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About the Museum
The Museum of Hoaxes is dedicated to promoting knowledge about hoaxes. (Click here for opening hours, etc.) On our blog we post about dubious- sounding claims, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The site is also home to the Hoaxipedia (the museum's online encyclopedia of hoaxes), the Hoax Forum, and the Top 100 April Fools' Day Hoaxes.
The museum was created in 1997 by Alex Boese. He's assisted by a staff of deputy curators and docents. Alex is the author of three books, most recently Elephants on Acid: And Other Bizarre Experiments (which has nothing to do with hoaxes). Check out the list of the Top 20 Most Bizarre Experiments of All Time for a preview.
The Museum of Hoaxes is dedicated to promoting knowledge about hoaxes. (Click here for opening hours, etc.) On our blog we post about dubious- sounding claims, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The site is also home to the Hoaxipedia (the museum's online encyclopedia of hoaxes), the Hoax Forum, and the Top 100 April Fools' Day Hoaxes.
The museum was created in 1997 by Alex Boese. He's assisted by a staff of deputy curators and docents. Alex is the author of three books, most recently Elephants on Acid: And Other Bizarre Experiments (which has nothing to do with hoaxes). Check out the list of the Top 20 Most Bizarre Experiments of All Time for a preview.Prankplace.com
FUNNY T-SHIRTSBrowse our top quality t-shirts, and you are guaranteed to find one perfect for you, or to give as a funny gift to a friend or family member. Our shirts come in your choice of sizes, most are available in Medium, Large, XL, 2XL and 3XL.
THE TOILET MONSTERYour wife will never yell at you about leaving the seat up again! The Toilet Monster attaches to the inside of the toilet bowl by suction cups. As the unsuspecting person goes to use the bathroom, they'll scream as they lift the lid and are greeted by the Toilet Monster! Not recommended for the elderly or those with a weak heart.
The Legend of Midgetville
For Christmas I received a great book, Weird U.S.: Your Travel Guide to America's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman. Immediately I flipped through it to find anything about San Diego, and soon came across the legend of Midgetville. Midgetville refers to the legend of a town consisting of scaled-down houses built for little people. Midgetville is said to exist in various places throughout America. As Moran and Sceurman note, the most credible rumor locates such a town in Jefferson Township, New Jersey, on the former estate of circus mogul Alfred T. Ringling. There really is a collection of small-sized houses there that could conceivably have once been home to a colony of midgets. However, another very persistent legend locates a Midgetville in San Diego.
Moran and Sceurman don't go into much detail about the San Diego Midgetville, but I realized that I had heard this legend before (my wife had also heard it). This is how it goes: back in the 1930s a group of little people who had made a lot of money in Hollywood appearing in movies such as The Wizard of Oz supposedly came down to San Diego and built a collection of miniature houses on Mt. Soledad where they could live in comfort together. But of course, nobody seems to know exactly where on Mt. Soledad this group of small houses was or is, though everybody has heard of a "friend of a friend" who once accidentally found the houses (though this FOAF can never remember how to get back there).
Determined to find the houses, I did a google search and came across an article from 2003 written by Kenneth Smith for the Daily Aztec detailing his own efforts to track down San Diego's fabled 'Munchkin Houses'. After many false starts, he finally discovered that they were most probably "a group of four cottages on Hillside Drive in La Jolla... built by famed architect Cliff May." Although no midgets or little people were ever known to live in these houses, Smith says that, "The houses do indeed have smallish features, accentuated by an optical illusion. The steep road that passes them makes them seem even smaller than they actually are." Unfortunately only one of the four cottages remains standing, but Smith provides directions to find it: "take Hillside Drive from Torrey Pines Road. The house will be on your left-hand side. Look for the crazy midget handwriting." He also mentions that if you peek through the window (the house is unoccupied) you'll see "cobblestone-like tiled floors and a little round fireplace."
