# Are There Any Mysterious MODERN Monuments or Structures? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2004, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582 "2004-07-30T12:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/41 "2004-08-01T20:18:16Z")
> [@Gamaliel](#): > > _“I know you hate that mystic shit.” - Lou Reed_ > > It annoys me that they have to make places like Coral Castle the product of some sort of bullshit mystery, like magnetic manipulation or the long lost secrets of the Egyptian voodoo ninja wizards. Its real story is compelling enough, the sad and tortured drive of one man and the back breaking labor of 28 years. But that’s not enough, it must be magic! Idiots. :smack: Apart from the fact that insults are verbotten in IMHO (thus preventing me from posting my opinion of you), I would suggest that many of us are astounded by the work he was able to accomplish, and are curious about the mysterious ways it appears to have been accomplished and how he pulled it off (much the same way as how magicians perform magic tricks…I don’t believe they’re really doing magic, I’m wondering how they pull off their tricks). So, there are those of us who attribute to Leedskalnin amazing feats of excavation, engineering, and silent, never-observed construction, without believing them to be the result of some sort of voodoo or magnetic mumbo jumbo or assistance coming from outer space. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/42 "2004-08-01T20:39:37Z")
Every time I drive through mountainous parts of Europe, I see the gigantic high-voltage stanchions, sometimes over 100 feet tall and some 20-30 feet between the arms, “marching” across the mountains in amazing regularity, and wonder what they might look like, stripped of the wires, to a society several hundred years down the line - either so advanced they cannot imagine moving electricity thsi way, or so regressed they can’t imagine electricity, period… > [@Alessan](#): > > There used to be a huge wooden chair on a hill to the east of Highway 2 (the Coastal Road), the main Haifa-Tell-Aviv freeway, just south of Atlit. About 30 foot tall and facing the sea, it was a mystery to the thousands of drivers who passed by it every day. > > My sister, an adventurous type, once climbed on and found a plaque reading “In Memory of Giants”. Asking around, she learned that it had been built by some local kids to honor a friend who had died in combat - not a rare occurance in these parts, unfortunately. It seems he had loved the sea. > > The authorities tore it down a few years ago. I never bothered to try and find out what that chair was about, but FWIW, I got the right idea from it - I guess it disqualifies it from being “un-understandable”… (and means it was actually quite a **good** work of art) And you’re right - now that I think of it I haven’t seen it for a few years (I don’t travel that route very often, so I didn’t consciously **notice** it was gone until you mentioned it). It’s really too bad - I liked it ☹ Dani ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/43 "2004-08-01T23:03:37Z")
I think it’s on Hwy 60 between Ontario and Riverside in CA that theres’ an elephant statue on the north side of the road. It’s probably 2x life size, which makes it recognizable from quite a distance. There doesn’t seem to be anything else around it. Having so little info, I can’t find anything on Google. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/44 "2004-08-02T14:29:03Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > Something really interesting is happening at [Denver International Airport](http://www.geocities.com/Baja/5692/) , according to some people. I love their website… > [@](#): > > The symbolism apparent in the layout of the new Denver airport, some feel, says that it may be a control center for world control > [@](#): > > Denver is of very high altitude and ideal for safe underground building 😕 > [@](#): > > the German boy has a HUGE IRON FIST and is pounding all the weapons into plowshares on an anvil MY GOD! The artist wanted world peace! > [@](#): > > The LUFTWAFFE has long had an EXTENSIVE base in New Mexico complete with towns where all signs are in GERMAN Oh yeah… That’s right off bullcrap ave, right? And he ends his Geocities housed rambling with: > [@](#): > > There is a new book out called “FINAL JUDGEMENT” that is being heavily suppressed and even banned for discussion at Universities. I can tell you how to get this book which documents ISRAEL’s MOSSAD being the key coordinator in the assassination of JOHN F. KENNEDY, send me email for details. (sorry to rip the link to shreds, I just found it to be of rather poor quality) ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/45 "2004-08-02T18:12:53Z")
