Maybe you've pulled off the highway to take pictures of a giant coffee pot or driven a few extra miles to experience the peculiarity that is a "gravity hill." If not, you've probably at least seen signs for those types of offbeat attractions.

Pennsylvania is full of them.

Roadside attractions have been a quintessential piece of American life for generations. Families on road trips would stop in a small town just to see whatever oddity was there. Now many of these sites are still run by the families that started them, while others are new additions or, in some cases, switched hands to a local government.

For the sake of this list, we looked for quirky places marketed to tourists. Many are found on or near a major roadway.

Dan Gleiter/PennLive file

Haines Shoe House

197 Shoe House Road, Hellam Township, York County

http://www.hainesshoehouse.com/

This home was built in 1948 by Mahlon Haines, the "Shoe Wizard," to serve as an advertisement for his business.

"He took one of his work boots that he sold in stores and took it to an architect and said, 'Build me a house like this.' And he did," said owner Melanie Schmuck, who bought the property with her husband in 2015.

The Schmucks offer guided tours of the house for $5 per person. Tours are available spring through autumn.

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Sean Simmers/PennLive file

The world's oldest penitentiary

2027 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County

https://www.easternstate.org/

Eastern State Penitentiary opened in 1829 as the first penitentiary anywhere in the world. It closed in 1970 and was left to decay for about two decades before reopening to public tours.

Visitors can see Al Capone's cell, see murals from the chaplain's office our tour a hospital block with rusted artifacts and walk inside the old operating room.

Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for students when purchased online, or $2 more at the door.

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Literal fork in the road

Main Street at Centerport Road, Centerport, Berks County

A 9-foot tall steel fork marks the intersection here. Borough Secretary Ruth Borkey told the Reading Eagle that officials were caught off guard when it appeared in 2004.

Darin Miller, who then owned the lot, installed the punny sculpture to make the cement pillar underneath more visible to drivers who might otherwise run into it. That pillar long ago held a sign for a repair garage at the property. Miller considered removing the cement but changed his mind and created some art instead.

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Dan Gleiter/PennLive file

Roadside America

109 Roadside Drive, Shartlesville, Berks County

http://www.roadsideamerica.co/

"The World's Greatest Indoor Miniature Village" depicts American life from the early pioneer days to the middle of the 20th century. Creator Laurence Gieringer set up this attraction in 1953 to house his 8,000 square-foot village and railway. Though he died in 1963, family members have kept his memory alive and continue to operate the attraction.

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PennLive file

Lady Liberty

Susquehanna River near Dauphin, Dauphin County

This 17-and-a-half-foot statue was erected as a prank in July 1986. Gene Stilp built it out of wood and venetian blinds, and he recruited friends to help sneak her into place using two boats, canoes and an elaborate pulley system.

By the time a wind storm destroyed it in 1992, people were so enamored with the statue they wanted a replacement. The current statue is made of wood, metal and fiberglass for durability. It was put in place in 1997.

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Civil War Tails

785 Baltimore St., Gettysburg, Adams County

https://civilwartails.com/

Twin sisters Rebecca and Ruth Brown turned their love of history, modeling clay and cats into this attraction, which has dioramas of Civil War battles built to scale. Admission is $6.50 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12.

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romaryka/Flickr.com

A space acorn

5123 Water St., Kecksburg, Westmoreland County

Kecksburg residents believe something came out of the sky over this community on Dec. 9, 1965, and fell into a wooded hollow. Reports indicate the military found the mysterious object and hauled it away to a base in Ohio. But to this day, no one knows for sure what happened that night. This acorn-shaped monument is a reminder of what people thought they saw. The local fire department also hosts an annual UFO festival.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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Sandu Antonescu/Flickr.com

The Pagoda

98 Duryea Drive, Reading, Berks County

http://www.readingpagoda.com/

This seven-story pagoda on Mount Penn was commissioned in 1906 by William Witman Sr. He wanted it to be a luxury resort, but that plan never came to fruition. The land was deeded to another business owner in 1910 and subsequently sold to the city for $1. The city has maintained the property for the past century.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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Gravity hill

Bethel Hollow Road near New Paris, Bedford County

http://www.gravityhill.com/

A gravity hill is an optical illusion in which a car in neutral (or a ball, or spilled water, etc.) appears to roll uphill. The one in Bedford County is the best known in the state and features spray paint on the pavement so you know where to start and stop.

There are a couple other gravity hills in the commonwealth, too.

