Wednesday, January 5, 2011

RIP Shoe Tree of Middlegate, NV

The sad headline from the Roadside America website (mouseover for linky):


We're really not into publishing obituaries, but when a famous shoe tree is murdered, it's front page news. Here we have a streetview image of the shoe tree in happier days:


We have encountered many shoe trees; they're kind of a totem for roadtripping-type folk. Unfortunately, they usually die an ignoble death; chopped down or set on fire by some drunken yahoos.  While we frown on littering of any kind, somehow the lonely shoe trees of America get a pass.  Long live the shoe trees!


Young, healthy shoe tree outside of Vidal Junction, CA


Washington State Rte 97--2 miles east of Shaniko



Western Utah


Route 66, Amboy, CA

2 comments:

Parm said...

Yes. For some reason, famous (or infamous) trees often serve as a moron detector. In a one-time-only kind of way.

I've never gone past (or at least noticed) a shoe tree. I'll have to keep my eyes open. I have, however, seen a boot fence in Pope County, Minnesota, between Glenwood and Alexandria. There's another photo I'd like to dig out.

Rest in peace, shoe tree. At least we know you had a sole . . . .

P. Bunyan said...

Don't know how much good it'll do, but Uncle Sam has G-Men on the case: Feds hunt for shoe tree's killer