Secret Indianapolis: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
Secret Indianapolis: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Author: Ashley Petry

Publisher: Reedy Press LLC

Published: 2019-09-15

Total Pages: 331

ISBN-13: 1681062402

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Where in Indianapolis can you find a disappearing painting, a towering “ice tree,” or a giant pink elephant holding a martini? What caused the Great Squirrel Invasion of 1822, and why did Hollywood celebrities once flock to an Indianapolis cottage called Tuckaway? Where can you find a hidden museum dedicated to antique fire extinguishers? And what, exactly, is a Recordface? You’ll find the answers to these questions, and many others, in this guide to Indy’s overlooked, offbeat, and unknown. Secret Indianapolis profiles the city’s best-kept restaurant secrets, strangest parks and museums, creepiest urban legends, and weirdest works of art. It also tells the stories of forgotten local heroes, and it reveals the secrets behind beloved Indy landmarks. You’ll discover the only place in the world where it’s still possible to order Choc-Ola, explore the most haunted house in Indiana, and hear about the very dirty prank Hoosiers once pulled on a former president. Written by lifelong Hoosier and local author Ashley Petry, Secret Indianapolis offers a new way to explore the Circle City—from the quirks of local history to bizarre activities you can try today.

Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Author: Bill Delaney

Publisher: Reedy Press LLC

Published: 2021-09-15

Total Pages: 319

ISBN-13: 1681063344

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You could call Jacksonville the secret city of Florida because even many natives have a tough time pinning down its defining features and best spots. But for anyone willing to dig beneath the surface, there’s no shortage of incredible sights, hidden histories and unusual relics just waiting to be discovered. Want to see the world’s largest Native American woodcarving, chart the roots of Southern rock, or eat curly fries at the barbecue joint that claims to have invented them? Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure is dedicated to telling the stories behind forgotten, mysterious and just plain interesting spots across Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, and the surrounding communities. Here you’ll find out where you can see a long forgotten Florida waterfall with connections to Jacksonville’s founder, and learn why there’s a tombstone in the middle of a neighborhood sidewalk. You’ll hear the stories behind local delicacies like Jacksonville-style garlic crabs, datil peppers, Mayport shrimp, and camel rider sandwiches. And of course, you’ll learn what exactly is up with that orange roadside dinosaur everyone’s always talking about. Jacksonville writer Bill Delaney has a deep passion for his hometown and a keen interest in underrepresented stories. From folklore to history and everything in between, join him to explore a side of the Bold City you can only find by leaving the welltrodden path.

Secret Connecticut: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
Secret Connecticut: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Author: Anastasia Mills Healy

Publisher: Reedy Press LLC

Published: 2021-03-15

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 1681063050

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Did you know that there’s a Connecticut hotel room with a real helicopter inside? Can you guess who inspired the character of Indiana Jones, who was president before George Washington, and who flew before the Wright Brothers? Find the state’s most interesting and offbeat stories in Secret Connecticut: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Are you interested in taking a safari or racing a chariot? Had you ever heard that Martin Luther King Jr. spent two summers in Connecticut? Included are more than eighty engaging stories that provide insight into one of America’s oldest states. Inside are tales of pirates, an underground prison, and a possessed doll. Aren’t you curious about the spectacular stained glass church that was unknowingly built in the shape of a fish by a famous architect? From the world’s smallest Native American reservation to professionally coiffed cows and a replica of Marie Antoinette’s palace, you’ll find intrigue around every corner of this small but surprising state. Author Anastasia Mills Healy brings to life the long history of intriguing people, places, and events that will fascinate even life long residents of Connecticut.

Secret Oklahoma City: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
Secret Oklahoma City: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Author: Jeff Provine

Publisher: Reedy Press LLC

Published: 2021-09-15

Total Pages: 361

ISBN-13: 1681063360

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Oklahoma City was called “A City Born Grown” after it went from a population of a handful at Oklahoma Depot to over 10,000 on its first day. Nobody seems to mention how the streets were laid crooked and took 80 years to fix by tearing up half of downtown and that two rival city governments aimed guns at one another until the Supreme Court sorted out who was in charge. And that was only its first six months! Secret Oklahoma City: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure shares the places and stories that you won’t hear in History class, though you probably should! Learn about the Chinese Tunnels that housed hundreds of immigrant workers underground. Visit the Overholser Mansion and see if the lady of the house is still in, sixty years after her death! Gain new respect for animal heroes at the American Pigeon Museum. Find out what a giant milk bottle is doing on top of an old grocery store off 23rd. Speaking of groceries, did you know the grocery cart was invented on the south side of town? Or that the parking meter got its start in downtown Oklahoma City? Oklahoma farm kid-turned-professor Jeff Provine has spent more than a decade learning the lesserknown tales of OKC. Come with him on a tour of the unexpected side of Oklahoma City.

Weird Indiana
Weird Indiana

Author: Mark Marimen

Publisher: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 1402754523

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Discover the places in Indiana where tourists usually don't venture-- it's chock-full of oddball curiosities, ghostly places, local legends, crazy characters, cursed roads, and peculiar roadside attractions.

