Roadside America Videos and Films

Here's a selection of older video clips from the RoadsideAmerica.com vault. Interviews with the Immortals of Tourism, treasured 16mm home movies, and scary moments captured on video. More recent video clips are here.


House of Clocks Polka Band (3.7 mb .mov) Crank up your favorite polka on the animatronic juke box, Wausau, IA. Attraction Write-up	Surapa, Painting Elephant (4.1 mb .mov) Watch an elephant paint disturbing masterpieces at the Buffalo, NY zoo. Attraction Write-up	Secret Caverns Billboard Secrets (5 mb .mov) An explanation of the "Patriotic" billboard. Attraction Write-up	Cleveland Turner, the Flower Man (4.2 mb .mov) His amazing skid row-to-artist story. Attraction Write-up

"Have You Saw the Mummies?" (1.8mb .mov) Philippi, WV, is proud of its Mummies of the Insane. Hear what happened after flood waters swept these local folk heroes down Main Street. Attraction Write-up	At home with the Bible Birds (1.2mb .mov) A visit to Noblesville, IN, where Rev. Wendell Hansen trains his Bible Birds. Here's another clip [970k] of wife Eunice conducting "Jesus Loves Me" in the den. Attraction Write-up	King of the Windmills Rants (2.1mb .mov) Stockton, CA, is where the King of the Windmills reigns. His attraction has been decimated by a messy divorce, but the King rants on.... Attraction Write-up	Sally Rand was a beautiful woman... (2.5mb .mov ) Max Nordeen, Woodhull, IL, shows off his collection and knowledge of fan dancer Sally Rand. More desperate videos at the Attraction Write-up

Santa Cruz Mystery Spot (1.6mb .mov) A guide tries to explain mysterious forces at this oddity of Science on the California coast. Attraction Write-up	"Another Live Hanging" (1mb .mov) At Buckskin Joe's in Canon City, CO, justice is served in .mov. But there's ample opportunity to snap souvenir hanging photos. Attraction Write-up	Saddam's Toilet Seat (1.5mb .mov) The King of Toilet Seat Arts may be dead -- but his legacy lives on in his celebrity seats. Find out about the most strategic movement of the Gulf War. Attraction Write-up	Miniature Golf in a Funeral Home (2.3mb .mov) Miniature golf at Ahlgrim's Funeral Home, in Palatine, IL. Play is prohibited during viewings, unless requested by the family. Attraction Write-up

Clips from the vault:

Travels in the Wienermobile

The fiberglass flagship of the Oscar Mayer corporation was one of our more unusual modes of transport. For eight days, we traveled America's highways as modern-day meat gods. Two short clips from the journey.

Whirlwind view of tour. At the time of this recording there were 32 official versions of the wiener jingle.[1.7mb .mov]

Special stop at Wall Drug, Wall, SD and a visit to the backlot. [1.2mb .mov]

More videos:

Walking Tour of the Secret Caverns Billboards - The Patriot (5mb Quicktime Movie)
Epiphany at the Suspended Ceiling, with Todd DelMarter, "Exalted Keeper of All Cave Knowledge," Secret Caverns, Cobleskill, NY (2.2mb Quicktime Movie)
Gentle Breeze at the Beer Can House, Houston, Texas (7.5mb Quicktime movie)
1959 film clip of the Gingerbread Castle: A relative of Doug's recently uncovered some 1950s era 16mm film reels in an attic, and somehow they ended up in the Jack Kirby Film Archive instead of the trash. While most scenes are birthdays and interminable holy day parades, one reel yielded this short clip of Hamburg, NJ's Gingerbread Castle.
Talking Bunyan on video: News that the home of the giant yakster, Paul Bunyan (Brainerd, MN), was in danger prompted a quick search of our field video library. Our clips provide a rare glimpse into the world of the towering tree biter.

#1 - 1985 - Mike interviewed Paul, who was a bit groggy that day. (3.2mb Quicktime movie)

#2 - 1991 - We grabbed a behind-the-scenes view of how Paul works his verbal magic. If you don't like spoilers, skip this one! (3.9mb Quicktime movie)