So, today Google Sightseeing presents a collection of the most ‘creative’ neighbours¹.

First up: the small Colorado town of Antonito, where we find Cano’s Castle.

After repeated complaints from neighbours about the growing pile of beer cans on the property, the owner decided to put them to good use … nailing them to the walls and roof of the increasingly ramshackle buildings, along with hubcaps and other assorted scrap metal and assorted signs about the evils of alcohol and tobacco! It’s now a fairly well-known tourist attraction.

Following the same general idea is the imaginatively-named Beer Can House in Houston, Texas.

Owner John Milkovisch has used an estimated 50,000 beer cans (and has the beer belly to show it) in the decoration of his home, which is open to visitors on the weekend.

In the same city, but a different neighbourhood, we find the Orange Show.

A bizarre testament to one man’s love for citrus fruit, which has manifested itself in the form of garish folk art, much of it made from recycled junk. Jeff McKissack worked on it for 24 years until his death in 1980, at which point the neighbours may have hoped to see it disappear. Instead, a community association purchased the property which is now a thriving tourist attraction named the “Orange Show Center for Visionary Art”. Mr Milkovisch’s Beer Can House is apparently included in their definition of ‘visionary’.

While many people love Elvis, most don’t go quite so far as Paul McLeod – the owner of Graceland Too, a house in Holly Springs, Mississippi, which is about 70km from the real Graceland.

Once bright pink, the Street View cameras captured this modestly-sized replica painted white (and with a large election sign outside). We can, however see the lion statues and fake Christmas wreaths which echo the original. The interior is full of Elvis memorabilia, with the owner happy to give visitors a tour of his collection.

For something a little different, we have a perfectly normal house … which happens to be surrounded by nightmarish concrete and stone sculptures – the Garden of Eden in Lucas, Kansas.

Samuel Dinsmoor created this ‘sculptural environment‘ in the early 20th century, and thoughtfully included a 12m high limestone mausoleum, where his embalmed body is still on display decades after his death.

Some people take their creativity to rural areas, where they have more space to express themselves, as in the case of the Golden Pyramid House in Wadsworth, Illinois.

This is a private residence, so any curious passersby have to content themselves with the view from the road, where the pyramid can be seen in the distance beyond a giant statue and a wall covered in hieroglyphics.

Even more remote, and likely not even vaguely concerned about the neighbours, is Jim Bishop, who has been building a castle in the wilds of Colorado for more than 40 years!

While visitors are allowed, they are greeted by a long list of rules and a host with what are described as ‘extreme views’, who has been battling with authorities who control the state parks where he gathers stones for his creation, and the local tourist office which refuses to officially list it as an attraction.

We end with a couple of examples of property owners responding directly to complaints from their neighbours…

First to Youngwood Court in Los Angeles.

Neighbours weren’t happy when the owner Norwood Young erected a single replica of Michaelangelo’s statue of David. He responded to the complaints by installing a further 18 statues … and from time-to-time he decorates them in seasonal attire such as Santa outfits! The property is also known as the House of Davids!

Finally to St. Paul, Minnesota and a rather unusual triangular house.

The property at the corner of 3rd St and Gotzian is rather unconventional due to the angle at which the streets meet. The owner tried to build a normal house on the lot, but the neighbours, perhaps having enjoyed an empty space nearby for some years, objected to the plans.

Eventually the owner gave up trying to apply for variances and just built his home to the exact dimensions allowed, resulting in a house that must have some very interestingly-shaped rooms!

Locations: California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Texas / Categories: Buildings, Street Views, Weirdness

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A small community in the heart of the United States, Greensburg has had its share of severe conditions over the years. Now, thanks to the differing image capture dates, we’re able to see a dramatic before and after comparison of the most extreme weather to hit the town in its history.

The aerial view of the city shows a community very similar to many other towns scattered across the Kansas countryside. Switching to street view however is an entirely different story. On May 4, 2007, over 95 percent of the city was destroyed when a 2.7 km (1.7 mile) wide EF5 tornado¹ ripped through town. The National Weather Service recorded 330km/h (220mph) winds during the storm, which sadly killed 11 people.²

Driving around town in the virtual street car, it’s hard to find a single thing built before the tornado that remains standing today. Most of the structures visible in street view, including the water tower, were subsequently rebuilt.

Greensburg is home to the world’s largest hand dug well, which is 33 m (109 ft) deep and nearly 10 metres (32 ft) across.³ Known as the “Big Well”, its associated museum was completely destroyed by the winds, but a 450 kg meteorite stored in the museum survived, and was found a few days later in amongst the rubble⁴.

Greensburg today is rebuilding as a “green” town. Reconstruction is being accomplished with ecologically-sound building supplies. A new factory is being built near town to manufacture ultra-green modular homes, and the city will be breaking ground on a facility for four 2.5-MW wind turbines to handle all their power needs. Maybe the city’s name is a coincidence, but Greensburg may soon be the greenest town in America.

Information about the Greensburg tornado can be found on Wikipedia, and you can read about Greensburg’s rebuilding effort on their website.

Locations: Kansas / Categories: Buildings, Street Views

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Whilst giant lint¹ hasn’t had a history of going postal and engaging in psychopathic killing sprees (lint usually leaves that to the tomatoes), the angle of the giant lint’s knot can mean only one thing – the occupants of the cars on the highway are doomed!²

Thanks to Ron Nossaman.

Locations: Kansas / Categories: Weirdness

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Stonehenge has most certainly been around many thousands of years, meaning there has been plenty of time for people to build loads of rip-offs and copies, most of them in the US.

Stonehenge II in Texas is a replica made from wire-mesh “stones” a bit like giant Papier-mâché. Strangely, the stones are about 90% the width of the originals, but only 60% the height – and if you make your way out to see the monument you’ll find it’s flanked by beer-bellied Easter island Moai. Obviously.

There’s ground level pictures on Flickr and more information at Roadside America.

Our second Stonehenge replica is found at Missouri’s University of Science and Technology is at least made of stone, this time made from 160 tons of granite carved with high pressure water jets. Sadly it’s only ½ the size of the original.

There’s also a ground level picture on Flickr.

East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania have a small replica which they apparently dubbed “Stroudhenge”.

Montana’s Stonehenge is located on a private golf course in Montana, and is claimed to be the most accurate replica ever built. But no-one’s been able to confirm that as the golf club is so exclusive.

Lastly, it’s difficult to see from the satellite photos, but Truckhenge whilst not a faithful reproduction certainly scores points through being constructed entirely in the medium of trucks. More info and pictures on Kansas Travel.

Thanks to Henderson Smith, James, FBK and others.

Previously on Google Sightseeing we’ve featured Stonefridge, Maryhill’s Stonehenge, the Segway Inventor’s Stonehenge and a little-known version in England simply called “Stonehenge“.

Locations: Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania / Categories: Monuments, Structures

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We’ve also previously posted various other heart shaped things.

Thanks: Glenn

Locations: Kansas / Categories: Large Type

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Thanks: Mark Sweat & David Grant.

Locations: Kansas / Categories: Buildings

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Our first example is a giant “Y” in the mountains to the west of Brigham Young University, Utah. You can see how it’s looking right now thanks to the 24/7 webcams.

There’s a giant “KS” (of an unfinished “KSU” – slackers) outside Kansas State University.

And in Montana everyone has a go with a “M” for Montana State University, another “M” for the University of Montana and just a little north a slightly smaller “L” for Loyola High School (even schoolkids are getting in on the act!).

Thanks: Keith, Elton M, Patia & Todd Spatafore

Locations: Kansas, Montana, Utah / Categories: Large Type

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