The odd appeal of novelty architecture

[jw5]

Shell Service Station -

Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this bright and breezy service station, shaped as a giant scallop shell, has stood since 1930.

 

[jw5]

Big Pineapple -

Inaugurated in 1971, the Big Pineapple is an entertainment complex located near Woombye in Queensland, Australia.

 

[jw5]

Trees of Mystery -

Tree Mystery is a park and tourist attraction set near the coastal town of Klamath, California. It's noted for its giant statue of Paul Bunyan and the statue of his companion, Babe the Blue Ox.

 

[jw5]

Big Donut Drive-In -

There's no mistaking what you can purchase here. Pictured is a 1965 exterior view of customers standing at the counter of the Big Donut Drive-In, which features a giant donut on its roof.

 

[jw5]

Sombrero restaurant -

A familiar site on America's iconic Route 66, the high-peaked sombrero with neon embellishments tops the entrance to the retro-looking La Cita Mexican restaurant in Tucumcari, New Mexico.

 

[jw5]

Big Apple -

Located on the south side of Ontario Highway 401, the Big Apple is a bakery, restaurant, and roadside attraction in Colborne, Ontario, Canada.

 

[jw5]

Lucy the Elephant -

Constructed of wood and tin sheeting in 1881, Lucy the Elephant in Margate City, New Jersey has served as a restaurant, observation deck, and lately an Airbnb property. (

 

[jw5]

Corn cob water tower -

The "ear of corn" water tower can be admired in Rochester, Minnesota.

 

[jw5]

Pysanka Museum -

Built in the shape of a pysanka (Ukrainian Easter egg), this museum in Kolomyia, Ukraine is the only one of its kind in the world dedicated to the pysanka.

 

[jw5]

The Bottle -

The Bottle is named for the bright orange wooden replica of a Nehi soda bottle, which stood north of downtown Auburn, Alabama from 1924 to 1936 before it was destroyed by fire. Although the structure no longer exists, a historic plaque and a photograph mark the location.