Sears Roebuck (Closed)
Memphis, TN Photo courtesy Jay Lin
Outside of downtown Memphis is the massive Sears Roebuck warehouse.
The sign on the top of the tower must been a huge beacon of neon light
as it glowed during the golden age of art deco. Unfortunately it has seen
better days. I spoke to a caretaker and he informed me it was no longer
being used for its original purpose and mostly abandoned. Its surrounding
neighborhood has also seen better days. Hopefully it won't see the wrecker's
dynamite any time soon. Many thanks to Jay Lin for info.
You don't have to be looking for it. The enormous Sears Roebuck building seems to rise out of nowhere, stretching across the skyline like a small city under one roof. It's one of those landmarks that makes you wonder what could possibly fit inside a building that big.
When the building opened in 1927, more than 35,000 people turned out for the grand opening of what became one of Sears' largest catalog distribution centers. For generations, Mid-Southerners came here to shop, browse the famous Sears catalog, and pick up everything from toys to appliances. Many locals even nicknamed it the "Wish Building."
After the store closed and catalog operations ended in 1993, the giant building sat empty for years. It looked like another landmark headed for demolition, but instead it was given a remarkable second chance. Today the old Sears building has been transformed into Crosstown Concourse, where apartments, restaurants, shops, and offices have brought new life back to one of Memphis' most recognizable buildings.
UPDATE: Crosstown Concourse continues to thrive as one of Memphis' busiest mixed-use destinations. 08-26
Planters Peanuts Factory (Demolished)
Suffolk, VA Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
The familiar Mr. Peanut once watched over one of Virginia's best-known industrial landmarks. Take a look at this old Planters Peanuts Factory in Suffolk, and it's easy to see why it caught the attention of passing travelers. Even in the mid-1980s, it already looked like a piece of roadside history.
Planters moved its operations to Suffolk in 1913, placing the company right in the heart of Virginia's peanut country. Just a few years later, a local schoolboy sketched the original Mr. Peanut during a company contest, creating one of America's most recognizable advertising mascots. Before long, Suffolk had earned the nickname "The Peanut Capital of the World."
The old factory remained a familiar sight for decades before production shifted to newer facilities. In 1995, the historic downtown plant was demolished, bringing an end to a landmark that had welcomed motorists for more than 80 years. Fortunately, Planters is still part of Suffolk, although today's peanuts come from a much newer facility.
UPDATE: The original downtown factory is gone, but Planters continues manufacturing peanut products in Suffolk at its modern production plant. 08-26
The Geodesic Dome
Knoxville, TN Photo courtesy Louis Di Fazio
Something about a geodesic dome makes you slow down. Maybe it's the unusual shape, or maybe it's because it looks like it belongs in tomorrow instead of today. These Geodesic Domes in Knoxville are the kind of roadside surprise that can turn an ordinary drive into one worth remembering. Looking like something straight out of the atomic age, they seem as though they landed alongside the road instead of being built there.
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, America couldn't get enough of the future. Tailfins grew larger every year, coffee shops took on wild new shapes, and architects dreamed of buildings that looked as though they belonged in the Space Age. The geodesic dome quickly became one of the era's most recognizable designs. Created by Buckminster Fuller, its web of interlocking triangles made for a surprisingly strong structure while giving it a look unlike anything that had come before.
Dome Interior
Knoxville, TN Photo courtesy Louis DiFazio
Before long, geodesic domes were appearing all over the country. Some became homes, others churches, schools, museums, greenhouses, and even roadside businesses. For a while, they represented what many believed tomorrow would look like. They weren't just buildings, they were a glimpse into the future.
That's what makes these Knoxville domes so much fun to come across. Surrounded by more traditional buildings, they seem almost out of place. From one angle they resemble giant golf balls. From another they look like oversized spacecraft waiting for launch. Every side reveals another pattern of triangles, and no matter where you stand, they never seem to look quite the same.
Unlike a flashy neon sign or towering motel marquee, these structures grab your attention simply because of their shape. They don't need bright colors or animated lights. Their design does all the work. It's easy to imagine families driving past years ago and wondering what in the world they had just seen. Chances are more than a few turned around for a second look.
