Here are ten unexpected small things from Massachusetts that can spark homesickness for anyone who’s called the Bay State home. These details, places, and quirks are woven into daily life and culture—often overlooked until you leave:
1. The Paper House in Rockport
A house (and furniture) made almost entirely from newspapers, built in the 1920s by Elis Stenman. It’s both the state’s strangest and most underrated roadside attraction, and a reminder of Massachusetts’ knack for quirky ingenuity.
2. Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls
A streetcar bridge transformed into a blooming pedestrian walkway, lined with flowers from April to November. Its adaptive reuse and seasonal beauty are pure New England charm.
3. Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden in Springfield
Bronze sculptures of beloved Seuss characters—Horton, the Lorax, the Cat in the Hat—celebrate the Springfield-born author and evoke childhood nostalgia.
4. Edward Gorey House in Yarmouth Port
A Cape Cod home-turned-museum honoring the master of whimsically macabre illustration and storytelling. The house’s quirky, gothic vibe is distinctively Massachusetts.
5. Ponyhenge in Lincoln
A mysterious, ever-growing collection of toy ponies and rocking horses arranged in a field. Locals and passersby add to the “herd,” making it a living, ever-changing oddity.
6. Bewitched Statue in Salem
A bronze statue of Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) on her broomstick, celebrating Salem’s pop culture and witch trial history in one whimsical landmark.
7. Tiny, Historic Town Greens
Village centers with their white-steepled churches, war memorials, and bandstands—often overlooked, but deeply missed for their sense of community and tradition.
8. The Mystery of the Headless Millipedes
Every summer, hundreds of millipedes mysteriously lose their heads on a small Massachusetts island—a bizarre, hyper-local phenomenon you won’t hear about anywhere else.
9. Local Museums of Bad Art
Massachusetts is home to the Museum of Bad Art, a tongue-in-cheek celebration of artistic misfires. It’s a reminder of the state’s offbeat humor and love for the arts.
10. Seasonal Rituals: Dunkin’ Runs & Leaf Peeping
From the near-religious devotion to Dunkin’ Donuts coffee to the annual pilgrimage for fall foliage (“leaf peeping”), these small habits and traditions are quintessentially Massachusetts.
These small, sometimes odd details are what make Massachusetts feel like home—and what you’ll find yourself missing most after you leave.
Sources:
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/massachusetts
- https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/americas-weirdest-roadside-attractions/
- https://www.thetravel.com/roadside-attractions-in-massachusetts-worth-a-road-trip/