The Keweenau Vortex
Jul. 30th, 2009 11:40 amAlong US 41, just northeast of Calumet, and a little southwest of the unincorporated community of Allouez, is the Prospector's Paradise rock and mineral shop. They sell all manner of rocks, minerals, fossiles, gemstones, and precious metals, both local and from abroad. The piece that most stands out in my mind was a multi-kilogram polished sphere of solid lapis, with a price tag several thousand dollars higher than any car I've ever owned.
Along with the signage for the store itself and an 'Ancient Copper Culture Museum' (which I was unable to find, though I didn't ask about it since we were passing through) was this sign. It was so memorably strange, I had to take a picture.

I love tourist trappy stuff like this! My assumption is that it's a Mystery Spot sort of place; there a number of them around. Regrettably, we didn't experience it first hand as we were just passing through and it's location was not immediately obvious.
While we were in the store, one of the owners was complaining loudly about some group of 'weirdos' who were taking pictures of 'piles of junk' outside the store that nobody had any business being interested in. I tried not to express how much I resemble that remark. She was suspicious that they weren't taking pictures of 'something interesting' and seemed to be worried about some kind of land rights issue that was pending.
I think the two people on the sign may be the owners of the shop, though I'm not sure. I think there was a resemblance, but I'm not the one to ask about such things....
This store was just a few hundred yards down the road from a nifty antique shop called "The Last Place on Earth". I love it.
Along with the signage for the store itself and an 'Ancient Copper Culture Museum' (which I was unable to find, though I didn't ask about it since we were passing through) was this sign. It was so memorably strange, I had to take a picture.

I love tourist trappy stuff like this! My assumption is that it's a Mystery Spot sort of place; there a number of them around. Regrettably, we didn't experience it first hand as we were just passing through and it's location was not immediately obvious.
While we were in the store, one of the owners was complaining loudly about some group of 'weirdos' who were taking pictures of 'piles of junk' outside the store that nobody had any business being interested in. I tried not to express how much I resemble that remark. She was suspicious that they weren't taking pictures of 'something interesting' and seemed to be worried about some kind of land rights issue that was pending.
I think the two people on the sign may be the owners of the shop, though I'm not sure. I think there was a resemblance, but I'm not the one to ask about such things....
This store was just a few hundred yards down the road from a nifty antique shop called "The Last Place on Earth". I love it.