Geodesic Dome Sign
Knoxville, TN Photo courtesy Louis DiFazio
Many geodesic domes have quietly disappeared over the years as maintenance became difficult and changing tastes favored more conventional buildings. That makes the surviving examples even more enjoyable to discover. Whether you're a fan of Googie architecture, roadside oddities, or simply unusual places, these futuristic domes are a reminder of a time when America wasn't afraid to dream big. About the only thing missing is a flying saucer parked out front.
UPDATE: The current status of these particular Knoxville domes is unknown, making Louis Di Fazio's photograph a nice reminder of one of the more unusual sights to ever appear along the roadside. 08-26
Rock City Barn
Loudon, TN Photo courtesy Doug Harvey
Here is a couple of barn signs advertising Rock City gardens near Chattanooga TN. A popular tourist stop along the old Dixie Hwy. the older one is on U.S. 11 south of Loudon TN. and the other one is on U.S. 411 near Madisonville TN. Many thanks to Doug Harvey for info. 03-06
Out in the Tennessee countryside, an old barn roof can still make you tap the brakes. Painted across the top of this Rock City Barn is one of the most recognizable advertising messages ever to appear along America's highways. Long before giant billboards lined the interstates, these simple painted barns were inviting travelers to "See Rock City." They became just as much a part of the road trip as filling up with gas or stopping at a roadside diner.
The idea began in 1935 when Rock City founder Garnet Carter looked beyond traditional advertising and turned farm barns into giant billboards. Property owners received a free paint job, Rock City souvenirs, attraction passes, or even a few dollars in exchange for letting their barn carry the famous message. It was a simple idea, but it worked. Before long, motorists across the South knew they couldn't drive very far without spotting another Rock City roof.
Rock City Barn
Loudon, TN Photo courtesy Doug Harvey
Much of the credit belongs to sign painter Clark Byers, who spent more than three decades climbing onto barn roofs throughout 19 states. By the time he retired in 1969, he had painted more than 900 barns while battling everything from slippery roofs and summer thunderstorms to the occasional unhappy bull. Thanks to his work, the familiar white letters on a black roof became one of the country's most successful advertising campaigns.
Many of these barns disappeared after the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 discouraged roadside advertising, while others simply faded away with time. Fortunately, a handful still survive, especially in Tennessee, where they remain some of the most recognizable pieces of roadside Americana. If you happen to spot one while traveling, it might be worth pulling over. They're becoming a little harder to find every year.
UPDATE: The current condition of this particular Loudon barn is unknown, but surviving Rock City barns continue to be treasured roadside landmarks throughout Tennessee and the Southeast. 08-26
If you are ever traveling along on U.S. 11E near Morristown, TN, be sure to check out Crockett Tavern while you are there. This is the boyhood home of Davy Crockett, built by his father John in 1790. This home served as a place for travelers to spend an evening and as a tavern for the locals. Now a museum, Crockett is open from May to October. Many thanks to Doug Harveyfor info. 04-06
The building standing today isn't the original tavern, however. That structure disappeared long ago. What you see now was built during the 1950s, right in the middle of the Davy Crockett craze sparked by Walt Disney's television series starring Fess Parker. Morristown opened the replica as a museum in 1958, and Parker himself came to town for the dedication.
That little bit of Hollywood history makes the place even more interesting. For a generation of kids wearing coonskin caps and singing "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," this was about as close as you could get to stepping into the television show.
Inside, the museum is furnished to resemble a frontier tavern, while outside the log walls and stone chimney still make quite a roadside sight. If you're passing through Morristown, it might be worth pulling off the highway for a closer look.
UPDATE: Crockett Tavern continues to operate as a seasonal museum, generally welcoming visitors from May through October. 08-26
Sears Roebuck (Closed)
Planters Peanuts Factory (Demolished)
The Geodesic Dome
Dome Interior
Geodesic Dome Sign
Rock City Barn
Rock City Barn
