Old Church
Little Rock, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

The little white Old Church outside Little Rock looks like something straight out of Little House on the Prairie. With its simple wood siding, tall windows, and modest steeple, it's easy to imagine a Sunday morning here a hundred years ago.

There isn't much information available about this old country church, but sometimes that's part of the fun. It's one of those places you spot along the road that makes you slow down, pull over, and wonder about the stories it could tell.

If you're traveling the back roads around Little Rock, keep an eye out. You never know what you'll find tucked away just off the highway.

Blytheville Greyhound Bus Station
Blytheville, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

Here's an old Blytheville Greyhound Bus Station that looks like it rolled right out of the Streamline Moderne era. The rounded corners, curved canopy, and restored Greyhound sign are enough to make you wonder when the next bus is pulling in. 03-08

The depot was built around 1937, when bus travel was booming across America. For years it welcomed travelers passing through Blytheville before passenger service finally came to an end in 2001.

Today the building has a new life as Blytheville's visitor center and museum. The buses are gone, but the old station still looks ready for another trip down the highway.

UPDATE: The restored depot continues to serve as Blytheville's visitor center and museum. 07-26

First Missionary Baptist Church
Little Rock, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

It's not every day you see a church with a neon sign out front. The First Missionary Baptist Church in Little Rock still has one glowing over the sidewalk, a throwback to a time when even churches lit up the night to welcome visitors.

The congregation was founded in 1845, making it one of the oldest African American churches in Arkansas. The brick sanctuary dates to the late 1800s, and in 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke here during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.

The church is still active today, but for anyone cruising through town after dark, it's that old neon sign that catches your eye first.

UPDATE: The church remains active, and the vintage neon sign still stands outside the sanctuary. 07-26

Atlantic Greyhound Bus Terminal
Savannah, GA
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

Check out the old Atlantic Greyhound Bus Terminal in Savannah. The running greyhound perched on top of the sign and the streamlined curves of the building make it easy to picture buses pulling in from all over the South.

The terminal opened in 1938 and was one of the busiest stops along the route before Greyhound moved to a newer station in 1965. Thankfully, the old building escaped demolition and still looks like it belongs in the golden age of bus travel.

These days you'll find one of Savannah's best-known restaurants inside, but from the street it still looks every bit like a classic Greyhound terminal.

UPDATE: The restored depot continues to operate as The Grey restaurant, with its vintage Greyhound sign once again welcoming travelers. 07-26

U.S.S. Kidd Museum
Baton Rouge, LA
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

It's not every day you spot a World War II destroyer sitting along the Mississippi River. The USS KIDD Veterans Museum in Baton Rouge gives you that chance, with the famous Fletcher-class destroyer towering above the riverfront. 02-07

Commissioned in 1943, the USS Kidd is one of the last surviving Fletcher-class destroyers and remains preserved in its World War II configuration. The ship has welcomed visitors in Baton Rouge since 1983, giving generations a chance to explore life aboard a wartime naval vessel.

Movie fans may recognize the destroyer from the 2020 Tom Hanks film Greyhound, where it served as one of the principal filming locations.

UPDATE: The museum remains open, but the USS Kidd is currently away from Baton Rouge while awaiting the right Mississippi River conditions to return from a major restoration project. 07-26

St. Charles Streetcars
New Orleans, LA
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

If you're spending any time in New Orleans, sooner or later one of the green St. Charles Streetcars will come rolling by. They've become as much a part of the city as the oak trees and wrought-iron balconies lining St. Charles Avenue. 02-07

The line dates back to 1835, making it the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world. The cars themselves were built in the early 1920s, and many are still carrying passengers more than a century later.

Whether you're riding one or simply watching it rumble down the tracks, it's one of those classic New Orleans scenes that's hard to pass up with a camera.

UPDATE: The St. Charles Streetcar Line continues carrying passengers through New Orleans using its fleet of historic green streetcars. 07-26

U.S. Courthouse
Lafayette, LA
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Driving through Lafayette, it's hard not to do a double take when you spot the giant faces outside the John M. Shaw United States Courthouse. At first glance they almost look like oversized heads sitting on the sidewalk, keeping watch over everyone walking past. 02-07

The sculptures are called Urns of Justice and were installed in 1999 as part of the courthouse's public art program. Their blindfolded faces are a modern take on the familiar image of Lady Justice, although they certainly get your attention in a different way.

Whether you find them impressive or a little strange, they're the kind of roadside surprise that makes you stop for a closer look before moving on.

UPDATE: The courthouse remains in active federal use, and the Urns of Justice sculptures still greet visitors outside. 07-26

Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad
Aberdeen, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad has been around since 1892 and is currently operating as a shortline. Here's an old depot fittingly found in Aberdeen, NC. More information can be found here. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 12-07

Here's the old Union Station Depot in Aberdeen, home to the Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad Museum. The Victorian depot and the bright red caboose parked beside the tracks make this an easy stop for anyone with an interest in trains. While passenger trains no longer stop here, the old depot has found a second life preserving the history of the railroad that helped put Aberdeen on the map.

If you're passing through town, it's worth taking a few minutes to look around. You might even catch one of the Aberdeen and Rockfish freight trains rolling by.

UPDATE: The depot continues to operate as the Union Station Railroad Museum, while the Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad remains an active shortline. 07-26