Europe In the United States
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The
Union Jack and the Stars & Stripes
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First, it should be noted that this is by no means an exhaustive list of the European themed attractions in the U.S. In fact, there are whole travel guides dedicated to the traveler in search of European tributes and the eccentric roadside attraction. What follows is merely a peek into the fascination and nostalgia that many Americans have for Europe and the famous sights it holds.
The Eiffel Towers
There is an Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas, situated where else but in front of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. This spire is a modest half-scale replica of the original and greets guests as they enter the hotel from the Vegas strip. One replica may be enough for most towns, but as Las Vegas is known for its extravagance, it boasts another Eiffel Tower in Paradise, just a short drive south from the strip. The Paradise tower measures an impressive 540 feet (165 m), making it the highest Eiffel replica in the U.S. Ohio and Virginia both boast their own Eiffels, as does the Disneyland resort in California and Disneyworld in Florida. Additionally, there's a Meccano model of the Eiffel Tower that measures 33-feet high(11m) high at the Technology Museum of Georgia in Atlanta and an Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas, that is topped with a cowboy hat, giving it a true Texan style.
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Eiffel Tower in Las
Vegas |
Dismissed as inauthentic with a touch-of-tacky by many Europeans who visit, the city of Las Vegas nonetheless features a number of attractions that at one time were only available across the Atlantic. Visitors to this red light oasis in the middle of the Nevada desert can see several replicas of European landmarks, many almost as impressive as the originals. Aside from the Eiffel Tower, Las Vegas also offers visitors the chance to experience attractions as diverse as the Egyptian pyramids and the Great Wall of China, albeit on a much smaller scale. The pyramids have been reconfigured as hotel suites at the Luxor hotel, an expansive accommodation that boasts over 2200 rooms and a 30-story elevator that works on a 39 degree incline as it takes guests up to their rooms. There is also a replica of the Sphinx and a model of the Great Wall of China at the Luxor, making it a virtual world unto itself.
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Cadillac
Ranch in Texas
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What's a visit to Europe without the requisite photo of that monolithic circle that's near and dear to everyone's hearts, Stonehenge. Forget driving through the English countryside and head for New Hampshire, Nebraska or Texas, each home to Stonehenge tributes. The first is true to the original in name only. Visitors to Salem, New Hampshire, can visit the site of what is dubbed America's Stonehenge, so named because of archaeological evidence that suggests that this may be one of the oldest human-made constructions in the United States, dating back some 4000 years. The area now features a visitor center, nature trails and more for visitors to enjoy.
Carhenge is one of the more famous Stonehenge impostors, located near Alliance, Nebraska. This arrangement features a faithful reproduction in terms of placement to the original Stonehenge, though the rocks have been replaced by aging automobiles that have been sunk into the ground and painted a stony grey.
The Texas Cadillac Ranch expands on the Stonehenge mythology in that it displays cars sunk into the ground, however the placement does not emulate its English counterpart and the cars have been left with their original paint. Additionally, care has been taken to ensure that the cadillacs rest at the same angle as the pyramids of Egypt. Nonetheless, it is an impressive artistic undertaking that draws hundreds of visitors a year to Amarillo. Texas is also home to Stonehenge II, a half-scale replica of the Salisbury original that can be found near Kerrville in Texas Hill Country. Although this monument is on private land, visitors are encouraged to get out of their cars and explore what turns out not to be stone but steel frames and plaster painted to resemble the real Stonehenge.
Blarney Stone
Keeping with the U.K. attractions, even the Blarney Stone has U.S. cousins. Shamrock, Texas, is home to a piece of the original Blarney Castle of Ireland, giving it a certain legitimacy for those looking for good luck through kissing. The castle stone has been set in a cylindrical concrete monument in Elmore Park and is the centerpiece for the annual crowning of Ms. Shamrock on St. Patrick's Day.
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| The Statue Of Liberty |
The famed London Bridge gets the American treatment in Lake Havasu, Arizona. Featuring the English Village under the bridge with British-style shops and restaurants, Lake Havasu's bridge was actually dismantled in England and shipped to Arizona to be rebuilt piece by piece in the late 1960s. Bought by a gentleman by the name of Bob McCulloch for nearly $2.5 million, the bridge reconstruction was accompanied by city planning that saw a channel dredged from Lake Havasu so that the bridge would have somewhere to span. Roads were subsequently laid out around the bridge area in a circular fashion, resulting in the lack of straight roads in the city. It should also be noted that the local radio station is KBBC, introduced on-air as BBC Radio, representing another nod to the British atmosphere.
Statue of Liberty
Although it's not a foreign landmark, the Statue of Liberty was originally donated to the U.S. by France, giving it a tenuous link to Europe. The gift from France is of course located in Manhattan and is a symbol of freedom both to Americans and to immigrants seeking the elusive American Dream. The power of this symbol was too much for just one city, so the Boy Scouts of Georgia donated a scale model of the statue to the State in 1951. Today, visitors can view this copy at the northwest corner of Georgia's state capitol grounds. Yet another Southern replica of the Statue of Liberty is located in Birmingham, Alabama. This statue is famous for having a real flame on her torch, powered by Alabama natural gas. Finally, the town of Loveland, Colorado, also boasts a Statue of Liberty, albeit on a smaller scale. This six-foot statue is located on a road-dividing median near Lake Loveland and was also dedicated by the Boy Scouts in 1952, then rededicated in 1985.
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A
gondolier at work
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Not in the air but on the water, the gondolas of Venice are known the world over as epitomes of romance and relaxation. Lucky for visitors to Heartland of America Park in Omaha, Nebraska, the romance can be found closer to home. Gondolas of Heartland America features gondola helmsmen dressed in traditional Venetian garb, complete with poles for navigation and a blind eye for amorous couples.
American Towns in the
European Tradition
There are many towns in the United States that commemorate the countries from which their founders came. In particular, Bavaria is popular among middle American towns such as Frankenmuth, Michigan, and Leavenworth, Washington. Both claim a distinct Bavarian atmosphere in the town, ranging from German wood-carved storefronts to restaurants boasting wursts and beer in steins. October is a good time to visit either town and witness the ubiquitous high stepping lederhosen and oompa music that means Oktoberfest, an annual event that continues to define both towns.
Other European-themed towns in the United States include Stanton in Iowa, home of the largest Swedish coffee pot in the U.S. This monument to caffeine consumption can be seen for miles around. The Swedish are also strongly represented in Kingsburg, California. This town features windmills and another massive Swedish coffee pot that can be seen from Highway 99. For Netherlander tributes and a look at Dutch heritage, the town of Pella in Iowa beckons with a host of pannekoken, or Dutch pancakes, and a profusion of tulips. Clogs and a canal running through town completes this Hollandaise atmosphere in the middle of Iowa.
