigs Fly Farm in Linn, the museum has the second-largest pig collection in the world. There are over 43,000 pigs in the collection. The collection started from Ross Honsa's dying wish to have his pig collection where the public could see it. Cindy Brenneke the owner of Where Pigs Fly Farm, agreed to house Honsa's 14,500-piece pig collection. Soon other pig collectors were asking about adding their pig memorabilia to Cindy's public display. Eventually, Cindy purchased a larger farm to accommodate the pig collection. Cindy called her public pig collection America's only pig museum.

Big School Ice Cream Cone

Right in front of Mesnier Elementary School in Affton, Missouri, is a strange attraction, a giant multi-colored, multi-ice cream cone. The popular photo-op spot was not always located on elementary school grounds. The giant cone sculpture was moved to the elementary school in 1992 after standing tall at the Velvet Freeze ice cream store in town for 50 years. The cone sculpture has two scoops, one vanilla and one chocolate. In the summer months, a visit to the ice cream cone sculpture is a popular photo opt-spot. The school is off old Route 66 and is easy to find.

Elephant Rocks State Park

Elephant Rock State Park is a unique park in Belleview, Missouri. The main attraction of the park is the giant granite boulders. The boulders stand end to end, resembling a train of circus elephants. Looking closer at the boulders, visitors will see names and comments carved into them. These carvings in the red granite stones were made by miners working in the area during the 19th century. While today the mining operation is long dead, there is a self-guided trail that explores the area's mining past. There are also other hiking and biking trails to explore. The park is free to visit, and pets are welcome.

Glore Psychiatric Museum

There are very few museums that showcase the history of psychiatry in the United States. The biggest psychiatric museum in the entire world is located right in Missouri. The strange museum is one of Missouri's top ten attractions. Located in St. Joseph, the museum documents the history of the "State Lunatic Asylum No. 2” hospital. The hospital opened in November 1874. The exhibits showcase historic treatments, sustainability practices, the progression of treatments, patient therapy, and unusual cases. In one strange case, a patient swallowed 453 nails. The general admission is twelve dollars with a discounted rate for seniors, children, and students.

Leila’s Hair Museum

There is another museum in Missouri that is arguably even stranger than the Glor Psychiatric Museum, Leila's Hair Museum, also located in St. Joseph. The hair museum started in 1986 as a way to show antique hair used to make jewellery and wreaths. Hair wreaths were once used as a way to commemorate someone's passing. Sometimes, they would have the individual’s birthdate and the death date on them. These wreaths were popular in Victorian times. Sometimes hair would be used by jewelers in brooches and bracelets as another way to remember those who had passed. The collection of hair wreaths at the museum includes some iconic names such as Queen Victoria, Marilyn Monroe, and Michael Jackson. This museum is particularly unique as the only one of its kind in the world.

Maxie, The World's Largest Goose

One of Missouri's most magnificent and massive strange attractions is a large fiberglass statue of a Canada goose. Standing tall in Summer, Missouri, this impressive statue is the world's largest goose statue. Made from fiberglass, the statue stands 40 feet tall and weighs 4,000 pounds. The wing span of the goose is 62 feet wide, making it one of Missouri's largest landmarks. Summer is known as "the wild goose capital of the world," as it is located on a major migratory bird flyway. So, it is fitting to have the statue as a welcome into the town. The statue was built in 1974 by an eclectic hippie sculptor, David Jackson. Jackson built the bird with metal mesh and fiberglass, adding bowling balls for the eyes. The bird's name, "Maxie", was inspired by the Latin name for the giant Canada goose, Branta canadensis maxima.

The Mini Statue Of Liberty

Another unique statue landmark in Missouri is a mini Statue of Liberty. Located in Lamar, outside the Barton County Courthouse, is a small Lady Liberty. She has been standing there, on a star-shaped base, since 1950. The plaque on the statue states that the ‘schoolchildren of Barton County,’ funded the monument. However, many people believe the Boy Scouts are associated with the statue because, in the 50s, the Boy Scouts had multiple Lady Liberty replicas built across the nation. Today, the statue stands as a reminder of the American value of freedom. It is also a symbol of the patriotism found in small towns during the Cold War.

Mount Rushmore With Fake Celebrity Heads

Just outside the Hollywood Wax Museum, there is a strange tribute to the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial. While the National Memorial features the heads of presidents carved into the side of a mountain, this sculpture features four familiar faces from American television. The faces of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, and Charlie Chaplin are believed to be carved into the mock Mount Rushmore. However, many people have pointed out that the faces in the sculptures do not look exactly like the celebrities they represent. This is because of technical limitations with the technology used to make the sculpture when it was made in the 90s.

Why Visit These Places

Nothing makes a trip more memorable than a unique experience or strange sighting. For an unforgettable vacation, consider stopping at one of these attractions. What is great about many of them is that they make great road trip stops. Stepping out of the car for a photo op with the big ice cream cone statue or Maxie the Goose is a great way for visitors to stretch their legs while exploring the hidden gems of Missouri. Many of these attractions also offer a unique perspective on the history and culture of Missouri. The Glore Psychiatric Museum offers visitors the chance to learn about a part of America's past not often discussed. Similarly, Leila's Hair Museum offers the chance for people to learn about how cultural norms have changed. Whether you are a history buff looking to learn some of America's strange history or a collector eager to see the Pig Museum, a stop at any of these landmarks is sure to make your next trip to Missouri a unique experience.