How Did That Get There?

by Michelle Cassidy

17 Places

Vitorchiano, Italy

The Moai in Vitorchiano

A lonesome Moai stands in a small Italian town some 9,000 miles away from its Easter Island brethren.

LatiumMirabile

Added by LatiumMirabile

Newport, Rhode Island

The Swiss Village

A railroad magnate's replica village has become home to a genetic seed bank for rare breeds of livestock.

antoniafarzan

Added by antoniafarzan

Lucedale, Mississippi

Palestine Gardens

This roadside attraction in the woods of Mississippi is a scalable replica of the Holy Lands during biblical times.

Amber C Snider

Added by Amber C Snider

Leavenworth, Washington

Leavenworth's Bavarian Village

One small town in the Pacific Northwest transformed itself into a Bavarian-themed tourist destination.

Mark Casey

Added by Mark Casey

Berkeley, California

Thornburg Village

A storybook European village in Berkeley.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

Portmeirion Village

A miniature Italianate fantasy village on the coast of Wales and the set of ITC classic "The Prisoner."

Added by lercio

Rutland, Vermont

Wilson Castle

A beautiful, creepy 19th-century castle stands incongruous in rural Vermont.

Added by DanielL

Potsdam, New York

Potty Gardens

Three gardens with toilets and urinals filled with bright flowers started as a protest against zoning rules.

kissam

Added by kissam

Lincoln, Nebraska

Pioneers Park Pillars

Four ionic columns from the Treasury Department building ended up in a park in Nebraska.

Elliot Carter

Added by Elliot Carter

Washington, D.C.

Washington Mini Monument

There's a 12-foot-tall replica of the Washington Monument hidden under a manhole nearby.

Elliot Carter

Added by Elliot Carter

Casa de Fusta

This Canadian hunting lodge is a long way from home.

Dr Alan P Newman

Added by Dr Alan P Newman

Noisy-sur-École, France

Les Sables du Cul du Chien

An unusual sand beach in the middle of a forest.

tomak

London, England

Hoa Hakananai'a

The "lost friend” is the most famous of the six moai statues that were removed from Easter Island.

Luis Morato

Added by Luis Morato

Culebra, Puerto Rico

The Tanks of Flamenco Beach

Rusting, graffiti-covered tanks litter the beach of this island, once used by the U.S. military for target practice.

Added by CharlatAnne

Moundsville, West Virginia

New Vrindaban Palace of Gold

Despite its lavish ornamentation, and wholesome lifestyle of its devotees, this mountain commune has faced its share of issues.

littlebrumble

Added by littlebrumble

Ridgefield, Connecticut

Watermelons on a Greek Statue

What appears to be an act of fruit vandalism is actually a cultural statement.

lewblank

Added by lewblank

Baker, California

Mojave Megaphone

No one's quite sure why there's a metal megaphone bolted on two rocks in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

leiris

Added by leiris