Of course, I had to see this for myself, even if no colony of Wizard-of-Oz midgets had ever lived there. So on New Year's Day I convinced my wife to accompany me on a search for the Munchkin House. The results were mixed. It was no problem finding Hillside Drive, but as it turns out Hillside Drive is fairly long. We were driving up and down it (as a line of cars formed behind us) wondering 'exactly which house on the left did he mean.' None of the houses leaps out at you and screams 'Munchkin House.' But finally we settled on one house that we figured must be it: Seventy-Four Seventy-Seven Hillside Drive. It had small windows and a small door. Plus, the address written beside the door looked a bit like 'crazy midget handwriting' (though I think Smith was joking about this). Ignoring the 'No Trespassing' sign (even though part of the legend of Midgetville is that the midgets who live there fiercely defend their land from the Bigs), I peeked through the window and saw the cobblestone-like tiled floors and a little round fireplace. So I think I found the Munchkin House, though I'm not 100% sure. It's certainly not anything that would catch your attention if you weren't specifically looking for it since it's really not that small, which made the trip a bit disappointing. But the weird thing is, I've already forgotten how to get back there.
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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There is a midget-house-village in San Diego somewhere near-ish to a large hospital. I don't remember exactly where because I was only about 9 when I visited it. However, I had a relative living there (some kind of great aunt, ancient tiny woman) and we spent a whole day at her house and her neighborhood. She was in a wheelchair and the ceilings in the house were only 5 feet or so high. The doors, fixtures, bathroom, everything, were really low. There were at least 10-20 or so homes like this in the cul-de-sac.
What my parents told me, was the homes used to be chicken coops! (seriously) There were no midgets living there, only elderly handicapped people in wheel chairs.
It was really weird though, all the homes were very small and it was a secluded little area. I think this may be the source of the midget village myth. If you drove by this street, you'd look down it and see both sides of the street lined with teeny houses. It was like something from a kiddie land at an amusement park. The home I visited, I would say had to be only around 20 feet wide, 20 feet deep and around 6-7 feet tall (flat roof). The front door was like 4 1/2 feet tall. I was 9 and had to crouch to get in. It was as wide as a normal door though, and could accomodate a wheel chair. This was around 1980 or so.
Anywho, just thought I'd post this somewhere, as I've heard of midget towns for many years, and always hear they are a myth. Not so, in San Diego!
Posted by cyco on Wed Feb 16, 2005 at 04:30 PMWhat my parents told me, was the homes used to be chicken coops! (seriously) There were no midgets living there, only elderly handicapped people in wheel chairs.
It was really weird though, all the homes were very small and it was a secluded little area. I think this may be the source of the midget village myth. If you drove by this street, you'd look down it and see both sides of the street lined with teeny houses. It was like something from a kiddie land at an amusement park. The home I visited, I would say had to be only around 20 feet wide, 20 feet deep and around 6-7 feet tall (flat roof). The front door was like 4 1/2 feet tall. I was 9 and had to crouch to get in. It was as wide as a normal door though, and could accomodate a wheel chair. This was around 1980 or so.
Anywho, just thought I'd post this somewhere, as I've heard of midget towns for many years, and always hear they are a myth. Not so, in San Diego!
I don't believe that is all there is to "Midget Land." I am a San Diego native & I think it's heaven on earth. In high school we used to drive all around that mountain searching for "Midget Land." They used to say that it is by a sign that says "Not a Public Thoroughfare." So we'd all pack into a Toyota Camry and search around for it, but we would never find it. One time on Halloween night we even stopped in the middle of some road on Mount Soledad and I popped my head out of the back window and yelled out to some guy standing in front of his house and said, "Excuse me, do you know where Midget LAND is??" The guy just looked at me with a confused look on his face. I was serious, but then we realized how riduculous the question was and we all started laughing and we drove away.
The myth also said that the people who lived at Midget Land were mean and defensive and could kick your ass.
The other urban myth was that there were four bridges on Mount Soledad and if you found the fourth you would warp away and never come back. I found one by accident one time and it was pretty exciting.
Posted by Kamran in San Diego on Mon Apr 11, 2005 at 04:46 PMThe myth also said that the people who lived at Midget Land were mean and defensive and could kick your ass.
The other urban myth was that there were four bridges on Mount Soledad and if you found the fourth you would warp away and never come back. I found one by accident one time and it was pretty exciting.