Secret Charlottesville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
Secret Charlottesville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Author: Marijean Oldham

Publisher: Reedy Press LLC

Published: 2021-09-15

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 1681063328

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Charlottesville, Virginia is best known for its role in history, current affairs, and its connection to Thomas Jefferson, Monticello, and the University of Virginia. Secret Charlottesville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure takes readers on a magical tour of lesser-known haunts, pulls back the curtain on the region’s historical sites, and whispers of treasures found around many corners. This beautiful city in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains has so much to offer, from secret swimming holes like Snake Hole, to unfrequented hiking trails like those at Foxhaven Farm, gorgeous hidden gardens like New Dominion Bookshop’s secret rose garden, and historic church graveyards, like Grace Episcopal Church in Keswick. Learn where to find hidden restaurants, like Vu Noodles or Lampo, to delight your palate. Climb a keelboat at Darden Towe Park or a giant salamander sculpture at Wildrock. Explore art from far-flung regions and experience the joy of sports teams with unique challenges. Do you know about Charlottesville’s connection to the Grand Duchess of Russia? Or Edgar Allen Poe? How about the time a famous painter got unstuck from her creative block at the University of Virginia? Local author Marijean Oldham finds inspiration in hidden attractions, outstanding architecture, extra-special restaurants, fun activities, and fascinating backstories. This guide provides behind-the-scenes detail and answers to Charlottesville questions you didn’t even know you had and unlocks local secrets just waiting to be told.

Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Author: Jonah McDonald

Publisher: Reedy Press LLC

Published: 2020-03-15

Total Pages: 351

ISBN-13: 1681062585

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What’s really inside Atlanta’s sealed Crypt of Civilization? Where can you experience a midnight costume party or get your hair cut at a museum? And is there really an elephant graveyard in the city? Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction, and Secret Atlanta is the right book to prove this over and over again. Beyond the standard Atlanta tourist attractions, visitors and natives will find a city full of secrets—in the history, art, culture, nature, and places that are just plain weird. Tour the most hidden spots in the metro area, or see the famous sites through a new lens. You’ll find the answers to common questions, like why there are so many streets named “Peachtree.” Don’t miss Atlanta’s more uncommon quirks too, such as the story behind the clergy parking spaces at one local bar. Whether you’re a lifelong Atlantan or a first-time visitor, local writer Jonah McDonald will help you marvel at Atlanta’s most obscure oddities. His adventures through the city might sound too interesting to be true—but you couldn’t even make this stuff up if you tried.

Secret Northwest Indiana: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
Secret Northwest Indiana: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Author: Joseph S. Pete

Publisher: Reedy Press LLC

Published: 2022-05-10

Total Pages: 333

ISBN-13: 1681063662

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Where in the landlocked state of Indiana can you sunbathe on a beach in the shadow of hulking steel mills, surf by an oil refinery, or scuba-dive to see old shipwrecks? A blend of Indiana and neighboring Chicago, Northwest Indiana is a one-of-a-kind place filled with wonders, like Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes and a hike USA Today described as one of the country’s most scenic. And behind its unique “coastal” setting lie some equally intriguing hidden gems and untold stories. Secret Northwest Indiana: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure leads a whirlwind tour of the Calumet Region that extends from Chicago’s far South Side, through the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana, and into Southwest Michigan. Read about a submarine inventor who sailed under Lake Michigan and the free-spirited Diana of the Dunes, who inspired preservation efforts that led to the Indiana Dunes National Park. Explore hidden Nike missile silos, bygone ski jumps, secret spots to photograph the jets taking off for the Chicago Air and Water Show, and the infamous Marriage Mill, where celebrities flocked to get hitched. Prepare for singing porta-potties, tree graveyards, and other strangeness. Local author and journalist Joseph S. Pete gives you a look behind the curtain in a region you might think you already know well. With his stories and tips, you’ll find no shortage of new secret places to explore in Northwest Indiana.

Secret Omaha: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
Secret Omaha: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Author: Ryan Roenfeld

Publisher: Reedy Press LLC

Published: 2021-05-15

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13: 1681063069

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How did Omaha get its nickname, “The Gateway to the West” and where can you gawk at the footsteps of the first human to walk in space? Just scratch the surface of a city best known for Warren Buffett, college baseball, and a great zoo and find far more than meets the eye. And Secret Omaha: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure is just the book you’ll need to uncover all the stories of Nebraska’s lone metropolis. Omaha rises up out of the low broken bluffs along the west bank of the Missouri River and sprawls west across what was once the prairie grasslands of the Great Plains. The buffalo wallows have been replaced by a more urban mix of grit and gentrification, with tree-lined avenues, boulevards, and varied communities that hold on to their heritage for generations. There’s a giant fork in Little Italy and stories told in stone around what was the world’s largest livestock market. There’s an old blues song by Big Joe Williams about an Omaha intersection that’s now on the National Register, and Irish Nationalists erected a grand monument to the Fenian who invaded Canada twice. Anyone in Omaha can take a gander at Goose Hollow or visit a haven for herons, but now author and Omaha enthusiast Ryan Roenfeld takes you on your own behind-the-scenes tour of the Big O. With his book as your guide, you’ll discover a whole new side to the city that’s inspired him for years.

Indianapolis
Indianapolis

Author: Lee Mandrell

Publisher: Indiana University Press

Published: 2016-08-08

Total Pages: 145

ISBN-13: 0253021693

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A beautifully photographed tour of the Indiana capital from city streets to state fairs to the world’s biggest Christmas tree. Indianapolis shines like never before in this one-of-a-kind book filled with stunning images. Photographer Lee Mandrell showcases a Circle City of unique architecture and natural areas, outstanding museums, and historic landmarks. Readers will be drawn into the rich culture, history, and art of Indianapolis as well as all things modern. Stroll along the famous Canal Walk. Explore the largest children’s museum in the world. Wander through the city’s parks and enjoy beautiful seasonal displays. Marvel at the campuses of Butler University and IUPUI—and see the two hundred eighty-four-foot-tall Soldiers and Sailors Monument covered in lights and the world’s largest Christmas tree. “This book will inspire with joy and reverence a greater love of Indianapolis.” —Senator Dick Lugar