- Dinosaur Gardens Prehistorical Zoo
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Dinosaur Gardens Prehistorical Zoo is an offbeat tourist attraction located in Ossineke, Michigan, USA. Built on a 40-acre (160,000 m2) tract of drained swampland, visitors to the “zoo” encounter several dozen home-made sculptures of dinosaurs, prehistoric birds, prehistoric mammals, and cavemen, many of which are arranged into action-packed (and often violent) tableaus. The attraction, started by folk artist Paul N. Domke in the 1930s, also boasts a gift shop and a dinosaur-themed miniature golf course.
Dinosaur Gardens is perhaps best known for its seemingly out-of-place Christian imagery. For example, visitors are greeted at the entrance by a statue of Jesus holding a globe in his left hand. One can also climb into the belly of an Apatosaurus sculpture and find a display proclaiming Jesus as “The Greatest Heart.” However, such eccentricities have made the attraction a popular destination for generations of curiosity seekers. Indeed, brochures for Dinosaur Gardens claim that more photographs are taken there than at any other location in Michigan.
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Coordinates: 44°55′01″N 83°26′22″W / 44.916939°N 83.439381°W
Categories:- Roadside attractions in the United States
- Dinosaur sculptures
- Visitor attractions in Michigan
- Visitor attractions in Alpena County, Michigan
- 1930s establishments
- Buildings and structures in Alpena County, Michigan
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