11 Strange Spots In Illinois That Will Make You Stop And Look Twice
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Stephanie Andrews
Author
While some people may love checking out the hottest brunch spot, visiting the most popular museum, or being where all the hustle and bustle is, there are some people who enjoy unearthing hidden unusual attractions. These oddities and obscurities pique our curiosity and make us believe that anything is possible. If you are looking for unique places in Illinois to visit, then take a peek at these 11 strange spots that will be sure to tickle your fancy and leave your eccentric heart singing.
The Soul Asylum, 301 E Broadway, Alton, IL 62002, USA
When you think of Illinois, you probably don’t think too much of Middle Ages torture devices (at least we hope not!). However, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday The Soul Asylum, formerly the Historic Museum of Torture Devices, and then the Curiosity Museum, which is owned by Mineral Springs Haunted Tours, comes to life with over 40 disturbing displays featuring everything from tools for humiliation to cringe-worthy execution apparatuses. With names like "The Head Crusher" and "The Saw," you’ll think that getting grounded by your parents really wasn’t such a terrible punishment after all.
Goat Tower Farm, 1968 N 2500 E Rd, Windsor, IL 61957, USA
No, this isn’t some baaa-d joke. Standing 31 feet tall, made from 5,000 bricks, and containing about 276 spiraling steps, this tower is home to some pretty happy goats near Windsor, IL. In fact, this goat tower is supposedly one of only three in the world. Since the tower is on private property we highly recommend grabbing some binoculars if you want to check out these tower-dwelling goats.
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World's Largest Wind Chime, 109 E Main St, Casey, IL 62420, USA
Standing over 55 feet high and boasting over eight tons, you'd better like the sound of wind chimes if you are headed over to the southeast part of Illinois. Pull the rope and listen to these beauties ring! Enjoy other larger-than-life attractions like the world’s largest knitting needles, golf tee and now a rocking chair (sorry, all you rocking chair lovers. You won’t be able to sit in this one!), while taking a break to refuel at their cozy little café.
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Woolly Mammoth, 1513 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, USA
When you open the door to this unassuming little Andersonville store, you have now entered a world of curiosity and profound wonders. Taxidermy, anatomy contained in glass jars, antique medical tools, and funerary items are only some of the products that surround you. One of the more recent items Woolly Mammoth boasts is a 19th-century wax death mask of a female dwarf (we couldn’t make this stuff up even if we tried!) and even a painting made by the notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy! Everything is for purchase, so if you’ve just moved into a new place, it might be time to head to Woolly Mammoth for some new decorative items.
Piasa Bird, Wise St, Alton, IL 62002, USA
The disturbing local legend got its name from our very own Illini tribe. Piasa means a bird that devours men (Yikes!). Legend has it that this birdlike creature with horns like a deer, the face of a man, and red eyes could carry away large animals for its meals. It had a disturbing preference for making humans its snack. Centuries ago local town records described a winged creature flying 50 feet above the water where a painting of it now rests on the bluffs of Alton. It was removed for a time but has since been returned to its rightful home for all to see near the Great River Road.
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Leaning Tower of Niles, 6300 W Touhy Ave, Niles, IL 60714, USA
If you’ve been curious to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa but you just can’t justify the expense, did you know that you can see a smaller replica of this Italian landmark not too far from the O’Hare International Airport? Created in 1934, this leaning structure was created as a utility tower for storing water filtration tanks. Of course, if you read the base of the Leaning Tower, you’ll also see that this tower is in honor of Galileo, the Italian scientist who tested his theories on gravity by dropping differently weighted objects off the top of the Pisa tower (we don’t recommend trying this while at this Illinois attraction, however).
Rock Men, The Rock River Rec Bike Path, Rockford, IL 61107, USA
Did you know that Rockford is protected by a group of towering, 12-foot-tall men made entirely from boulders? Each formidable guardian is striking a pose that lets you know that they are ready to defend or do battle, should the chance ever arise. While we are pretty sure this Illinois town won’t fall under an attack by another tribe of stone men, it really doesn’t surprise us too much that Rockford would be protected by none other than men made from actual rocks.
