The Absolute Weirdest Towns In The United States

America holds some of the silliest, saddest, and most unhinged places on earth. To find them, it is important to pinpoint which city, or better yet, town it is. This is a travel guide to the weirdest small towns in America, but defining “weird” may be difficult here. Still, it’s nice to find an odd place or two. So pack your bags and get ready to take photos.

1. Ferndale, CA – The Victorian Village

Ferndale has been dubbed a historical landmark with its preservation of Victorian-era architecture. Discovered in 1852 by men traveling to California at the height of the Gold Rush, the Carpenter-Gothic architecture and overall historic energy of the town has been retained.

2. Roswell, NM

Residents of Roswell, NM, saw what appeared to be a UFO crash in 1947. Called the home of “the world’s most famous, most exhaustively investigated, and most thoroughly debunked UFO claim”, the place has become synonymous with UFOs and alien conspiracy theories.

3. Santa Claus, AZ – Abandoned Christmas Desert

Nina Talbot founded Santa Claus in 1937. It was a tourist destination with the attractions open year-round, including Cinderella’s Doll House and the Santa Claus Inn. Now it’s just a run-down ghost town of holiday-themed attractions inhabited by rattlesnakes.

4. Nameless, TN

The story is that when its residents applied for a post office, they left the name on the application blank. The US Post Office Department issued applications back with “Nameless” stamped on the form. Some kind of humor they had back then.

5. Maharishi Vedic City, IA

Originally named Vedic City, all the houses and city buildings were built to reflect the Maharishi Sthapatya Veda, an ancient system of architecture and design from Hindu yogis. The city only sells organic food.

6. Burnt Corn, AL

They say the place smells of a pungent popcorn odor. It was the burning of corn fields during the scorched earth mayhem of the Creek War of 1813 that gave birth to the name. There is no current population data for the town because a census hasn’t been conducted there since 1880.

7. Hildale, UT – Polygamyville

Hildale, UT, is a polygamist town. This is where the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) is headquartered. They are a sect that still typically supports plural marriage.

8. PhinDeli Town Buford, WY

Don Sammons lived in Buford, WY, with his wife and son. They were the only three residents. He bought the town in 1992, but when his wife died and his son moved, Sammons decided he didn’t want to live there anymore. He put the town up for sale in 2012, and the highest bid came from a Vietnamese coffee magnate for $900,000.

9. Casey, IL – The Town Of Large Objects

The town has been around since 1834. What is special about this town is that it is known for housing objects that are overly huge. A pencil that stands at 32 feet, 6 inches, and a rocking chair approximately 56 feet tall are some of the attractions to be found in Casey.

10. The Villages, FL

The Villages is home to 70,000 residents. There are 34 golf courses and whole heaps of fun things to do. The STD rates in this small town are some of the highest in Florida. The best part is that they’re all seniors. Seriously.

11. Gibsonton, FL

Most of the residents in this town are carnival workers and sideshow human attractions. It’s their go to place when given some time off. There was even once a local police chief who was a dwarf and a fire chief who was an eight-foot-tall giant.

12. Tangier, VA

It is one of the oldest and most unique sounding cities in America. Residents have a unique accent that linguists say is unlike any other in America. The dialect of the locals in Tangier is a long-forgotten mix of an “American” accent with a mix of old British twang.

13. Hell, MI

Hell got its name in the 1840s after one of the city’s founders was asked what he wanted to name it; he responded with “You can name it Hell for all I care.” It’s a town that’s embraced hell and satan. There’s even a devil church.

14. Slab City, CA

Slab City is a bastion for the free spirited anti-socialite. Slab City is referred to as ‘the last free place in America.'” Decommissioned and uncontrolled, it’s a place where hobos can live in peace, off the grid, free to smoke and be hippies.

15. Scottsboro, AL – The Lost Luggage Capital Of The World

Nearly 7,000 units of unclaimed baggage makes its way to Scottsboro, Alabama, in the Appalachian Mountains every day. The Unclaimed Baggage Center (UBC) receives a million unclaimed bags and suitcases from around the world each year. The UBC buys lost luggage after the airline puts it through “intensive tracking,” before selling the items.

Paul Iwancio/Flickr
Source:

Paul Iwancio/Flickr

16. Miracle Village, FL

Home to more than 100 registered s*x offenders, Miracle Village is a small housing development outside of Pahokee, FL. Minister Richard Witherow worked in prisons for 30 years, creating the development as a place for recently released offenders to live while reintegrating into the community.

17. Colma, CA

There are a total of 17 cemeteries in Colma’s two square miles. Dubbed the “City of Souls”, it plays host to an estimated two million dead with only 1,200 breathing residents. William Randolph Hearst and Wyatt Earp transported bodies from San Francisco to Colma to make room. And yes, they are buried there.

18. Monowi, NE

Monowi only has one resident. Elsie Eiler lived there with her husband, Rudy, but he passed away in 2004. Elsie is the mayor, the town bartender, and the sole librarian. She also handles her own taxes.

19. Whittier, AK

A small town 58 miles southeast of Anchorage has everyone living together in one building. The 14-story Begich Towers is home to 214. Originally an army barracks, the tower grew to include a police station, a post office, store, church, video rental shop, playground, bed and breakfast, and health center.

20. Thurmond, West Virginia

An abundance of abandoned railroad stations and a completely empty downtown has tourists stopping all the time to take in the creepy location, the abandoned buildings and the strange area in general. The weirdest part is the fact that it only has 7 residents, 6 of which are looking to run for town office.

21. Lily Dale, New York

Lily Dale is a gated community filled with psychics who like to head down to the local temple and cemetery to conduct their business by helping people reach the dead. It’s serious business with their local events open for just a few dollars a person if you are interested in contacting a deceased love one.

22. Igloo City, Alaska

This igloo hotel in Alaska didn’t quite make the cut. This giant igloo was never fully operational and is now one of the weirdest ghost towns in America. It’s definitely a strange tourist attraction.

23. New Orleans

The city is a “party town” which makes millions off of tourists each year for embracing weird. Voodoo spa treatments at the local Ritz-Carlton, witches and vampires, and even festivals in which people dress up to scare you, there is nothing that you won’t see in New Orleans.

24. Terlingua, Texas

It’s a town that’s been completely abandoned but people head out here on the same day every single year to host a giant cookout in the abandoned place. No one knows what they celebrate but it’s always a party.

25. Centralia, PA

There were 1,000 people living in Centralia in 1981. By 2010, there were less than a dozen. That’s due to a coal mine fire burning beneath the town since 1962. Sinkholes, toxic smoke, and gas are present and the highway itself is hot to the touch. Experts believe that it may burn for another 250 years.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Article Sources:

thetravel

countryliving

wikicommons

To learn more read our Editorial Standards.