Near the junction of Memorial Drive and Mt. Auburn street, In Cambridge, you will find an odd granite plaque. On it is inscribed: “ON THIS SPOT IN THE YEAR 1000 LIEF ERICSSON BUILT HS IHOUSE IN VINLAND”. This was placed around 1900 by a professor of chemistry (a Prof. Horsford). The man was convinced that Vinland was Cambridge…he also thought that Lief slep at Norumbega Park (Newton, MA). Horsford also built a granite tower at Norumbega…and now the locals seem to think it was actually built by Ericsson! A few hundred years from now, this stuff will probably be gospel (as soon as we elect a Norwegian-American president). ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/46 "2004-08-02T18:42:10Z")
On I-89, just south of Burlington, VT, going north on the right hand side of the interstate are two whale’s tails sticking out of the ground. That’s it. They appeared a few years ago and no one seems to know why. [Here is an explaination](http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tips/getAttraction.php3?tip_AttractionNo==1377) So although it has a very detailed story associated with it, no one knows it, and given enough time, it will be a huge mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/47 "2004-08-02T18:57:31Z")
The [Headington (Oxford, UK) Shark](http://www.headington.org.uk/history/misc/shark.htm) always attracts curious onlookers wanting to know why a giant fibreglass shark is sticking out of the roof of a house. I lived in Headington for two years and I couldn’t find anybody who knew the whole story–the linked site seems legitimate, though. ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/48 "2004-08-02T21:34:38Z")
I’ve always wondered what people of the future will make of [Metaphor](http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/UTWENmetaphor.html). ---
**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/49 "2004-08-03T06:39:10Z")
If they’re lucky, they won’t be able to see it, for driving so fast through the salt flats. ---
**Author:** ![Gamaliel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@Gamaliel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gamaliel)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/50 "2004-08-03T06:57:25Z")
> [@Starving Artist](#): > > Apart from the fact that insults are verbotten in IMHO (thus preventing me from posting my opinion of you), I would suggest that many of us are astounded by the work he was able to accomplish, and are curious about the mysterious ways it appears to have been accomplished and how he pulled it off (much the same way as how magicians perform magic tricks…I don’t believe they’re really doing magic, I’m wondering how they pull off their tricks). > > So, there are those of us who attribute to Leedskalnin amazing feats of excavation, engineering, and silent, never-observed construction, without believing them to be the result of some sort of voodoo or magnetic mumbo jumbo or assistance coming from outer space. Considering that we _have exactly the same opinion about Coral Castle_ I have no idea why you seem to think I am insulting you. There are people who do believe that Leedskalnin’s work was the result of some _In Search Of_ style mystic crap involving magnets or whatever, ideas that you can quickly be exposed to when you visit Coral Castle or just by going to the website. I guess I should have made it clearer who “they” were, but I thought it was pretty obvious that I was only talking about people who attributed a supernatural, mystical, extraterrestrial, etc. explaination to his work. If you’re not one of them, there’s no need to have a hissy fit. Anytime you want to insult me directly, you have an open invitation to email me personally. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/51 "2004-08-03T18:16:59Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > On I-89, just south of Burlington, VT, going north on the right hand side of the interstate are two whale’s tails sticking out of the ground. Hey! I know where that is! I live in northern NY and from time to time I’m over in that direction. I always thought they were a bit odd and interesting but never put much thought into where they came from. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582/52 "2004-08-04T16:05:59Z")
On the interstate between Buffalo, NY and Erie, PA, not too far out of Buffalo, there’s a giant statue of an indian (I’d say native American if it didn’t look so much like a comic book injun - but that’s beside the point) His right arm is raised in a perfect (if likely unintentional) Hitler salute. It is such an incongruous sight, it gets me every time I drive by it. Then I get to spend time on closed steel mill sites. They can be positively eerie, and definately feel mysterious, even though I know what all the structures were for. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-mysterious-modern-monuments-or-structures/257582.md?page=2)