On the side of the highway near Winganon, Oklahoma, you’ll see a space capsule with NASA painted on the side. If you look closer, you’ll realize that it’s not real, but a piece of highway art. Neat! But the story behind the capsule is even neater.
The landmark came into being by a happy accident when a concrete-filled cement mixer truck, which was on its way to help build the bridge over Oologah Lake, had rolled over here in 1959. By the time a tow truck arrived to haul the cement truck away, all of the cement had hardened inside the mixer. Unable to handle the extra weight, the crew decided to haul only the truck and come back for the detached mixer later, which never happened. Eventually the locals discovered the relic, and the mixer became an easy target for anyone with spray paint.
And that was it, until 2011 when local artists Barry and Heather Thomas took responsibility for making the cement tank look respectable. Read that story and see plenty of pictures at Amusing Planet. And keep your eye out for the Winganon Capsule next time you’re driving through Oklahoma. -via the Presurfer
(Image credit: Flickr user Cassie)