Everyone knows that Maine is a place of breathtaking beauty, but it’s also home to some pretty head-scratching strangeness. Anyone who’s ever driven through the state can attest to the bizarre landmarks that dot the landscape. Some are weird natural wonders, while others have been made by people who are either brilliant or maniacs or both. Either way, we think they’re part of the charm that makes Maine one-of-a-kind. Read on for 12 of our favorites.
- The World’s Tallest Indian, Skowhegan
Jimmy Emerson, DVM / Flickr The Big Indian in Freeport doesn’t have anything on this wooden wonder. Erected in 1969 in honor of Maine’s 150th anniversary and dedicated to the Abenaki Indians who inhabited the land, Skowhegan’s Indian measures in a whopping 62 feet tall - and that’s not including the 20-foot base.
- Hussey’s General Store, WIndsor
mountaintidetech / Flickr Shotgun wedding anyone? Many a driver has stopped to snap a picture of Hussey’s unusual sign touting guns, wedding gowns and cold beer. Head inside and you can actually purchase all those things, plus anything else you could ever need.
- Lenny the Chocolate Moose, Scarborough
Amy Meredith / Flickr Say hello to Maine’s sweetest moose. On display inside the Len Libby chocolate store, Lenny is a 1,700 pound milk chocolate moose that has been turning heads since 1997.
- The Desert of Maine, Freeport
David Fulmer / Flickr Wait a second. A desert? In Maine? Well, in actuality, it’s 40 acres of exposed glacial silt, the result of soil erosion from mismanaged farmland. Look past the silly camel sculptures and it’s still an interesting oddity.
- Bubble Rock, Acadia National Park
David Fulmer / Flickr Perched precipitously on the edge of South Bubble Mountain, one of the most famous rocks in all of Maine looks like it could tumble at any moment. But it’s actually, ahem, a rock solid example of a glacial erratic - a boulder deposited by the powerful action of ancient glaciers.
- The L.L.Bean Bootmobile
Chris Goldberg / Flickr Drivers around Maine have done many a double take when the Bootmobile hits the road. Sightings of this size 747 Bean Boot have been reported in 14 different states, but it’s proud to call Maine home.
- Elmer’s Barn of Junk and Dead Things, Coopers Mills
Marco M. / Yelp The three floors of this barn aren’t enough to contain the vast heaps of junk, antiques, oddities and collectibles inside - it’s literally spilling out the front door! Maine is full of old barns, but this one will stop you right in your tracks. Happy hunting and tell Elmer we sent ya, bub!
- The Shoe Tree, Hodgdon
“Run-A-Way Bill” Spangler / Facebook This is a shoe tree in the most literal sense - as in a tree strung up with hundreds of shoes. What are they doing there? Nobody knows. Look for it along US 1, about 7 miles south of where it intersects with US 2 in Houlton.
- Quadruple Mailbox, Hodgdon
“Run-A-Way Bill” Spangler / Facebook While you’re out hunting for the Shoe Tree, see if you can spot this brilliant four-tiered mailbox nearby. Only a 10-foot-tall mailman could foil this ingenious plot!
- Blowing Cave, Kennebunkport
Cavalier92 / Flickr This one’s not THAT weird, but it was definitely enough to have us stop and stare. At high tide, waves at this Sandy Cove spot roll into a rocky opening, sending a blast of water high into the air. Thar she blows!
- Wild Blueberry Land, Columbia Falls
Larry Miller / Flickr This is one berry, berry strange place. Built in 2001, this giant blueberry serves as a gift and coffee shop, as well as an outlet for the owners’ homemade blueberry jams, sauces and baked good. Sounds delicious enough to warrant a stop!
- World Traveler Sign, Lynchville
Michael Femia / Flickr Wait, where are we again? This sign will have you spinning in circles trying to find your place on the map. But don’t worry, they’re just towns in Maine. Even so, a photo op here will make you look really well traveled.
Do you have any favorite Maine oddities? Tell us which are worth it and which to skip over on our Facebook page!
Jimmy Emerson, DVM / Flickr
The Big Indian in Freeport doesn’t have anything on this wooden wonder. Erected in 1969 in honor of Maine’s 150th anniversary and dedicated to the Abenaki Indians who inhabited the land, Skowhegan’s Indian measures in a whopping 62 feet tall - and that’s not including the 20-foot base.
mountaintidetech / Flickr
Shotgun wedding anyone? Many a driver has stopped to snap a picture of Hussey’s unusual sign touting guns, wedding gowns and cold beer. Head inside and you can actually purchase all those things, plus anything else you could ever need.
Amy Meredith / Flickr
Say hello to Maine’s sweetest moose. On display inside the Len Libby chocolate store, Lenny is a 1,700 pound milk chocolate moose that has been turning heads since 1997.
David Fulmer / Flickr
Wait a second. A desert? In Maine? Well, in actuality, it’s 40 acres of exposed glacial silt, the result of soil erosion from mismanaged farmland. Look past the silly camel sculptures and it’s still an interesting oddity.
Perched precipitously on the edge of South Bubble Mountain, one of the most famous rocks in all of Maine looks like it could tumble at any moment. But it’s actually, ahem, a rock solid example of a glacial erratic - a boulder deposited by the powerful action of ancient glaciers.
Chris Goldberg / Flickr
Drivers around Maine have done many a double take when the Bootmobile hits the road. Sightings of this size 747 Bean Boot have been reported in 14 different states, but it’s proud to call Maine home.
Marco M. / Yelp
The three floors of this barn aren’t enough to contain the vast heaps of junk, antiques, oddities and collectibles inside - it’s literally spilling out the front door! Maine is full of old barns, but this one will stop you right in your tracks. Happy hunting and tell Elmer we sent ya, bub!
“Run-A-Way Bill” Spangler / Facebook
This is a shoe tree in the most literal sense - as in a tree strung up with hundreds of shoes. What are they doing there? Nobody knows. Look for it along US 1, about 7 miles south of where it intersects with US 2 in Houlton.
While you’re out hunting for the Shoe Tree, see if you can spot this brilliant four-tiered mailbox nearby. Only a 10-foot-tall mailman could foil this ingenious plot!
Cavalier92 / Flickr
This one’s not THAT weird, but it was definitely enough to have us stop and stare. At high tide, waves at this Sandy Cove spot roll into a rocky opening, sending a blast of water high into the air. Thar she blows!
Larry Miller / Flickr
This is one berry, berry strange place. Built in 2001, this giant blueberry serves as a gift and coffee shop, as well as an outlet for the owners’ homemade blueberry jams, sauces and baked good. Sounds delicious enough to warrant a stop!
Michael Femia / Flickr
Wait, where are we again? This sign will have you spinning in circles trying to find your place on the map. But don’t worry, they’re just towns in Maine. Even so, a photo op here will make you look really well traveled.
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