Tag: town pride

In 2005, a strange little thing popped up outside a coffee shop in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was a tiny doorway, just about the right size for, say, a small, mythical, flying creature. It was the first in what has become a series of "fairy doors" scattered about the city, hidden in discreet corners, sometimes leading to tiny, secret rooms.

Thought a couple of have reportedly vanished recently, a number remain as a sort of scavenger hunt of an attraction. Upon finding them, visitors have made a habit of leaving tiny gifts in the form of coins, candy or notes.

Messy Nessy Chic has more on the phenomenon, including its origin.

On my most a recent, and final, research trip to the Sooner State for my upcoming book, Weird Oklahoma, I traveled to the panhandle to visit the especially welcoming city of Hooker.

I'm always pleased to run across a town with a name that infects me with prurient giggles, but the fact that Hooker has embraced my sophomoric humor pleases me even more. They've turned fourth-grade humor into a booming tourist industry, hawking souvenirs covered in double entendres.

As a preview to Weird Oklahoma, I've posted my story of Hooker, Oklahoma, along with a collection of photos I took while I was there. Enjoy!