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Mark Pynes/PennLive file

Phantastic Phils

Punxsutawney, Jefferson County

http://www.punxsutawney.com/phantastic-phils

These cartoonish groundhog statues have been a highlight for Groundhog Day tourists and offseason visitors since the mid-2000s. Each is decorated by local artists to depict a historic or cultural aspect of the region.

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Jimmy Everson/Flickr.com

The Coffee Pot

108 Telegraph Road, Bedford, Bedford County

The Coffee Pot was built in 1927 by David Berton Koontz to draw in customers to his service station on the Lincoln Highway, according to the Pennsylvania Center for the Book.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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Lisa Wardle/PennLive file

Randyland

1501 Arch St., Pittsburgh, Allegheny County

https://randy.land/

Artist Randy Gilson bought this North Side Pittsburgh property in 1995. In the years since, he has colorfully painted the entire building and created a garden of discarded wonders to explore.

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Greg Miller/Flickr.com

Clyde Peeling's Reptiland

18628 U.S. Route 15, Allenwood, Union County

http://reptiland.com/

Veteran Clyde Peeling opened Reptiland in 1964 to entertain and educate visitors about large and venomous reptiles. The zoo was accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 1986. Admission is $12-$16.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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The "world's largest hamburger"

1452 Woodland Road, Clearfield, Clearfield County

http://dennysbeerbarrelpub.com/

Denny's Beer Barrel Pub has a massive 125-pound burger (it required 72 hours notice to prepare) for families and friends to split. Not quite that hungry? There's are challenges for 2-pound through 25-pound burgers--don't worry, the biggest ones are meant for two people. If you finish it in the allotted time, you get 50 percent off the price and a T-shirt.

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Sean Fallows/Flickr.com

Giant Zippo lighter

1932 Zippo Drive, Bradford, McKean County

https://www.zippo.com/pages/zippo-case-museums

Outside the 15,000-square-foot Zippo Museum is a giant 40-foot replica lighter and lighter-shaped street lights lining the roadway. Inside the museum guests will find historic models, a repair shop and store. Admission is free.

(Image cropped for size and licensed under Creative Commons)

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Joseph Novak/Flickr.com

UFO in Mars

100 Pittsburgh St., Mars, Butler County

https://www.visitbutlercounty.com/attractions/mars

When there's a town named Mars, of course you can expect to see something that references outer space. The town square houses a silver flying saucer, or rather, a silver grounded saucer. It's about 3 feet tall and 6 feet across.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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Adam Moss/Flickr.com

A lighthouse nowhere near a lake or ocean

5 Lighthouse Island, Tionesta, Forest County

http://www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/tionesta/page-6.php

This 75-foot tall lighthouse is not a functional navigational tool, standing 60 miles from Lake Erie, the nearest navigable body of water. Instead it serves as a family memorial that holds a collection of miniature lighthouses.

The local Lions club opens the lighthouse for tours a few times a year, offering tours for $5.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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Jeff Kubina/Flickr.com

Bison Corral

2708 Route 30, Schellsburg, Bedford County

http://www.visitbedfordcounty.com/bison/

The Bison Corral started on a small farm in 1988 as a hobby, but the owners now have two locations with fields of animals to observe. Visitors can stop in the gift shop for bison-themed gifts like puzzles and prints, as well as bison meat.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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One of the smallest churches in the country

101 Decker Chapel Road, St. Marys, Elk County

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Deckers-Chapel/130206207015106

Legend has it Michael Decker built this tiny chapel in 1856 after falling from an apple tree and injuring himself. He vowed to build a chapel if the injury healed. It is unofficially considered one of the smallest chapels in the United States.

The building has been on the National Register of Historical Places since 1998.

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Peter Miller/Flickr.com

Check's Radio Museum

660 Hillville Road, Karns City, Armstrong County

Retired KDKA engineer Mel Check opened his personal collection to public view in 1999, housed in a room above his detached garage. The museum features about 1,500 radios, ranging from 1920s speakers to 1980s cartoon character radios.

The museum is open 1-6 p.m. most Sundays from May to October. Call 724-526-5202 to confirm hours or arrange a visit at a different time.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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The Johnstown Inclined Plane

206 Johns St., Johnstown, Cambria County

https://www.inclinedplane.org/

This funicular railway is branded as the steepest in the world. It was built to connect downtown with homes in Westmont Borough after the devastating flood in 1889.

Round-trip fares are $5 for adults and $3 for children. One-way fares are $3 and $2.

