As Good As Being There

World’s Largest Egg – Winlock, WA

The big egg located in the city of Winlock, Washington, south of Tacoma, is twelve feet long and weighs 1,200 lbs. It sits on a pedestal on a ten-foot steel pole in the wide, grassy median running through the center of town. On the pedestal is written "World's Largest EGG, WINLOCK."

Winlock was America's second largest egg producing town until the 1950s, but local egg pride shows no sign of cracking. The first big egg was fashioned from canvas by town boosters in 1923, part of a celebration around the opening of the Pacific Highway. A plastic version replaced it in 1944. In the 1960s, the egg was upgraded to fiberglass model, which lasted until the early 1990s. A local chicken hatcheryman, Vern L. Zander, funded the most recent egg before his death in 1993. Winlock holds its Egg Day festival on the third weekend in June.

Since 2001 is has been painted to appear as an ovoid American flag, with red and white bars, and stars against a field of blue.

In 2004, the Egg remained adorned with the American flag design. The back reads, in hand-painted script, "God Bless America." Perhaps it has become the town's 9/11 Memorial, the egg a symbol for the thin shell of a free society.

Satellite view - via Google Maps
Pictures - via Google Images
In the News - via Google News
Hotels and Motels - via Google Local
Official website - N/A

Bill Gates home - King county, WA

William Henry Gates III, born October 28, 1955, commonly known as Bill Gates, is an American businessman and a computer pioneer. According to Forbes magazine, Gates is the wealthiest person in the world.

Bill Gates lives in a very large earth-sheltered home in the side of a hill overlooking Lake Washington. It is a very modern 21st century house in the "Pacific lodge" style, with advanced electronic systems everywhere. In one respect though it is more like an 18th or 19th century mansion: It has a large private library with a domed reading room. While it does have a classic flavor the home has many unique qualities. Visitors are surveyed and given a microchip upon entrance. This small chip sends signals throughout the house, and the rooms temperature and other factors change according to the preset user preferences.

Satellite view - via Google Maps
Pictures - via Google Images
In the News - via Google News
Hotels and Motels - via Google Local
Official website 

Space Needle - Seattle, WA

Built in 1962, the Space Needle served as the symbol of that year's World's Fair.  It has since become the symbol of Seattle, and one of the most recognizable structures in the world.  The privately owned Space Needle is managed by the Space Needle Corporation.  The Space Needle was built on a 120' x 120' lot formerly owned by the city of Seattle , which was sold to investors for $75,000 in 1961, just one year before the opening of the World's Fair.

See Space Needle - via Google Maps
See Space Needle - via flickr
Hotels and Motels - via Google local
Official website