The Mystery Box

An entire building at the Museum of Appalachia is devoted to Henry Harrison Mayes (1898-1986), who traveled America's highways in the 1960s and '70s erecting giant roadside crosses inscribed with messages such as "Prepare to Meet God" and "If You Go to Hell it's Your Fault." The Mystery Box was one of his earlier preaching efforts, chained to a heavy block and initially placed in the barbershop of Harrison's hometown bus station. To further entice people to disobey the Don't Look in This Hole command, Harrison wrote "Sacred Atomic Inergy Inside" on the side of the box (He was better at selling than spelling).

Those who peeped into the hole did not have their eyeballs seared with heavenly radiation, but instead saw the message, "Trust in Jesus."