As a young boy in the early 1960's Fort Worth, I remember a place everyone called "Midget Village" within walking distance from my house. Seems like it was a little abandoned town with stores a church etc. No one I talk to seems to remember it. I lived over on the West Side off of Burton Hill Road.
Posted by Mike Rogers in Texas on Mon May 02, 2005 at 08:51 AMhey im curious does anyone got that directions for tha one in nj in jefferson county yo that b great if u do thanx me an my boyz wanna c sum lil people an my freind a lil person we call him lil mini write back pleez thanx.
Posted by thug nigga in newark nj on Mon May 16, 2005 at 06:10 AMI've been there, I've seen the 4 houses that you mentioned. 3 have been torned down however. The houses are actually pretty easy to get to and are off of Via Le Sienna or something. Anyway, cool story!
Posted by Juan Martinez in San Diego on Fri Jun 03, 2005 at 01:43 PMPosted by abc on Thu Jun 23, 2005 at 10:23 PM
The place is real. It's across from Thoreau Middle School off Cedar Lane. Going north on Cedar, take a left on Wedderburn and you'll see some weird trees and two dirt roads that lead back, with some vandalized mailboxes out front. I went to a high school nearby and as a young teenager I would go there all the time. My neighbor drove his wrangler into there one night and came out with bullet holes in the side of his car (the midgets shot his car with a bbgun). There is a dead end though so that's how they are able to attack you because in the process of turning around they trap you in. They have children who are normal size who come to protect their parents, and that's when it can get dangerous. If you do go to check it out be careful and try to be respectful about it- don't play loud music and laugh at them!
Posted by Danielle in Herndon, VA on Tue Jul 12, 2005 at 08:26 AMcan some one please e mail me and tell me how to get to midgetville from raritan NJ. My friends were telling me about it and we want to go there, but we dont have any clue how to get there. If some one can please e mail me with directions to get there I would really appreciate it.
Posted by jake in raritan NJ on Tue Jul 26, 2005 at 09:49 AMhas anyone ever been to the "tinytown" in new york either in long island or suffouk? people have told me about it but they werent really sure where it was... please if anybody knows respond back!!!
Posted by courtney on Wed Jul 27, 2005 at 09:55 AMi know the exact directions, here's how to get there, from torrey pines rd, go up hiddend valley rd, then make a right at via siena, and you'll come to a fork in the road not to far a head, go right at the fork in the road, and then not too far down about .1mile you'll see the house 7477 on your right hand side, you'll see a house in front of it w/ a gate. go be4 it's gone.
good luck.
Posted by Simon on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 10:00 PMgood luck.
i didn't read all of the comments above, so i don't know if anyone has mentioned the questionable midget town in long beach. anyways, a friend of mine lives near it sort of in the rancho los alamitos part of long beach on a street called la linda drive. well, we found la linda drive, and it is a small community (maybe 30 houses) only blocked by a electronic gate. a few months ago we found this gate left open for some odd reason, and at first we were all scared to go in, especially with the car. so we watched for about 10 minutes, and in that time we saw two cars enter and exit the community. both seemed as if they were midgets because they could barely see above the wheel. though, of course it is very tough to be sure of this because they didnt exit there cars. i ended up walking through the community (the road goes around in an oval) and found many very nice houses, like mini mansions, but didnt see any midgets. i did see 3 or 4 normal humans (with no intention of considering midgets not normal), but that was it. i hope to journey back to the community sometime soon, and please respond if any others know of or have been to this area. thanks
Posted by john in long beach on Sat Aug 20, 2005 at 11:43 PMThere is a tinytown in Long Island, New York and I was there Friday night (8/19). IT'S REAL AND ITS FREAKY! The houses are like little mini houses. They are kinda scary looking.
Posted by Eric in NY on Mon Aug 22, 2005 at 05:45 AMi was just wondering if anyone knew where midget town on long island was...if u could please im me that would be great
Posted by michele on Wed Sep 14, 2005 at 02:52 PMif somebody couls please tell me where the midget town on long island is it would be great... i think it is in bayville or muttentown or somewhere around there but i havent found it yet...if anyone has been there please tell me where its located
Posted by courtney in long island on Wed Sep 14, 2005 at 09:44 PMThe website for Tiny Town in Long Island is at this link below. Go on Mapquest for directions to Merrick, Long Island.
http://www.lioddities.com/Bygone/tinytown.htm
Posted by Kris in NJ on Mon Sep 19, 2005 at 02:22 PMhttp://www.lioddities.com/Bygone/tinytown.htm
Been to the one in Long Beach. We went through the first gate that anyone can go through(just push a button and the arm goes up), but didn't get through the second gate. We could see two small houses. One looked like a mini version of the Brady Bunch house. Friends have said they climbed a fence and saw a park with small swings, slides and drinking fountains. There are a lot of "end of road" type signs to make you think that you should turn around before you get to the gate.
Posted by Karla Beckerman in San Ramon, California on Wed Oct 12, 2005 at 03:08 PMHey Guys,
The past labor day weekend my friend and I were taking a scenic drive through Montgomery, NJ and somehow ended up in what I would consider a Weird area. We had turned off 206 onto Dutchtown-(something) road.(at the intersection was a pretty white church)
Somehow we turned onto longhill road and then onto ridge road and then lindburg rd. It may have been in a different order but those were the 3 roads that we were on. This area is very desolate with long, windy roads and woods on either side. We were on either lindenberg rd or ridge rd when we saw the tinest houses that look like large shoe boxes. Tiny doors, windows and driveways. Regular cars in the driveways and dirt roads in between properties which read No Trespassing. We kept driving and did not try to trespass because we both are chickens! The weird thing was that it was such a gorgeous day out and we saw noone, yet the driveways all had cars in them. Not one other vehicle passed us the whole 30 minutes that we were checking out the area.
Is anyone familiar with this area? Has anyone seen these houses? I'm going to have to go back again soon to look around more. I'd love to know what lies in the woods behind the no tresspassing signs.
Let me know if you've been here!
Kris
Posted by Kris in NJ on Thu Oct 13, 2005 at 02:25 PMThe past labor day weekend my friend and I were taking a scenic drive through Montgomery, NJ and somehow ended up in what I would consider a Weird area. We had turned off 206 onto Dutchtown-(something) road.(at the intersection was a pretty white church)
Somehow we turned onto longhill road and then onto ridge road and then lindburg rd. It may have been in a different order but those were the 3 roads that we were on. This area is very desolate with long, windy roads and woods on either side. We were on either lindenberg rd or ridge rd when we saw the tinest houses that look like large shoe boxes. Tiny doors, windows and driveways. Regular cars in the driveways and dirt roads in between properties which read No Trespassing. We kept driving and did not try to trespass because we both are chickens! The weird thing was that it was such a gorgeous day out and we saw noone, yet the driveways all had cars in them. Not one other vehicle passed us the whole 30 minutes that we were checking out the area.
Is anyone familiar with this area? Has anyone seen these houses? I'm going to have to go back again soon to look around more. I'd love to know what lies in the woods behind the no tresspassing signs.
Let me know if you've been here!
Kris
there is a midget town in long beach like mentioned. My friend went there and they chased them away with broom sticks and one threw a brick at them
Posted by Logan in Corona, Ca on Wed Oct 19, 2005 at 09:06 PMI too have been to munchkin land in long beach but it was not the La Linda area that is gated. It was the one that someone mentioned where the gate is just an arm like the kind at a parking lot. Yes there were/are a few signs saying end of road and all of the houses had double wide front doors and double high but the door knobs were all very low on the doors which is why we think that midgets live in them. One of the homes had the front doors open and we could see that these were just entries into a garden area between the front entrance and the actual house. We also got chased out a few times but usually due to being inconsiderate of the people living there. We were just kids.
Posted by Kenny in so cal on Fri Oct 21, 2005 at 12:43 PMVIENNA VIRGINIA....right off of Cedar Lane...there is indeed a "midgetville". One dirt road...houses with fences and dogs in the front yards...almost every house has a van..go figure. but the houses are small...the vertically challenged do get pissed off...and i have 100% been there and seen it for myself. This is no myth...midgetville exist in VA
Posted by kevin in fairfax, va on Tue Oct 25, 2005 at 09:25 PMPage 2 of 10 pages < 1 2 3 4 > Last »