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All the United States Illinois Bloomington

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Bloomington

2 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Bloomington, Illinois

Updated September 7, 2022

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Unusual Attractions in Bloomington

The carved tree trunk.

Bloomington, Illinois

Dorothy's Grave

The carved remains of a 200-year-old oak tree memorialize the namesake of the iconic "Wizard of Oz" character.
Statue

Bloomington, Illinois

Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn's Grave

A giant wooden statue of one of the greatest pitchers in 19th-century baseball.
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Permanently Closed
Commemorative Statue

Normal, Illinois

Abandoned Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s School

This abandoned 19th century orphanage started as a boarding school for children of Civil War veterans.
2 miles from Bloomington
A small part of the Funk collection.

Shirley, Illinois

Funk Gem and Mineral Museum

Eclectic collection of rare and beautiful stones in a historic home.
7 miles from Bloomington
Pinball Paradise

McLean, Illinois

Arcadia

Just off I-55 in McLean, Illinois, is a place where you can play over 100 arcade and pinball machines for 25-75 cents a pop.
14 miles from Bloomington

Atlanta, Illinois

American Giants Museum

A small museum celebrating the fiberglass giants that are icons of America's highways.
19 miles from Bloomington
Paul Bunyon

Atlanta, Illinois

Paul Bunyon

While he no longer has an eatery to give him context, this off-brand Paul Bunyan still holds his giant hot dog with pride.
19 miles from Bloomington
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