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I spent months traveling through Florida to find the weirdest of the weird. Here are the ten weirdest places we came across.
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Harvey’s Ford Truck Collection (Crawfordville)
Thank Pat Harvey and his father for this post-modern tale of rust and neglect. At some point, Pat decided to line them up for the public to enjoy and for Pat to relive some memories. The family’s Ford trucks are lined up in chronological order, from the early 1900’s to the mid 1970’s. Although originally kept for parts by Pat’s dad, today they’re completely rusted through.
Some thievery has happened over the years, and the city passed an ordinance prohibiting from junk cars just sitting in a yard. The cars have been grandfathered in, and they’re certainly not junk — more than a few people have found the beauty in the rural forest setting. In all, some 21 vehicles have been left on the site. Enjoy walking around them and photograph to your heart’s delight (but for obvious reasons, don’t sit in or touch!).
4204 Crawfordville Highway, Crawfordville, FL, 32327 • (850) 984-3966 • best seen during daylight • free admission • free parking off the road
T.T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum (Pensacola)
T.T. Wentworth, Jr., as the story goes, was a compulsive collector who never threw anything away. As an eight-year-old, he found an 1851 gold coin on the beach, which sparked a fascination in history. Over time, thousands of items comprised his eclectic collection — a few highlights among many include a petrified cat from 1850, a piece of Thomas Edison’s birthday cake, a shoe donated by the world’s tallest man, and much much more.
Originally opened in 1957 as a roadside museum north of Pensacola, he offered to donate his 150,000 item collection to the city of Pensacola in 1983 — but only if they agreed to provide a permanent place for his collection. His collection opened here in 1988, and is housed in the former City Hall, a beautiful early 20th century building built in the Mediterranean Revival style. Today, the rooms holding a curated selection of his artifacts are packed in from floor to ceiling, so be careful with your bags!
The Wentworth collection is one part of a general history museum with plenty of rotating exhibits, all showcasing different aspects of Florida’s centuries of history. Recent exhibits have included a Civil War gallery, a look at the iconic Trader Jon’s, Coca Cola, and American football. Note that your ticket is good for several other sights and tours in town (see the brochure or ask for details at the counter).
330 S Jefferson St, Pensacola, FL, 32502 • (850) 595-5990 • historicpensacola.org • 10am-4pm Tue-Wed, 10am-7pm Thu-Sat, 12pm-4pm Sun, closed Mon • $8 admission • metered street parking in the area (free street parking right in front of the museum)
Lightner Museum (St. Augustine)
The self-described ‘Smithsonian of the South’ is the Lightner Museum, which makes its home in the historic Hotel Alcazar. It was originally built for the upper crust of travelers during the 19th century, and today it’s one of the most random collections of stuff you’ll ever see. One moment you’re looking at 20th century earrings from Senegal, the next you’re looking at a stuffed lion given to Winston Churchill, and the next you’re in front of a shelf full of old-school tobacco jars. Be on the lookout for the stuffed gator suspended from the ceiling, an antique vending machine with a stuffed chicken inside. and some old-school mechanical ways of playing music. (These instruments are demonstrated at 11am and 2pm — drop what you’re doing to enjoy that!)
The 1st floor holds most of the bizarre exhibits. but the upper floors are worthy of exploring as well. The 2nd floor holds plenty of glass, ceramics, and a collection of toasters. While you’re here, make your way through the Turkish and Russian baths, along with the largest indoor pool in the world at the time. The 3rd floor is a great lookout over a formal restaurant with a few paintings for good measure.
75 King St., St. Augustine, FL, 32084 • (904) 824-2874 • lightnermuseum.org • 9am-5pm Mon-Sat (last entry 4:30pm) • $10 admission • Metered street parking
Solomon’s Castle (Ona)
In a book full of unusual and bizarre places, this Florida castle built with aluminum printing plates wins the award as one of the weirdest places in the state. The man responsible is Howard Solomon, who realized the land he bought was essentially a swamp. Undeterred, he started building a castle out of the aluminum printing plates discarded by the newspaper. He passed away in August 2016 after a long, well-lived life, and has left behind proof that a man’s home is truly his castle.
He started building the castle in 1974, and the required guided tour covers quite a bit of the 12,000 square foot (1,114.8 m2) structure. The stained glass pieces you’ll see throughout the tour are wonderful, and the highlights come at a rapid-fire pace. Be prepared for the many puns that are part of the exhibits — it was his style, and it’s very intentional. You may catch the tour guide say “your trash was his treasure”, and it’s obvious he took recycling and reusing very seriously. Among many other pieces, look for a coat hanger sculpture of a unicorn (“just a horse with a transplant”), a motorcycle piece called ‘Evil Korenevil’, and the world’s only gun with a square barrel.
While not as punny, the courtyard is filled with sculptures (look for the ‘fencing club’ slicing each other’s heads off) that may or may be obvious while on the tour. The tour will conclude on a 60-foot replica of a 16th century Portuguese galleon built on the swamp. It doubles as the Moat restaurant, and you can pass through it to get to some of the other outdoor paths. If you’re so inclined, you can also spend the night in a castle by reserving the Blue Moon room (inquire by phone). Be aware this part of Florida does not have much mobile phone coverage, so aim to plan your route before you lose it!
