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Built by Foamhenge creator Mark Cline, the giant Lady appears to be using the Bayou La Launch as a bathtub. Only her knees and head are visible above the water.
Mark built the Lady in 2012 as one of his long series of April Fools jokes, and floated her in a pond at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama. But Mr. Barber -- who happens to be a millionaire -- liked the Lady so much that he kept her around for months, then paid to have her trucked south and permanently floated in his public marina on the Gulf Coast. And then he paid Mark to build Bamahenge -- a full-size replica of Stonehenge -- on the property as well.
[RoadsideAmerica.com Team, 12/16/2012]Lady in the Bay:RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report
- Address:
- 26986 Fish Trap Rd, Elberta, AL
- Directions:
- Drive US-98 either eight miles east of Foley, Alabama, or 21 miles west of downtown Pensacola, Florida. Turn south onto County Rd 95. Drive five miles. Turn right onto Fish Trap Rd. Drive a half-mile. Turn left at the Barber Marina sign. Drive 2.5 miles to the Barber Marina. Drive halfway around the traffic circle, then park in the lot as close to the water as you can. You'll see the Lady floating out toward the end of the dock; you can walk out to her.
- Hours:
- Always in the water except when hurricanes threaten. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 251-987-2628
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
The Forks of Cypress plantation home was built in 1830. It was know for having columns surrounding the whole house. Almost all of it burned to the ground when lightning struck it on June 6th, 1966 (6/6/66; strange, huh?). The 24 columns, however, remained intact.
These columns still stand on the foundation of the house where this famous mansion once stood as a haunting reminder of what occurred on that day. A replica of the mansion was built in downtown Florence after it burned down. It is currently the home of a bank. The plantation ruins are on private property, but can be seen easily from the road.
[Ben Tate, 03/02/2011]Forks of Cypress Plantation Ruins:- Address:
- Jackson Rd, Florence, AL
- Directions:
- From Cox Creek Parkway (Hwy 133), take Co Rd 41 North. You will eventually come to a 90 degree turn to the right. Look to your left, and you will see the columns on top of the hill. Private property, visible from road.
Built in 1820 by James Jackson, the columns are all that remain of this historic plantation house that burnt to the ground in 1966 after being struck by lightning. Local rumor is that the columns survived the fire because the materials used in their construction contained ground horse-hair, which is flame retardant.
The plantation grounds are also home to the infamous "Ghost Bridge," the site of many rumored slave hangings in the mid- to late-19th Century. Across the street from the columns, and down a short trail, lies the Jackson Family Cemetery. The sites mentioned above are on private property, but good shots of the Forks of Cypress can be taken from the road.
[Anonymous, 05/05/2005]Jim's golf cart appears dead and abandoned in the corner of the field. There were about two dozen different hay bale art pieces scattered in a rough line across the field. This is bigger than you'd think! There were even some large pieces, like a monster truck and a sailboat on the sea.
Watch out for fire ant hills. They're everywhere!
[Michael Bodary, 01/04/2022]Jim Bird's Hay Bale Art and Tin Man:- Address:
- 16040 US-43, Forkland, AL
- Directions:
- The field of art stretches along about a half-mile on the west side of US-43/Demopolis Hwy, either 2.5 miles south of the intersection of Hwy 41/69 at Forkland, or nine miles north of the intersection of US Hwy 80 in Demopolis.
- Admission:
- Free
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
- Fort Payne, Alabama - Joe's Truck Stop
Alas, it looks like Joe's Truck Stop ultimately failed to work. Joe's house is no longer there.
[Steve Barry, 04/01/2019]Joe's Truck Stop:- Address:
- 5th St. NE, Fort Payne, AL
- Directions:
- I-59 exit 218. Drive east on Hwy 35/Glenn Blvd, then bear left just past the McDonald's onto US 11/Gault Ave. Drive north for one mile, then turn right onto 5th St. Drive east for four blocks. You'll see Joe's wall on the right.
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Joe's wall kept truckers from crashing into his house from 1959, when he built it, until late 2012, when a truck hit the wall at an angle, slid along it, and still had enough momentum when it reached the end to continue into Joe's former home (He had died years earlier). Despite this and many previous crashes, Joe's Truck Stop has survived even though his house has not.