Everything OddWay knows about. Narrow it down by what you're after, or where you're going.
Giant objects, odd monuments and things built for no clear reason.
Warwick, RI
A 60-foot parabolic arch from the 1964–65 New York World's Fair now stands inside Rocky Point State Park. It was one of 11 General Foods "Archways to Understanding" that originally carried electronic information displays for fairgoers. After relocation to Rocky Point it became a familiar meeting landmark and survived the amusement park itself.
Providence, RI
A gigantic blue termite named Nibbles Woodaway has stared down at Interstate 95 traffic since 1980. The roughly 58-foot-long insect became so recognizable that it evolved from a pest-control advertisement into one of Rhode Island's best-known roadside icons.
Middletown, RI
A roughly 25-foot shark hangs above Flo's Clam Shack, looking like a creature that landed on the building rather than a restaurant decoration. The fiberglass-and-foam shark previously belonged to a Cranston nightclub before being rescued and relocated to Aquidneck Island. It is visible from the restaurant exterior.
Providence, RI
Completed in 1907, the massive Cranston Street Armory resembles a medieval fortress planted in a Providence neighborhood, with twin towers and an enormous drill hall. Its scale and castle-like exterior have made it a favorite landmark even when the interior is not open. Unless an official event or tour is scheduled, treat this as an exterior viewing stop. Secondary source: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cranston-street-armory
Cumberland, RI
Iron Mine Hill contains one of the best-known exposures of Cumberlandite, an unusually dense magnetic rock found in significant quantities almost nowhere outside this part of Rhode Island. The material was named the official state rock in 1966. Reaching the outcrops involves a real hike, so visitors should use established trails and leave the rock in place.
Narragansett, RI
This approximately 20-foot wooden figure was carved by artist Peter Toth as part of his nationwide Whispering Giants series honoring Indigenous peoples. Installed in 1982, the sculpture is known as Enishkeetompauog Narragansett and stands in Sprague Park. Weathering has made the towering face even more striking over time.
Charlestown, RI
Erik Rock is one of five giant Rhode Island trolls built from reclaimed materials by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. Installed at Ninigret Park in 2024, Erik sits near Little Ninigret Pond and contains clues directing visitors toward companion troll Greta Granit. The sculpture is free to visit; climbing on the troll is discouraged.
North Kingstown, RI
A muscular bronze Seabee carrying a rifle and heavy tools stands outside the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park near the former Quonset Point naval base. The figure reproduces the famous "Fighting Seabee" image associated with the U.S. Naval Construction Battalions. Check museum and grounds hours before visiting.
Providence, RI
Built in 1885 for the Providence Art Club, this highly decorated half-timbered studio looks dramatically different from the surrounding Colonial-era buildings on Thomas Street. Carved figures, patterned panels and an asymmetrical façade give it the appearance of an illustrated storybook building dropped into College Hill.
Watch Hill, RI
This nineteenth-century carousel uses horses suspended from chains instead of the up-and-down poles found on most carousels. As the ride spins, centrifugal force sends the wooden horses outward, creating the impression that they are flying. It is one of the oldest continuously operating carousels of its type and runs seasonally.
Portsmouth, RI
Dozens of shrubs have been clipped into oversized animals and geometric forms across this historic estate, including bears, birds, a camel and a giraffe. The collection dates back more than a century and is considered the oldest topiary garden in the United States. Admission and operating dates follow the Preservation Society's seasonal schedule.
Charlestown, RI
Greta Granit crouches in the woods of Ninigret Park at the end of a marked search from fellow troll Erik Rock. Built with community volunteers and recycled wood, she is distinguished by a long bamboo ponytail. Greta and Erik are separate permanent installations and each functions as its own routable stop.
Providence, RI
Artist Boris Bally built this roughly 3,500-pound obelisk from more than 1,000 firearms surrendered during a gun buyback. The weapons were crushed and welded into a towering public sculpture outside Providence's federal courthouse. From a distance it resembles a dark stone monument; up close the individual gun parts become visible.
Newport, RI
A bronze street performer and his small monkey occupy a permanent spot in downtown Newport. The life-size pair look like buskers frozen in place and have become a whimsical photo stop amid the historic commercial district.
North Kingstown, RI
Iver Mudslider joined Rhode Island's Thomas Dambo Troll Trail in 2025 and hides along a short walk in Ryan Park. Like Dambo's other giant trolls, Iver is constructed largely from discarded and reclaimed wood and is intended to draw visitors into the landscape rather than simply sit beside a road.
Foster, RI
At 812 feet, Jerimoth Hill is Rhode Island's highest natural point. It was once notorious among highpointers because access crossed private land whose former owner sharply restricted visitors, but the approach is now publicly accessible. The summit itself is subtle rather than dramatic, making the historical difficulty of reaching it part of the oddity.
Pawtucket, RI
This streamlined stainless-steel diner is a surviving 1940 Sterling Streamliner and became the first diner placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its rounded, locomotive-like exterior looks more like a retro-futurist railcar than a conventional restaurant. It remains open for breakfast and lunch.
East Providence, RI
Mrs. Skipper is the easternmost member of Rhode Island's five-troll Thomas Dambo trail and sits near Kettle Point in East Providence. The oversized figure was completed in 2025 from reclaimed materials and expanded the project beyond South County. It is free to visit and intended as an interactive outdoor artwork rather than a climbing structure.
Providence, RI
A gigantic green dragon appears to crawl over the roof of the Providence Children's Museum, with its head and tail visible on opposite sides of the building. The sculpture survived an earlier home before being adopted by the museum and later received the name Nori through a children's contest. Museum admission is required for the full visit, though portions of the dragon can be seen from outside.
New Shoreham, RI
Since 1962, residents and visitors have repeatedly repainted this boulder at the junction of Mohegan Trail, Lakeside Drive and Snake Hole Road. Designs can change within days during the summer, leaving countless older layers sealed underneath the newest message. It is one of Block Island's most enduring handmade roadside traditions. Secondary source: https://torijonesstudio.com/pages/visit-us-on-block-island
Little Compton, RI
Peggotty is an eccentric thatched artist's studio designed to resemble an overturned boat and built by Rhode Island artist Sydney Burleigh in the early 1900s. The unusual structure was preserved and relocated to the Little Compton Historical Society's Wilbor House property. Museum access is seasonal.
Middletown, RI
A narrow coastal gorge cuts roughly 50 feet down through the rock at this small public overlook. Its dramatic name and sudden drop have inspired local stories while the actual formation offers a striking example of erosion along Aquidneck Island's shoreline. Stay behind barriers and follow seasonal town access rules.
Adamsville, RI
A granite monument in the village of Adamsville commemorates the Rhode Island Red, the chicken breed developed in this area during the nineteenth century. The bird later became Rhode Island's official state bird. The monument turns an otherwise ordinary roadside corner into a shrine to poultry history.
Charlestown, RI
Despite the name, this rambling rural attraction is not an umbrella factory. The property grew into a collection of small shops, gardens, wandering animals, sculptures and quirky structures spread through a wooded setting. It has the loose, handmade character of an old-school roadside attraction rather than a conventional shopping center.
