If you’ve driven Route 5, or in and around Amsterdam at all, you may have asked yourself this exact question.
I love a good roadside attraction and one we have locally is in Amsterdam. When you’re driving by or through the area, keep an eye out for a red Volkswagen bug up on a smokestack. Literally, that’s it, but I’ve always wondered, what’s the deal with that?
Exploring Upstate had a bit of a backstory on the car in the sky. Amsterdam got its name from the Dutch who wanted to pay homage to their home in Europe. Fast forward to about 50 years ago and now, there’s a car on a smokestack.
I joke, of course, honestly, because back in its time, it probably was a great marketing gimmick and that’s what Dudka’s Garage/Junkyard intended. According to Google, the business no longer exists and the building is home to a flea market. My favorite part of the story is that technically Dudka didn’t own the space where the car is but it looks like no one had an issue with bringing attention to the area.
Does the car still work after being up there for about 50 years? Is it still safe and secure up there? These are questions I don’t have the answers to but I just love we have something so random right here.