4533 Solomon Rd., Ona, FL, 33865 • (863) 494-6077 • solomonscastle.org • 11am-4pm Tue-Sun from October 1st-July 31st (closed on Mondays and during August and September) • $12.50 admission (cash and checks only, ATM on-site) • free lot
International Independent Showmen’s Museum (Riverview)
You can almost hear the barker as you walk in the door. “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, step right up to see the Amazing Half-Woman!” or whatever other sideshow attractions the carnival would bring to town. Today’s carnivals and county fairs are a pale example of the big top’s rich history, but then again, times have changed. From the old-school Tilt-A-Whirl cars to an epic set up of miniatures and a big-top circus to the carnival games your grandparents might have tried, there’s a lot to see. The posters on the wall add to the flavor as well.
54,000 square feet across two floors is enough to keep the entire family enthralled for at least an hour. To be sure, some aspects might be unseemly to the modern, more politically correct visitor, but then the early to mid-20th century wasn’t the most politically correct time. From the notably unfair carnival games to the flashing lights to some looks at the people that served as attractions, it’s a kid-friendly look at an America that’s faded into history. Be sure to give the souvenirs a close look before moving on — plenty of original exhibits are available for a surprisingly small number of dollars.
6938 Riverview Drive, Riverview, FL, 33578 • (813) 671-3503 • internationalindependentshowmensmuseum.org • 12pm-5pm Sat-Sun • $10 admission • free lot
Waste Pro Garbage Truck Museum (Sanford)
Garbage trucks? Seriously? Hey, you’re after the offbeat and bizarre? Here you go — presenting a collection of antique garbage trucks and memorabilia that’s been meticulously restored. It’s described as a labor of love by John Jennings, the CEO of Waste Pro, Inc. It’s certainly a challenging field since old trucks were usually disposed of or broken down for parts — after all, if it wasn’t operating, it wasn’t making you money.
Located on the same property as their corporate offices, the owner has a personal connection to some trucks. A 1926 GMC flatbed, for example, was the truck Michael Jennings (the CEO’s father) originally worked on. A 1975 Ford truck was one of John’s first purchases; it was tracked down, repurchased, and restored to be a part of the museum. A highlight is the Dunn coal and oil truck, circa 1921 — a chain driven truck that’s probably one of the oldest ones around.
It’s not just about old trucks, of course — two trucks on display were used in the Denzel Washington film Fences. The curator, called Mr. Bill by the staff, knows a little something about every truck on display. Let him lecture a bit, whippersnappers, and you’ll learn something interesting. The shop, in a separate room, holds another dozen or so trucks, and a larger space is in the works. While still unknown to most tourists, the staff are welcoming to the few tourists they receive.
3705 St. Johns Pkwy, Sanford, FL, 32771 • (407) 774-0800 • wasteprousa.com/truck-museum • 9am-1pm Mon-Fri • free admission • free lot
Koreshan State Historic Site (Estero)
Some may have called it utopia, others called it a cult. Whatever you called Koreshanity, the faithful believed the entire universe existed within a giant, hollow sphere (call it Cellular Cosmogony if you want to impress your buddies). The religious group was founded by Cyrus Reed Teed, who brought followers here in 1894 to build a utopian colony somewhat remote from the outside world. The ‘Seven Sisters’ ran the day-to-day affairs, and the collectivism of the group kept everyone working.
Things began to go south after Teed died in 1908, but the colony pressed on for decades. In 1961, the last four members of the cult passed ownership to the state of Florida. Florida turned it into a state park, which has preserved the late-19th and early-20th century wooden structures that are as beautiful as they were functional. Another part of their legacy is the wide variety of plants and trees imported from around the world, from African sausage trees to Japanese bamboo.
One of the buildings holds a large sphere and one of the tools used to scientifically ‘prove’ their theories. It’s worth waiting for the ranger on-site, as they give a good explanation that go beyond the descriptions. Guided tours are given by a ranger for $2 per adult, but you’re more likely to meander the property on your own. Camping is also possible on-site; inquire for details.
3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero, FL, 33928 • (239) 992-0311 • floridastateparks.org/park/koreshan • 8am-5pm daily • $5 per vehicle to enter the park, buildings free to enter once inside ($4 if by yourself) • free lot
Bonus: the Radioactive Fountain of Youth (Punta Gorda)
Back in the 1920’s, the so-called Radioactive Fountain of Youth was referred to as the Fountain of Youth in Punta Gorda, and it was so popular the handle wore out twice a year. When the EPA began testing water for radioactivity in the 1980’s, they discovered the water had twice the safe amount of radiation along with sulphur, which makes it smell like rotten eggs.
Efforts to shut off the fountain were blocked by locals, and it remains there today for anyone to drink (albeit with the fairly large warning sign). It makes for an interesting stop, but stop by a store for some water if you’re thirsty. It’s located at the intersection of Taylor St and W Marion, Punta Gorda, FL, 33950.
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