has anybody visited the tourist trap in cochise, arizona, that houses something called "The Thing"?

Question

what is "The Thing"? and is it worth visiting?...thx..

Answer 1

"The Thing? is located off of exit 318, in Dragoon, Arizona, on the southside of the highway. The attraction is part of a large gas station/gift shop that is immediately off of the interstate. It costs $1, paid at the shop's cash register, to see 'The Thing,' a mummified mother-and-child tableau in a glass case. There are also other exhibits, such as a medieval torture chamber with mannequins and a car said to have belonged to Hitler."

I don't think it's worth it, unless you are relatively close and have time to kill.

Answer 2

The Thing is a classic road-side tourist trap along I-10 between Tucson and Las Cruces (just outside the small town of Wilcox). They are famous for the numerous yellow billboards which start at about a 100 miles both east and west. The complex consists of a gas station, gift shop (of the minnitonka moccasins and velvet Elvis rug variety) and a Dairy Queen (leading some people to refer to the whole lot as 'The Dairy Thing').

Of course the star of the show is 'The Thing' itself and a collection of associated exhibits which can be viewed for the very reasonable price of $1 per person. This buys you entrance to the back lot where several large tin sheds contain an assortment of 'artifacts' and exhibits. As a poster above notes, this includes life-sized wooden replicas of medieval torture victims, a 1930s German army car which 'may' have belonged to Hitler, antique furniture, a covered wagon, and - my personal favorite - an exhibit featuring a giant stuffed tarantula eating a stuffed bird. At the end of all this, sits The Thing in a concrete coffin with a glass lid.

The Thing appears to be a mummified body clutching the mummified body of a small child. The appearance is somewhat similar to the Incan mummies where the skeleton is still covered in a stretched parched raw-hide like skin. A few arrowheads and bits of prehistoric pottery are in the case, giving the impression that this is the remains of some prehistoric indian that might have been found in an ancient cliff dwelling.

However, the bodie is actually a fake. There was a news item earlier this year about several people complained to the Bereau of Indian Affairs (BIA) saying that it was a disrepectful and potentially illegal display of Native American remains. A BIA archaeologist investigated The Thing and determined (both in looking at it and talking to the owner) that it was in fact a carved wood fake originally made as a circus side-show exhibit about a 100 years ago (there were a few decorative human finger bones in the case with it that were from a prehistoric site - these were removed from the exhibit). Having visited The Thing on numerous occasions, I have to say it is pretty obvious that the body is a fake - but it is amusing and creepy looking anyways.

Another interesting 'Thing About The Thing' - Through out the exhibit hall are a number of very freaky looking wooden carved creatures. They are naturally twisted and contorted branches and tree limbs that have been carved and painted to resemble odd little demons, monsters, and critters. These things do kinda give me the creeps (more than the The Thing itself). These weird little statues were carved in the 1930s and 40s by folk artist Clem Shaffer who founded the Rancho Bonito guest ranch near Mountainair, New Mexico (now a historic landmark).

Also the large metal tower out front with the light beacon on top - this is an old 1920s oil drilling rig from New Mexico.

As for worth visiting... its not Disneyland, but if you need to take a break from the road and take the place in the right frame of mind, it can make an entertaining little break well worth the modest price. It is one of the best surviving examples of the small family-run tourist attractions that used to dot the highways during the 1920s-1950s.

Answer 3

Yes, I have visited there, and I say it is worth the visit, not for "the thing" itself (see long post above, excellent explanation by other member here.....) but for the curio shop or souvenir shop, and the tour of the artifacts and antiques. It's only about 75 cents to go through, and you can see and/or buy cool stuff in the gift shop/curio shop.

Answer 4

LOL...If you have kids, definitely stop. They will Love it. I grew up in Phoenix and we used to stop here whenever we had to head south. My sister and I always enjoyed it so much I had to take my own daughter last year. Yes it's a tourist thing, but good for a giggle.

Answer 5

Oh my gosh! I use to pass that all the time. I never did stop. I was always told that it was a small mummified body.

Answer 6

Ick. That's my very important comment. :)