Regionalism
California Soap Mine
Was the 1855 Soap Mine tale just a prank or hoax? What about the 1901 article, in third place, which sounds a little more scientific?
Source.
Source.
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 16, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Freaks, Oddities, Quirks of Nature, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Humor, Hygiene, Regionalism, Natural Wonders, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century
The Santa Claus Statue in Santa Claus, Indiana
I thought that in the midst of summer heat (for some of us) we could use a little wintertime.
Here is the town's official page for the statue.
But Roadside America has a much more interesting tale. More details at the link.
It was purposely built on the highest hill in Santa Claus by businessman Carl Barrett, who wanted to antagonize his arch-rival Milton Harris, who was building his own attraction a hundred yards down the road. It was dedicated on Christmas Day 1935, less than a week after Harris had opened Santa's Candy Castle.
Barrett felt that Harris was commercializing Christmas. In contrast, Barrett claimed that the Santa statue had been built with the pennies of American schoolchildren. That may have been true, but he also claimed that the statue was built on the spot where a meteor had crashed (he hinted that this was a sign of divine guidance), and that it was made of solid granite. In fact there was no meteor, and the statue was later found to be made of concrete.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 03, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Cult Figures and Artifacts, Holidays, Regionalism, Rivalries, Feuds and Grudges, 1930s
The Seattle Seafair Queen
It's too bad that the raucous early years, with roving pirates, did not last into our era.
Article here.
More pictures of queens here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 02, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Parades and Festivals, Regionalism, 1950s
Queen Mermaids of the Flin Flon Trout Festival
Source
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 15, 2021 -
Comments (8)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Regionalism, Fish, 1960s
Beauty Knows No Pain
A species of Independence Day-style patriotism--I guess.
You will learn of this miraculous slogan around the 11-minute mark.
The Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jul 04, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Regionalism, Sports, Sex Symbols, 1970s, Attractiveness, Sexiness, Allure and Personal Magnetism
Maid of Cotton
Unique in mandating the composition of all contest garments: 100% cotton, what else!Full story here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jun 22, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Agriculture, Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Regionalism, 1930s
World’s Largest Hand-dug Well
Actually not the largest, as the Wikipedia page admits.
Posted By: Paul - Sun May 30, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Architecture, Regionalism, Technology, World Records
Buckeye Beer
The revitalized company still exists today, but no mention of reinstating their "mascots," Buck and Billy.Read the history here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri May 14, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Animals, Human Marvels, Regionalism, Advertising, Corporate Mascots, Icons and Spokesbeings, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century, Alcohol
The Creeping Devil Cactus
The Wikipedia page.
In cool maritime climate of Baja California Sur, creeping devil cacti can grow at a rate of up to two feet per year, forming large, sometimes impenetrable colonies of thorny stems, but when transplanted to more arid climates, their growth rate drops to two feet per decade. But even in their endemic environment, these succulents are isolated from pollinators so they rely on self-cloning for survival.
As it grows parallel to the ground, the stem of the creeping devil cactus will start to take roots toward their tip, and once it is solidly fixed into the sandy soil, the old body dies, rotting and eventually turning into nutrients that help the new stem grow. It is this process that also allows the cactus to creep through the desert over time. In a way, the cactus has to die in order to survive.
Posted By: Paul - Mon May 03, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Freaks, Oddities, Quirks of Nature, Nature, Natural Wonders, Regionalism, North America
“Oh! How She Could Yacki Hacki Wicki Wacki Woo”
Not a song about Wikipedia.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Apr 03, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Innuendo, Double Entendres, Symbolism, Nudge-Nudge-Wink-Wink and Subliminal Messages, Music, Regionalism, Foreign Customs, 1910s, Slang
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |