The City of Atlanta is doubling down on its roadside attractions, adding a rare Futuro House to its growing collection of big, kitschy things.
The Logan County community of about 1,600 people is perhaps best known for its American Giants Museum, touting the country's largest collection of oversized fiberglass statues once used to advertise businesses. Other tourist attractions in the community along Route 66 include a working grain elevator, historic library and coal mine shaft.
Futuro Houses, while designed for private use, are from the same period as the city's many giants. The prefabricated, lightweight fiberglass homes were developed in the late 1960s by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen to be used as portable vacation homes.
About 100 were made before petroleum prices shot up in the early 1970s. Today, it's believed only about 60 have survived.
In an announcement on social media, museum owner Lee Woods said he'd been looking for one of the rare flying saucer-shaped tiny homes for nearly a decade and had tried to convince the Pink Elephant Antiques in Livingston, two hours southwest of Bloomington-Normal, to sell him theirs. That didn't happen, but Woods and his wife found one, purchased it and are working to have it restored and moved to Atlanta.
Weather permitting, the museum plans to officially unveil its own Futuro House during the first week of November.
"Our goal is to continue making Atlanta, Illinois, one of the most unique and exciting destinations along historic Route 66," Woods said. "With the American Giants Museum, Giant's Route 66 Stop and now the Futuro House, we're bringing even more reasons for visitors to stop, explore and spend time in our great little town."
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