Whether you live in Akron, Ohio, or are just in town for a few days, there are a number of odd attractions in the area. From a piece of soap box derby history to a huge rubber stamp sculpture, there are some intriguing local sights to see. Here’s a list of four strange attractions to check out in and near Akron.

1. Mechanical Barbie and Her Band of Ken Dolls

Head to Luigi’s Restaurant on North Main Street in Akron for their famous pizza and stay for the band. In this case, it’s a mechanical doll, possibly a Barbie, with a band of dolls that look like Barbie’s famous beau, Ken. While music pumps from the jukebox, this mechanized dolls jam along to every tune with the Ken dolls appearing to play instruments.

It’s unclear who made the automaton wonder and installed it above the door at Luigi’s. Regardless of its mysterious history, the dolls are a fun, odd novelty at a pizza place that’s become an Akron institution thanks to its delicious pies and cheese-covered salads.

2. An Infamous Racer

Located on Derby Downs Drive, the Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame is home to one infamous race car. In 1973, a 14-year-old boy named James Gronen built a soap box derby car with an electromagnet tucked inside its nose. This unfair advantage allowed James to zip ahead of his competition. Even though James won and some people applauded his creativity, race organizers removed his victory because they believed his innovation was an attempt to cheat. Now that it’s on display at the Hall of Fame, visitors can decide if young James is guilty of cheating or ingenuity.

3. The World’s Largest Rubber Stamp Sculpture

Located 45 minutes north of Akron, the world’s largest rubber stamp sculpture resides in Cleveland, Ohio. Originally commissioned in 1985 by the Standard Oil Company of Ohio to add color to their headquarters, the red sculpture didn’t go on public display until 1991 when it was installed in the city’s Willard Park at East Ninth and Lakeside.

Here’s how the stamp sculpture ended up in the park rather than at the Standard Oil building: When British Petroleum (BP) acquired Standard Oil, BP’s CEO refused to allow the rubber stamp onto the Akron property. Because the stamp bore the word “free,” he wrongly assumed it was a snub to BP, insinuating that BP was trying to take away Standard Oil’s freedom. Eventually, BP allowed the city to place it in the park near its original destination at Standard Oil.

4. Eliot Ness Grave

Eliot Ness became famous as a lawman during the Prohibition Era in America. He assembled a group of agents who became known as “The Untouchables” because they rejected the efforts of the mob to buy them off. Any history buffs who find Prohibition or organized crime intriguing will be interested in visiting the grave of Eliot Ness. He’s buried in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland.

Whether you want to see oddities in Akron or head north to Cleveland, there are plenty of strange and interesting sights in this region of the Buckeye State.

Image via Pixabay