11 Unsuspecting Small Towns With an Odd Claim to Fame

Many towns throughout the U.S. are celebrated for their natural beauty, an important landmark, or as the headquarters of a big-name company. Other small towns win the hearts of residents and visitors alike for their delightful festivals, welcoming vibes, and rich history. And then there are destinations that are just quirky. There is something unique, something weird, and something one-of-a-kind that makes the town stand out.

After writing hundreds of articles from around the country, we’ve gathered several of our favorite small towns in the U.S. with odd claims to fame. Trust us, these spots are anything but ordinary.

1. Oatman, Arizona

Oatman is a teeny-tiny town in Arizona, approximately 30 miles from Kingman and near the Arizona, Nevada, and California state lines. This is a town of fewer than 100 humans but dozens of wild burros. Yes, Oatman is known as the home to wild donkeys who regularly roam the streets and will come up and say hello. This town was once a mining town, and today, it functions more like a ghost town with Old West entertainment. It’s also a stop along Route 66, but the wild burros are what many people come to see.

2. American Falls, Idaho

Maybe it’s because I live in Idaho and have been to American Falls multiple times, but this small town in rural Idaho has one pretty remarkable claim to fame. Not only has this entire town relocated once, but it has relocated twice! In 1800, American Falls settled on the western bank of the Snake River. Decades later, in 1888, the entire town relocated to the eastern side of the river. Then, in 1925, the entire town had to move again to allow for the 94-foot-tall and 5,277-foot-long American Falls Dam, and to prevent flooding. By this time, relocating an entire town was not easy, and 46 businesses, three hotels, five churches, one hospital, six grain elevators, one school, and one flour mill, in addition to all the homes, were moved. That’s certainly not something you see every day.

3. Slab City, California

Slab City is not technically a town, but I had to include it. There’s no place like it in the U.S. This unincorporated community is completely off the grid and has no rules or laws—it is considered the last free place on Earth. Slab City is located out in the desert, near the Salton Sea, on a former World War II Marine Corps training base. It primarily consists of individuals living in trailers and RVs, and there is no electricity, sewer, etc. However, it is a place that draws in artists, and you’ll find many remarkable art installations in the area, including Salvation Mountain, one of the largest and most well-known creations in the Western U.S.

4. North Pole, Alaska

I will admit that North Pole, Alaska, is one of my favorite small towns on this list. This town of approximately 2,500 residents near Fairbanks is best known for one thing—its year-round Christmas theme. Throughout the year, the town looks like Santa’s village with twinkling lights, candy canes, and halls decked out in holly. Even the street names have a holiday theme like Mistletoe Lane and Kris Kringle Drive. Make sure to stop by the Santa Claus House, a Christmas-themed gift shop that will certainly make you feel jolly.

5. Cawker City, Kansas

Cawker City is a small town in the Sunflower State with a population of approximately 500 people. There are some fabulous day trip destinations around this community, including Waconda Lake and Glen Elder State Park, but let’s be honest, Cawker City is best known as the home to the World’s Largest Ball of Twine. This unique attraction has been built by the community and actually keeps growing. Each year, Cawker City hosts a Twine-a-thon, where you can receive your own strand of pre-measured and weighed sisal twine to add to the ball. This ball of sisal twine got its start in 1953, and today, it weighs thousands of pounds.

6. Beaver, Oklahoma

Beaver is a community of approximately 1,300 people in Oklahoma’s Panhandle. Here, you’ll find one of the most unusual, quirky, and unique events in the U.S.—the annual World Cow Chip Throwing Championship. This yearly event has been a Beaver tradition since 1969 and features events like a parade and carnival, but the highlight is the cow chip throwing contest, where individuals try their hardest to throw dried cow dung as far as possible. You’ll see local pros, community members, politicians, and even celebrities throwing a cow chip during this exciting contest.

7. Middleton, Wisconsin

Middleton, Wisconsin, is home to one eccentric, odd, and delicious museum in the U.S.—the National Mustard Museum. This bucket-list-worthy museum is home to the world’s largest collection of mustard, and during your visit, you can explore more than 6,000 mustards and mustard memorabilia from around the world. Thousands of people flock to this unique attraction each year, and it has become one of Wisconsin's most popular tourist attractions. Even better, admission to the National Mustard Museum is free.

8. Casey, Illinois

Despite Casey’s small size, it’s home to some really big objects. In fact, Casey, Illinois, is best known for its incredible collection of oversized roadside attractions. Around town, you can spot multiple items like the World’s Largest Rocking Chair, World’s Largest Mailbox, World’s Largest Wind Chime, and the World’s Largest Piggy Bank … and that’s just the beginning. Many of these objects hold Guinness World Records and are interactive. It’s easy to see why Casey is often referred to as “Big Things in a Small Town.”

9. Haleyville, Alabama

Haleyville, Alabama, is a small town of just over 4,000 residents, but it has a pretty important claim to fame—one that should certainly be celebrated. Haleyville is known as the first town in the U.S. to use the 9-1-1 emergency number in 1968. These three numbers were chosen because they were easy to memorize and fast to dial. However, despite the first call in 1968, it wasn’t until 1973 when the White House issued a statement endorsing the country to use 9-1-1 for emergency calls.

10. Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Williamsport, Pennsylvania, may be one of the larger towns on our list, but as a baseball lover and someone heavily involved in a small-town Little League program, I had to include it. Williamsport has quite a rich history and was known for many years as the “Lumber Capital of the World.” However, in 1939, it received a new claim to fame—it became the birthplace and headquarters of Little League Baseball, something the town is still known for today. In 1947, this Pennsylvania town hosted the first Little League Baseball World Series and remains the international headquarters for the League.

11. Point Pleasant, West Virginia

This small town in West Virginia has quite a rich history, particularly during the time of the American Revolution. But today, this community is best known for something else—something creepy and unsettling. Point Pleasant, West Virginia, is best known for the legend of the Mothman, a winged creature with vibrant red eyes. Since the 1960s, there have been multiple reports of Mothman sightings in Point Pleasant, with many believing that this creature is a sign of upcoming disaster. In 1967, after many sightings of the creature occurred near the area's Silver Bridge, it suddenly collapsed, killing 46 people. The Mothman has become so widely known that there is a festival, museum, books, and even a movie about this legend.

The U.S. is certainly comprised of places that stand out with their history, festivals, town names, and so much more. There’s so much to love here. And the best part? You never know what hidden gem you’ll stumble upon next. It’s part of our country’s charm.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.