A version of this article was published on OnMilwaukee in 2022.

While many cities like Portland and Austin have campaigns to “keep it weird,” Wisconsin cities offer plenty of charming oddities without even trying. Not only do we have our own peculiar language with words like “bubbler” and “ope!” but we also have original traditions like eating raw ground beef at Christmastime and serving our Bloody Marys with a side of beer.

But perhaps it is 'Sconnie's unusual places and wonderfully wacky attractions that make it unlike anywhere else in the world. Take a road trip or two this summer to a "Wiscoddity."

1. Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park 
North Freedom, Wisconsin

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The fantastical outdoor gallery features hundreds of installations that range in size from minuscule to monstrous and were made from discarded metal objects by the late salvage yard operator and artist, Thomas Every – aka “Dr. Evermor.”

Dr. Evermor passed away in April of 2020, and the art park is now managed by his daughter, Tya Kottler, and former wife, who prefers the moniker “Lady Eleanor.” Evermor chose this honorific title for her early in the couple’s 55-year partnership (they were legally divorced in 1997, but continued to live and work together until his death).

The largest sculpture in the park, called “The Forevertron,” towers more than 50-feet into the air and, like all of Evermor’s art, is constructed from scrap metal, automobile parts, rusty tools, boat propellors, musical instruments, vintage utensils, springs, tubes, washers, screws, ancient machinery and an array of other materials like an old decontamination tank from NASA.

According to Kottler, the purpose of the eccentric Evermor’s Forevertron was to “perpetuate himself back into the heavens on a magnetic lightning force beam inside a glass ball, inside a copper egg.” 

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“The Forevertron runs on level 7 love energy which is the most powerful, purest energy there is,” says Kottler. 

Many of the steampunk-esque sculptures resemble animals, birds and bugs, including a 17-foot-tall spider named Arachna Artie. 

Despite his whimsical view of the world and his desire for intergalactic peace and love, Dr. Evermor struggled with anger issues, lawsuits, tax evasion and jail time. But his inclusive, creative spirit is all that’s remembered by his family today and celebrated through his remaining art.

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2. Pinkie the Elephant
DeForest, Wis.

There's a 30-plus-foot pink elephant wearing a chunky pair of black glasses that has stood in the parking lot of a gas station since the mid-1960s. It’s believed the owner at the time installed it to stand out from other gas stations in the area and named the sculpture “Pinkie.” Over the years, ol' Pinkie has been tagged with graffiti many times, but the owners continue to repaint him as necessary.

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The Pink Elephant of DeForest has become a sought-after selfie spot. It’s also a popular photo spot for families.

“The Draegers are no strangers to that spot,” says Jim Draeger, who has numerous photos of himself and his family saying “cheese” with Pinkie. 

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3. Mars Cheese Castle
Kenosha, Wis.

The Mars Cheese Castle is the crown jewel of southern Wisconsin roadside oddities. Although the castle is actually not made of cheese, it is filled to the top of the turret with more than 700 kinds of queso available in blocks, slices, curds, shreds, wedges, wheels, sandwiches, pastries, popcorn, and – best of all – as free samples. 

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Eating and buying cheese is only a slice of the charm of Kenosha’s only castle. It’s also a touristy spot to shop for Wisconsin-only souvenirs, craft beers, wine, mustards, meats and more. Mars offers a full bar – known for their short-but-mighty Bloody Marys – and two dining areas.

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4.  National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum 
Milwaukee, Wis.

The museum opened in 2019 and showcases 7,000 bobbleheads with another 4,000 in storage.

“We rotate some of our bobbleheads so there aren't too many of the same person on display. No one needs to see 30 Barry Bonds bobbleheads,” says co-founder Phil Sklar.

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The massive Bobblehead collection includes sports figures, famous musicians, Hollywood stars, historical and political figures, artists and pop culture figures of all kinds.

“The first thing we tell guests is ‘you can’t bobble the heads,’” says Sklar. “But we’re happy to bobble them for you.”

Guests are invited to visit the Bobblehead Museum for just $5. Memberships are also also available; the museum has members located worldwide. There’s also an on-site gift shop selling hundreds of different bobbles and customers can customize their own personal bobblehead.

More than 12,000 people from all over the world visit the Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum annually, with guests coming from most states in the US and as far away as Japan. 

During our visit, we had to ask: What’s so alluring about bobbleheads?

“It’s simple: they’re fun," says Sklar. "And they’ve stayed the same since the 1960s. People understand them. Anyone or anything can be a bobblehead, from the Milverine to a major sports figure."

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Eight other weird Wisconsin attractions:

• The World’s Largest Six Pack of Beer – La Crosse.
• The World’s Largest Penny – Woodruff.
• Chainsaw Totem Pole Forest – Medford.
• House on the Rock – Spring Green.
• Don Q Inn – Dodgeville.
• Exact Center of the Northern Half of the Western Hemisphere – Poniatowski.
• National Mustard Museum – Middleton.