If you’re traveling I-10 between Tucson and El Paso, you may notice a significant number of blue and yellow of billboards advertising a strange attraction: The Thing? This mysterious Arizona roadside stop can be found in Dragoon, AZ, which lies between the cities of Benson and Wilcox in the southeast region of the state. Keep reading to learn the history of this long-standing tourist attraction and find out what lies behind the well-known local advertising campaign.
The History of The Thing
The Thing’s history dates back to the mid-twentieth century, when Thomas Binkley Prince purchased this oddity and decided to set up a roadside attraction. Today, 247 billboards advertise the Thing along I-10; you can find the small museum and gift shop just off Exit 322. The attraction itself has been open since 1950, and has been at its current location since 1965. After Price’s death in 1969, his wife, Janet, continued to maintain the attraction, which is today owned and operated by Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc.
The Attraction
The Thing itself lies among many other exhibits in this unique museum, which currently charges a two-dollar admission fee per visitor. As you make your way to The Thing, you’ll first encounter a number of exhibits that include a 1937 Rolls Royce claimed to have been used by Adolf Hitler, several wood carvings depicting ancient methods of torture, and items found in U.S. households of the past. The Thing itself, located in the third of three sheds, is a pair of mummified bodies: a mother and her small child, who lie preserved inside a glass coffin. They are believed to have been created by Homer Tate, a man famous for developing items specifically for use in sideshows and roadside attractions.