Henrys Rabbit Ranch, 1107 Historic Old Rte 66, Staunton, IL 62088, USA
If you are taking a trip along historic Route 66, Henry’s Rabbit Ranch is a quirky little must-see. When you pull up to this ranch that looks more like a vintage gas station (sorry, you can’t actually fill up here!) you can tell right away that the owner Rich is passionate about rescuing two things: real rabbits and VW rabbits. Rich is a friendly, humorous character ready to tell you stories of how his rabbit ranch came to be (along with other fun historic tidbits). He’ll even show off his rabbits and their fun-loving tricks - an amusing little photo op for that long drive through Illinois.
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Illinois State Military Museum, 1301 N MacArthur Blvd, Springfield, IL 62702, USA
When you think about leaving behind something you may think about a credit card or even your cell phone, but certainly not your prosthetic leg! But I guess if you were escaping as quickly as Alamo antihero Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, then you might. While fleeing the 1847 US war with Mexico, Santa Anna forgot something kind of important: a carriage full of loot and his false leg. Illinois infantrymen found the leather, cork, and wooden prosthetic and made a small profit off people who wanted to take a peek at the famous Santa Anna’s leg before it found its permanent home at The Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield.
Jeremy "Boo" Rochman Memorial Park, 31 Homewood Dr, Carbondale, IL 62902, USA
If nothing sounds better than a Friday night spent around the table drinking Dragon’s Milk and playing a whimsical game of Dungeons and Dragons, then it’s time to put down the dungeon master’s guide and step into this enchanted Illinois wonderland. Covering over 3.5 acres in Carbondale is a Tolkien-esque world full of dragons, gnomes, unicorns, and other incredible creatures. While this little park may tempt adults to go there in the hopes of creating their very own real-life role-playing world, keep in mind that there are some park rules you’ll need to follow. However, there’s nothing wrong with getting a little inspiration from this place before hosting your next D&D game.
Community Solar System, 222 SW Washington St, Peoria, IL 61602, USA
Sprawling over 6,000 square miles in Central Illinois was once the world’s largest-scale solar system model. It was even in the Guinness Book of World Records. A model in Maine has taken over the first spot, but the DOME Planetarium is still happy to be called the 2nd largest complete solar system model. With dwarf planets found in other cities in Illinois such as Bloomington and Macomb, this model even goes as far as to have asteroids scattered all over the US in places like the South Pole Station in Alaska.
There are a lot of unique places in Illinois to visit that certainly deviate from the norm. But that’s what makes Illinois such a great place to visit. Are there other off-kilter locations that you just love to visit in the Land of Lincoln? Leave a comment telling us all about the weird places in Illinois you’ve discovered!
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More to Explore
Weird things to do in Illinois
What are some unique places to visit in Illinois?
Illinois seems like a normal place to live, but under the covers, we can be a little odd. But that's what makes this state so fun and interesting to explore. Here are a few unique places to visit in Illinois:
- Oz Park: Everything Wizard of Oz can be seen at this park in Chicago.
- Woolly Mammoth curiosity shop: Not only a celebration of the Woolly Mammoth but all kinds of oddities to capture your interest in the weird.
- Tiffany Dome: Quite possibly the largest Tiffany stained glass dome around.
- Wicker Park Secret Agent Supply Company: If you ever want to stock up on the latest spy gear you must visit this unique shop.
- Shit Fountain: Um, yeah. The name says it all. A tribute to doggie dedication, as if we really need to see that.
- The Secret Mermaid: This strange mermaid showed up one day, carved out of a block of stone in a public area in Burnham Park. Well actually it took nine days of clandestine carving by four people, but still.
- Obama Kissing Rock: Can you imagine the site of your first kiss being commemorated with a public plaque? Well, if you are the President, anything is possible.
- Money Museum: If you have ever wondered what it would feel like to hold a briefcase filled with a million dollars you can find out here.
What is Olney Illinois known for?
Olney Illinois has its own strange and wonderful oddity. Olney is known for its unusual occurrence of albino squirrels. The city is even referred to as "the home of the white squirrel." Of course, the city loves to take that moniker to heart by celebrating the albino squirrels in town with its own Squirrel Appreciation Day celebrations in January.