"L is for Landmarks..."

Check out Hampton Landmarks. Pretty cool, eh? Sure, they're pushing their hotels, but there's a lot of useful/interesting information there.

The Hampton Landmarks website says:

Hampton Landmarks is the ultimate road trip honoring the world's greatest roadside attractions. It's our mission to uncover Hidden Landmarks, track down Lost Landmarks, and save any landmarks in need of repair.

I don't know what they're actually doing (if anything) to "save landmarks," but they do provide a nifty online directory and guide to hundreds of the country's unknown, unconventional, and most unbelievable secrets and legends. The listing was created with assistance from Chris Epting, pop-culture historian and author. You can search by city, state, or more than 12 categories such as "Mystery/Tragedy," "Sports," "World's Largest," etc.

Click on "Really Different" and you'll find everything from rattlesnake farms to diamond mines to a giant duck. Of course the World's Largest Ball of Twine is listed, as is the World's Largest Clam. There's Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, Evil Knieval's jump site, Maxwell Smart's Shoe Phone, a glass test tube said to contain the last breath of Thomas Edison, Elton John's Platform Shoes Museum, Jake the Alligator Man, and more Elvis Presley stops than you can afford the gasoline to visit.

There's lots of information on Route 66 roadside landmarks. A search on the state of Oklahoma yields 31 results, including such local pop-culture icons as the Admiral Twin Drive In, the Blue Whale in Catoosa, Jim Thorpe's home in Yale, the Rock Cafe in Stroud, the Round Barn in Arcadia, the World's Largest Concrete Totem Pole in Foyil, and many more.

Who will be the first OK rider to explore all 31 of our landmarks? Let the quest begin!

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Addendum (10/27/07): Just two days after my rather flippant "I don't know what they're doing (if anything) to save landmarks" (I was really just too lazy to research it; shame on me!) , I received an answer via email. Here then is exactly what Hampton Hotels is doing to preserve our nation's landmarks. Good for them!

Hi Brian,

I came upon your posting, “L is for Landmarks” on Ride Oklahoma this morning – it’s a great site for road trip enthusiasts. But, since I work for Hampton Hotels’ PR agency, I thought I could offer a clearer explanation about the company’s involvement in the actual preservation of landmarks.

Hampton Hotels founded its “Save-A-Landmark” program in 2000. Since then, the company has invested more than $2.5 million and tens of thousands of volunteer hours toward this cause, enabling the restoration of 33 roadside landmarks to date. But Hampton’s not resting – the next Save-A-Landmark project will take place next week. On October 30 Hampton will refurbish its 34^th landmark, the World’s Largest Pumpkin in Manitoba, Canada.

To view a history of refurbished landmarks, please click here. If you would like any additional information, please feel free to contact me.

Thanks,
Spencer

_____________________________

Spencer Woolcott
Cohn & Wolfe
8730 Sunset Blvd. 5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Ph. (310) 967-2974
Fax (310) 967-2910
spencer_woolcott@cohnwolfe.com