I want the biggest and smallest. The rest can suck it.

September 2, 2009 5:37 PM

Where can I find a list of the smallest things (and for that matter) the biggest things in America?

I've got some time off coming I have to take and I'm thinking of taking a trip with my new camera to photograph some of these things. I'm thinking of stuff like the smallest bar in America. The biggest hamburger. The breeder of the smallest dogs. The biggest shoes. Stuff like that.

The only thing that would be ideal (but not entirely necessary) is that there's some sort of designation of some kind. Like a sign that says "Smallest town in Texas" or "Biggest shoe in Tulsa."

If someone has one of these lists somewhere please help me find it. If not, feel free to list anything you personally know about.

posted by rileyray3000 to travel & transportation (7 answers total)

World's Smallest Park
posted by bondcliff at 5:45 PM on September 2, 2009

This sounds like a fun project!

It looks like Roadside America probably has a lot of examples of what you're looking for. Be sure to check out the state pages accessible from this page.
posted by DrGail at 5:51 PM on September 2, 2009

The Guinness World Records site can probably be searched for stuff like this.
posted by orme at 5:59 PM on September 2, 2009

If you can track her down, there's the lady who runs the traveling museum of The World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Version of the World's largest things. She's a stitch, and the schoolbus museum is awesome... somewhat peripatetic though. More helpfully, on the website there's a list of the world's largest things don't be fooled by the name though... it's mainly the U.S. as brobiggening the oddest items seems a national pastime.
Unfortunately, I cannot help you sweat the small stuff.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 6:22 PM on September 2, 2009

The World's Smallest Skyscraper in Wichita Falls, Texas was built in 1919 by a con man who failed to tell his investors that the plans for the building were drawn in inches rather than feet. He escaped with the loot and left this building behind.
posted by tamitang at 11:11 PM on September 2, 2009

The smallest bar in the (world/US/Florida) is in Key West. It has two seats. My wife and I had to stop for a drink and take a picture. The bartender is awesome, too.
posted by Grither at 6:53 AM on September 3, 2009

The Corning Museum of Glass (Corning, NY) is working on the World's Biggest Glass Pumpkin.
posted by knile at 1:57 PM on September 3, 2009