8 strangest attractions in North Carolina include ones in Asheville, Beech Mountain

North Carolina has plenty of unusual landmarks and roadside attractions – WorldAtlas writers chose eight of the strangest, including several from Western N.C.

Founded in 1994 by cartographer John Moen and his wife, Chris Woolwine-Moen, WorldAtlas publishes educational materials and articles on geography, sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics and travel. Previously, the publication has put out lists on eccentric towns, best main streets, unique traditions and more in N.C. alone.

Here’s what WorldAtlas said about these eight “unusual and unexpected” attractions plus the full list.

World’s Largest Chest of Drawers – High Point

As the “Home Furnishings Capital of the World,” it’s no wonder High Point houses a testament to their title.

Built in 1926 and renovated in 1996, the World’s Largest Chest of Drawers stands 36 feet high above city streets. The chest of drawers isn’t the only nod to the area’s history – a mismatched pair of two giant socks hanging from the drawers reference the city’s hosiery industry.

WorldAtlas mentions that the landmark is particularly unusual due to its “perfect attention to detail,” with drawers, handles and “socks” built to scale.

Land of Oz Theme Park – Beech Mountain

The first attraction on the list located in WNC is the Land of Oz Theme Park high up in Beech Mountain. The theme park was opened in 1970 and while it closed in 1980, still hosts a yearly “Autumn at Oz” festival featuring food & craft vendors, official Land of Oz souvenirs and Wizard of Oz memorabilia for sale, face painting and more.

In 2024, the festival was held during three September weekends. In 2025, tickets will go on sale in June.

“Props and characters from the original park create an eerily magical atmosphere that blends nostalgia with mountain mist,” WorldAtlas said.

Last Shell-Shaped Shell Station – Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem’s shell-shaped Shell Station is another landmark full of history. The station, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is the last remaining example of Shell Oil’s experimental architecture program from the 1930s.

The building still serves as a small office space, but its restored exterior and surrounding garden remains a “stunning example of programmatic architecture.”

Devil’s Tramping Ground – Bear Creek

A haunting entry on the list, the Devil’s Tramping Ground in Chatham County is a mysterious bare circle known for its inexplicable inability to support plant life despite multiple attempts. This mystery has led local folklore to suggest – as the name implies – that the devil paces in circles on the circular patch, planning mischief.

Scientists have studied the soil within the circle, which has a diameter of roughly 40 feet, but have been unable to find an explanation for its uncultivatable nature. History of interest over the site stretches back to the 1800s, with countless reports of its strange characteristics.

If that wasn’t odd enough, many visitors have reported strange compass behavior in the circle.

Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky – Raleigh

In the state’s capital on the grounds of the NC Museum of Art sits a stone building known as the Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky. Created by artist Chris Drury, the chamber functions as a “camera obscura” projecting an image of the sky and trees outside onto the chamber floor.

An ancient principle, the camera obscura featured in the chamber requires no electricity – only a tiny hole in the roof. As visitors’ eyes adjust, the outside world casts ghostly, inverted shadows onto the building’s stone floor.

House of Mugs – Collettsville

Housed in Caldwell County is a house that lives up to its name. The House of Mugs, created by Avery and Doris Sisk, is covered in more than 30,000 coffee mugs. The landmark began with a few mugs nailed to the house and “grew into an obsession.”

According to WorldAtlas, visitors are welcome to bring mugs to add to the collection, giving each mug its own story. Many mugs bear messages from donors, and the collection continues to grow.

“Local residents help maintain the display, ensuring this unique piece of folk art endures,” WorldAtlas said.

Helen’s Bridge – Asheville

Helen’s Bridge is not only located in WNC, but in Asheville itself. WorldAtlas called the bridge “one of the most haunting landmarks in North Carolina” due to its gothic architecture, isolated location and “ghostly reputation.”

Built in 1909, the legend surrounding the bridge dictates that Helen, a woman who lived in a nearby mansion, hanged herself from the bridge after her daughter died in a fire. Her spirit is said to still appear when her name is called. There are reports from people who have attempted to call her of cars refusing to start when they try to leave.

Shangri-La Stone Village – Prospect Hill

Last but not least is the Shangri-La Stone Village in Caswell County. Built by retired tobacco farmer Henry Warren between 1968-1977, the miniature village is made of “dozens of intricate buildings crafted from tiny stones, arrowheads, and pieces of colorful glass.”

The buildings show great attention to detail, including tiny stained glass windows, scaled architecture, and structures including a church, hotel, theater and hospital. To add to the historical component of the village, Warren used stones collected from counties across N.C. to create the buildings.

Strangest landmarks in North Carolina

As a recap, the full list of WorldAtlas’ strangest landmark in N.C.:

• World’s Largest Chest of Drawers – High Point
• Land of Oz Theme Park – Beech Mountain
• Last Shell-Shaped Shell Station – Winston-Salem
• Devil’s Tramping Ground – Bear Creek
• Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky – Raleigh
• House of Mugs – Collettsville
• Helen’s Bridge – Asheville
• Shangri-La Stone Village – Prospect Hill

More: 5 ‘best main streets’ in North Carolina are in Western NC: See what made the list

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.