Tiger Stadium

Starship Enterprise Barn
Delta, OH
Photo and info courtesy Richard Weiss

The Starship Enterprise Barn is one of Ohio's more unexpected roadside attractions. Sitting just outside Delta, an ordinary farm barn has been transformed with a giant mural of the USS Enterprise from the original Star Trek television series. It's the kind of sight that makes you slow down and take a second look. 02-08

The mural was created by Don and Pam Shanto as a tribute to Star Trek and its message of hope and exploration. Over the years, it has become a favorite photo stop for Trekkies and curious travelers alike, proving that some of the best roadside attractions are found in the most unexpected places.

UPDATE: The Starship Enterprise mural remains on the barn, continuing to surprise travelers passing through northwest Ohio. 07-26

Nicholson File Company (Demolished)
Anderson, IN
Photo and info courtesy Richard Weiss

Check out this old smokestack from the Nicholson File Company in Anderson, IN. Rising high above the old factory, it's the kind of thing that makes you slow down for a second look. Even without a flashy sign, this was a roadside landmark in its own way. 02-08

The factory started out as Arcade File Works before Nicholson bought the operation in 1900. Over the years the plant expanded and eventually became the company's main manufacturing facility after production moved from Providence, Rhode Island, in 1959. The factory remained busy until it closed in 1978.

There's just something about an old brick smokestack. Even after the factory was abandoned, it was a reminder of the thousands of people who once worked here.

UPDATE: The factory and smokestack have both been demolished, so this is now just a memory. 07-26

Grain Elevator (Demolished)
Coral, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's an old grain elevator standing over the little town of Coral Farmer's Elevator & Co-op in Coral, MI. Built alongside the railroad, this weathered wooden structure was once the center of local farm activity and still made for a great roadside sight long after the trains stopped rolling. 02-08

The elevator served area farmers for many years, first loading grain onto railcars and later relying on trucks after the railroad was abandoned during World War II. Even without the tracks, the co-op continued operating well into the late 20th century.

One unusual bit of local history happened in 1909 when a train was mistakenly routed onto the elevator's loading siding. The locomotive ran through the end of the track and came to rest across Bailey Road. Fortunately, no one was killed.

UPDATE: The old elevator has since been demolished, leaving the site empty. It's always a shame when another wooden grain elevator disappears from the landscape. 07-26

Elks Club (Demolished)
Findlay, OH
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's an impressive old building that once housed the B.P.O. Elks Lodge No. 75 in Findlay, OH. With its stately brick façade and decorative details, it looks more like a small hotel than a fraternal lodge. Buildings like this gave downtown streets plenty of character. 02-08

The Elks built this clubhouse in 1916, and it served as the home of Findlay Lodge No. 75 for nearly a century. Like many Elks lodges, it was a place for meetings, community events, and social gatherings that brought people together for generations.

Unfortunately, the building's days were numbered when Marathon Petroleum expanded its downtown campus. The lodge relocated to a new home, and the old building was demolished in 2014.

UPDATE: The historic Elks building is gone, having been demolished as part of Marathon Petroleum's expansion project. The Elks are still active in Findlay, but in a newer facility across town. 07-26

Delhi Bridge
Delhi Mills, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's the old Delhi Bridge near Ann Arbor, MI. This one-lane iron truss bridge crosses the Huron River and looks like it belongs in another century. It's easy to see why so many people wanted to save it instead of seeing it replaced. 05-08

Built in 1883 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company, the bridge carried traffic for well over a century before being closed in 2005 because of its condition. Fortunately, a local preservation group stepped in and helped secure funding to restore it rather than lose another historic bridge.

The bridge was lifted from its original supports, carefully rehabilitated, and eventually returned to service. It's always nice to see an old bridge get a second chance instead of heading to the scrapyard.

UPDATE: The restoration was a success, and the bridge is once again carrying traffic across the Huron River. It even went through another round of rehabilitation before reopening in 2022. 07-26

Medusa Cement (Demolished)
Detroit MI
Photo and info courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's a look at the Medusa Cement silos along the Detroit River. The towering concrete bins are hard enough to miss, but it's the giant "grain top" sign that really catches your eye. Industrial signs like this don't get much bigger. 07-08

Although this wasn't a manufacturing plant, the terminal played an important role in moving cement around the Great Lakes. Ships unloaded powdered cement into the massive silos before it was transferred to trucks for delivery throughout the region.

By the time this photo was taken in late 2005, the property's days were numbered. The City of Detroit had purchased the site as part of the riverfront redevelopment project that would eventually become today's Detroit Riverwalk.

UPDATE: The silos and their giant rooftop sign have since been demolished to make way for the Detroit Riverwalk. It's a shame the sign couldn't have been saved. 07-26

North Side Boat Club
Quincy, IL
Photo and info courtesy Richard Weiss

The North Side Boat Club overlooks the Mississippi River in Quincy, IL, and at first glance it almost looks like an old interurban station. The 1909 date on the building and the original lettering only add to the illusion. With the river in the background, it's a scene that's well worth pulling over for. 07-08

The club has been part of Quincy's rowing tradition since the late 1800s. Its original clubhouse was actually floated across the river by barge in 1909 before being rebuilt and expanded into the distinctive building seen today. The unique tower and Mission-style design make it one of the more unusual boat club buildings around.

Back in 2008 there was some concern about how the Mississippi flooding might affect the property, but fortunately the building sits high above the river on the bluffs.

UPDATE: The North Side Boat Club is still going strong, and the historic building and its original lettering are both still there overlooking the Mississippi. 07-26