Bizarre Places in Kentucky

From Dinosaur World to Hopkinsville Goblins, Kentucky has some weird places to see.

Here's some you may have never heard of!

1. Mammoth Bones- Big Bone Lick State Park

Mammoth Bones have been found right here in KY! In 1744 at what is now known as Big Bone Lick State Park, early explorers found what they called "giant elephant bones". In reality they had found Mammoth remains! The place has been recognized as the key to understanding life in the Ice Age on the North American continent over 10,000 years ago.

"Over thousands of years, large quantities of animals have been preserved at Big Bone Lick. Notable animals that have been preserved include Giant Ground Sloths, Mammoths, Mastodons, Stag Moose, Horses, and Bison. The sheer quantity of animals preserved here rivals that of the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles."

If you want to learn more check out fossilguy.com or go to the Bone Lick State Park website, for tourism details and more!

2. Vent Haven Museum-Fort Mitchell KY

This one's kinda creepy, or maybe ventriloquism is your thing, either way this place is definitely one for the books.

Housing over 1,100 dummies from across the centuries from Jeff Dunham's Peanut to Tommy Baloney, their very first dummy housed in 1910, Vent Haven is not lacking in uniqueness.

Founded by W.S. Berger, a man, though not a ventriloquist himself, spent over 40 years collecting everything from dummies, puppets, photos, scripts, memorabilia, playbills, posters, and more.

The collection was opened in 1973 and has doubled in size since then attracting tourist from all over the word.

If you're interested in digging more into this interesting find check out their Behind the Scenes page featuring YouTube videos on the goings on being the curtain.

3. The Great American Dollhouse Museum- Danville KY

Showcasing over 200 dollhouses, miniature buildings, room boxes, all finished with incredible detail. All scenes of different aspects of life during American History.

"The Museum’s unique focus is the depiction of American social history in miniature. The Exhibition Hall presents as three major areas. The first, a timeline of United States History from Native American through Colonial, Old West, early Southwest and modern eras, gives the visitor a vivid sense of what it would be like to live in different regions of our country at various times in the past. " -The Great American Doll House

With hundreds of displays to look at you'll find yourself getting lost in the lives of these historic miniatures. Showcasing everything from the mundane to hidden clues that tell stories throughout the museum. If you explore towards the back you may find some magical non-historic figurines made just for fun!

"You’ll never know unless you walk around the block peeking into the open backs of the houses!"

4. USS Sachem Ruins- Petersburg, KY

A ship that saw many names and owners over the years, the USS Sachem is now most commonly called "The Ghost Ship." Although the attraction is now pertinently closed, it still sits floating where it was last left.

It was abandoned in Petersburg, Kentucky off Lawrenceburg Ferry Road in 1987. Originally a yacht for the rich, it became the USS Sachem when inherited by the US Navy to fight against German U-Boats. The ship became a secret weapon but eventually wasn't able to hold out due to it's size. So, it changed owners again. This time going to Thomas Edison, yes that Edison. He used the ship to come up with creative ways to destroy sub threats. Though it turns out Edison and the US Navy didn't quite get along that well and eventually he left the partnership when his funding was cut in 1918. The Sachem would then become a fishing vessel before once again being called to wartime. After two wars the ship was returned to it's civilian owner to once again to become a vessel for more wealthy endeavors. A cruise ship. But that wasn't to last either, eventually she was permanently docked on a small tributary of the Ohio River. Now she floats in eerie silence with only ghost to tell the story of her past.

To get more details on this fascinating ghost ship check out Atlas Obscura or UssSachem.org

5. Mother Goose House- Hazard KY

Featured in the New York Times, on Oprah, and Garden Television's Extreme Homes, this creation came from the mind of one man named George Stacy. The houses creation began in 1935 and was finished in 1940. Created with a "goose skeleton" made to scale with rocks from both America and Canada. The look is completed with egg shaped windows and car headlights for the Gooses eyes. Though George Stacy has since passed, his legacy lives on in this charming, nest, egg, and goose shaped home.

There are so many weird places across the United States, and Kentucky holds a good handful of them. For more weird and unique places to visit check out Roadside America a great place to start if you're looking to plan the worlds most bizarre road trip, or just interested in the weird! Be sure to check out all the links throughout the blog to explore more in depth about this amazing places!