What's With That? The Tucson Oddity Quiz

1. Name the Tucson business that uses this neon beauty in its logo.

El Guero Canelo

Kingfisher

Lucky Wishbone

The Shelter

Nicknamed 'The Bone,' this neon sign at Lucky Wishbone's North Swan Road location has a strobe-like flash, and was erected at the site in 1953 by Arizona Neon. Due to Tucson's sign code, a burned out bulb on the sign's lower right-hand sign cannot be replaced. Read more about this Tucson oddity

Explanation

Nicknamed 'The Bone,' this neon sign at Lucky Wishbone's North Swan Road location has a strobe-like flash, and was erected at the site in 1953 by Arizona Neon. Due to Tucson's sign code, a burned out bulb on the sign's lower right-hand sign cannot be replaced. Read more about this Tucson oddity

2. What popular chain restaurant has this two-story Tyrannosaurus rex replica loomed over since 1993?

Applebee's

Burger King

McDonald's

Taco Bell

The two-story Tyrannosaurus rex was installed by Michelle and Michael Retzer, who bought the McDonald's restaurant at 6651 E. Tanque Verde Road in the mid-1990's. Read more about this Tucson oddity

Explanation

The two-story Tyrannosaurus rex was installed by Michelle and Michael Retzer, who bought the McDonald's restaurant at 6651 E. Tanque Verde Road in the mid-1990's. Read more about this Tucson oddity

3. It may look like a church, but this white structure is really a nondenominational monument to what Tucson-fave activity?

Cycling

Hula hooping

Mountain climbing

Roller skating

This 22-foot-tall sculpture on Granada Ave. is a memorial for cyclists killed on Tucson streets, but has also served as a site for a wedding and other celebrations. Constructed of hundreds of bike frames, wheels and rims, the Bike Church was completed on Aug. 14, 2009. Read more about this Tucson oddity

Explanation

This 22-foot-tall sculpture on Granada Ave. is a memorial for cyclists killed on Tucson streets, but has also served as a site for a wedding and other celebrations. Constructed of hundreds of bike frames, wheels and rims, the Bike Church was completed on Aug. 14, 2009. Read more about this Tucson oddity

4. This brick structure near Interstate 10 and Ina Road conceals a staircase that formerly led up to what type of attraction?

Bungee jump

Rock-climbing wall

Roller coaster

Water slide

Longtime Tucsonans might remember three water slides were once at the former Sportspark, now known as Mike Jacob Sports Park. The 1,100 feet of tubing can now be found at Marana's Breakers Water Park. Pima County, which owns the tower, plans to demolish the obsolete tower at some point. Read more about this Tucson oddity

Explanation

Longtime Tucsonans might remember three water slides were once at the former Sportspark, now known as Mike Jacob Sports Park. The 1,100 feet of tubing can now be found at Marana's Breakers Water Park. Pima County, which owns the tower, plans to demolish the obsolete tower at some point. Read more about this Tucson oddity

5. Why did the owner of The Original Shed and Garage Company, 3424 S. Campbell Ave., place this truck on top of one of his sheds?

He wanted to show the sturdiness of his company's sheds.

Hey, it draws attention to his business, doesn't it?

No one can miss this landmark.

All of the above.

"The idea was just to draw attention and show that our sheds are strong. It brings us some business. People remember it because it's kind of an oddity," Owner Spencer Brown said. "If customers are looking for us, we just say that we're the guys with the truck along Kino." Read more about this Tucson oddity

Explanation

"The idea was just to draw attention and show that our sheds are strong. It brings us some business. People remember it because it's kind of an oddity," Owner Spencer Brown said. "If customers are looking for us, we just say that we're the guys with the truck along Kino." Read more about this Tucson oddity

6. When this Foothills-neighborhood tower was commissioned in 1966 by Mexican architect Juan Warner Baz, what was it intended to be?

Climbing wall

Fountain

Tower of fire

Vase

The tower, which stands on the north side of the intersection of East River Road and North Via Entrada, was to have water fill its hollow interior and flow off the top of each of the tiers of block and then cascade down the sides. Unfortunately, the fountain became a car wash for when the wind blew, and the water feature was disconnected.

Explanation

The tower, which stands on the north side of the intersection of East River Road and North Via Entrada, was to have water fill its hollow interior and flow off the top of each of the tiers of block and then cascade down the sides. Unfortunately, the fountain became a car wash for when the wind blew, and the water feature was disconnected.

7. What local utility is responsible for this building shell located at North Stone Avenue and West Prince Road?

Pima County Public Works

Southwest Gas

Tucson Electric Power

Tucson Water

This building is all that remains of a Tucson Electric Power substation. TEP stopped using the site in the 1990s, and the property was subsequently sold. Read more about this Tucson oddity

Explanation

This building is all that remains of a Tucson Electric Power substation. TEP stopped using the site in the 1990s, and the property was subsequently sold. Read more about this Tucson oddity

8. What was once monitored from this Rillito River-area watchtower?

Cow migration patterns

Train locations

Water levels

Weather conditions

Many years ago, farmers relied on human eyes in these watchtowers to spot any potential weather hazards. Five towers were built along a bend in the nearby Rillito River in the 1950s for this purpose, but the last remaining one is now occupied by Arizona Exterminating Co. at 3149 E. Prince Road. Read more about this Tucson oddity

Explanation

Many years ago, farmers relied on human eyes in these watchtowers to spot any potential weather hazards. Five towers were built along a bend in the nearby Rillito River in the 1950s for this purpose, but the last remaining one is now occupied by Arizona Exterminating Co. at 3149 E. Prince Road. Read more about this Tucson oddity

9. Despite its soft-serve ice cream cone appearance, this building at 648 N. Stone Ave. was never a sweet shop. It was a gas station. According to its owner, Lupita Shestko-Montiel, in which Tucson-filmed movie does it make a brief cameo?

"Almost Famous"

"Revenge of the Nerds"

"Stir Crazy"

"¡Three Amigos!"

The art deco service station became a Union 76 Station in 1973, and can be viewed in a scene from the 1980 movie, "Stir Crazy," which starred Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. The station closed in 1981. Read more about this Tucson oddity

Explanation

The art deco service station became a Union 76 Station in 1973, and can be viewed in a scene from the 1980 movie, "Stir Crazy," which starred Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. The station closed in 1981. Read more about this Tucson oddity

10. Ralph's Service Station in Armory Park, built around 1929, was the first prefabricated gas station in Tucson. How come, then, it fell into foreclosure eight years after it opened?

Arson

Death in the family

Lack of business

It ran out of gas

Although the Great Depression was a factor, the station's location was the primary reason for its demise. Both streets at the intersection were unpaved, and the majority of traffic traveled down Sixth Avenue. "There wasn't any real traffic on South Fourth Avenue," Ralph Montijo Jr., whose father operated the station, said. "My dad probably picked the worst intersection to build a gas station." Read more about this Tucson oddity

Explanation

Although the Great Depression was a factor, the station's location was the primary reason for its demise. Both streets at the intersection were unpaved, and the majority of traffic traveled down Sixth Avenue. "There wasn't any real traffic on South Fourth Avenue," Ralph Montijo Jr., whose father operated the station, said. "My dad probably picked the worst intersection to build a gas station." Read more about this Tucson oddity