The Strangest Town In The South Is Right Here In Texas...And You'll Want To Visit
By Katie Lawrence|Published January 16, 2018
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
What could be weirder than ghost lights, random blocks of concrete, and a Prada store in the middle of nowhere? All of this and more out of the ordinary things can be found in Marfa, which is why we think it’s the most wonderfully weird and all-around best small towns in the U.S.
Everything seems normal on the surface, but there's so much more to this West Texas town than meets the eye...
Founded in the 1880s, Marfa served as a railroad water stop before becoming a training facility for thousands of pilots during WWII. Today, the town is a hub for minimalist art and attracts both tourists and artists from all over the country to experience or contribute to the scene.
One of the strangest buildings things you'll see is Prada Marfa, a pop art exhibit about 30 miles from the city. Actual handbags and shoes picked out by Miuccia Prada herself are displayed in the windows in an attempt to criticize consumerism by contrasting the lavish wares with the barren surroundings.
Building 98 is a project of the International Women's Foundation and was the US army base bachelor office quarters, officers club, and grand ballroom from 1911-1946. Now, it's on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and houses murals painted by German prisoners-of-war Hans Jurgen Press and Robert Humpel while they were held at the base.
The Chinati Foundation, a contemporary art museum founded by Donald Judd, sits on 340 acres of land. It consists of several exhibits that, upon first glance, might seem like nothing more than random blocks of concrete...
Speaking of strange lights, easily the weirdest thing about the town is the infamous Marfa Lights that are supposedly caused by UFOs. Presidio County has constructed a viewing center where enthusiasts gather each year for the annual Marfa Lights Festival. Although nobody can say for sure where they come from, one thing's for sure - Marfa is one interesting city.