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Doug Kerr/Flickr.com

Road sign mural

18492 Smock Highway, Meadville, Crawford County

https://www.amarageffenstudios.com/?page_id=131

This 1,200-foot long sculptural relief made of repurposed road signs decorates the perimeter of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's local maintenance office. There are also flowers made of reclaimed signs on the other corner of the lot.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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The Cross of Christ

887 Jumonville Road, Hopwood, Fayette County

https://jumonville.org/location/cross/

You might spot this 60-foot cross while driving through southwestern Pennsylvania. This steel cross was erected in 1950 at the top of Dunbar's Knob, so it's easy to see from a distance.

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Houdini Museum

1433 N. Main Ave., Scranton, Lackawanna County

http://www.houdini.org/

The museum features displays of the famous magician's props, letters, handbills and newspaper clips about his performances.

Admission is $17.95 for adults and $14.95 for children when reserved in advance, or $20 at the door.

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Mike Procario/Flickr.com

The Avenue of 444 Flags

2619 E. State St., Hermitage, Mercer County

http://www.avenueofflags.com/avenue-of-hope-pride-and-patriotism/

Tom Flynn wanted to bring attention to the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1979, so he raised one U.S. flag on his parkland. As the days wore on, he added more flags. By the time the hostage situation finally ended on Jan. 20, 1981, he had erected 444 flags in Hillcrest Memorial Park.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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The Stoogeum

904 Sheble Lane, Ambler, Montgomery County

http://stoogeum.com/

The Stoogeum contains 100,000 pieces of Three Stooges memorabilia all within a three-story building.

Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students.

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Nicholas A. Tonelli/Flickr.com

Columcille Megalith Park

2155 Fox Gap Road, Bangor, Northampton County

http://www.columcille.org/index.html

This outdoor sanctuary is rooted in Celtic spirituality but open to anyone looking for quiet meditation and wandering.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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Chef Boyardee statue

30 Marr St., Milton, Northumberland County

ConAgra Foods has produced Chef Boyardee branded products here for about 80 years, and this statue was erected in honor of the real chef behind the can. Ettore Boiardi (the family spelling) founded the company in 1928 with his brothers. They picked Milton to be close to their tomato supply.

"He was a chef, who at a young age was known all over the world. He was that good," nephew Paul Boiardi told WNEP at the statue's unveiling in 2013.

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Coudersport Ice Mine

176 Ice Mine Road, Coudersport, Potter County

https://www.facebook.com/gary.buchsen/

This peculiar place begins to form ice in spring and it melts in the fall. As such, the mine is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Admission is $5 for adults and $2.50 for children.

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(AP file)

The world's oldest continuously producing oil well

Waitz Road, Oil City, Venango County

https://www.drakewell.org/what-to-see-and-do/mcclintock-well-1

This well began pumping crude oil in 1861 and continues to produce more than 150 years later. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission acquired the site in 2000, and the Drake Well Museum now maintains the historic site. Proceeds from the minor oil sales go toward upkeep.

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James St. John/Flickr.com

Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine

2001 Walnut St., Ashland, Schuylkill County

http://www.pioneertunnel.com/

This coal mine ceased operations in 1931 and opened to the public as an educational experience in 1963. Visitors can ride in electric mine cars while learning about how anthracite coal is mined. The attraction also has a narrow gauge steam train.

Coal mine tour is $10.50 for adults and $7.50 for children. Train ride is $8.50 for adults and $6.50 for children. Combination tickets offer a discount.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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Mark Pynes/PennLive file

Two-headed calves and other oddities

224 Baltimore St., Gettysburg, Adams County

https://gettysburgdimemuseum.com/

The Gettysburg Dime Museum costs more than 10 cents to enter, but it's modeled after 19th-century museums that displayed exactly the types of curiosities as this modern interpretation of a dime museum. There are two-headed animals, a shrunken head and Abraham Lincoln's final bowel movement framed for public view.

Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children.

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jcsullivan24/Flickr.com

The oldest existing gas station in the U.S.

3205 Sixth St., Altoona, Blair County

http://www.martinoilco.com/reighards

There was no fuel pump in the early 1900s, so drivers had to get off their seats and use a hand-crank and gravity to pour fuel into the tank underneath.

Reighard's claims it dates back to 1909 and today is the oldest gas station still in service. The Reighard family operated this station until 1978 when Martin Oil Company took over.

(Image licensed under Creative Commons)

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Singing statue of Perry Como

68 E. Pike St., Canonsburg, Washington County

This statue of Canonsburg native Perry Como stands right outside the borough building and croons to passers-by.

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Sundae-shaped ice cream shop

462 E. Main St., Everett, Bedford County

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Igloo-Soft-Freeze/147291791964991

Igloo Soft Freeze will make you hungry just driving buy. Here you can order an ice cream sundae at a giant ice cream sundae.

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