Skip to main contentSkip to main content
Register for more free articles.
Log in Sign up
Back to homepage
Subscriber Login
Keep reading with a digital access subscription.
Subscribe now
You have permission to edit this collection.
Edit
Arizona Daily Star
80°
  • Sign in
  • Subscribe Now
  • Manage account
  • Logout
    • Manage account
    • e-Newspaper
    • Logout
  • News
    • Sign up for newsletters
    • Local
    • Arizona
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Nation & World
    • Markets & Stocks
    • SaddleBrooke
    • Politics
    • Archives
    • News Tip
  • Arizona Daily Star
    • E-edition
    • E-edition-Tutorial
    • Archives
    • Special Sections
    • Merchandise
    • Circulars
    • Readers' Choice Awards
    • Buyer's Edge
  • Obituaries
    • Share Your Story
    • Recent Obituaries
    • Find an Obituary
  • Opinion
    • Submit a Letter
    • Submit guest opinion
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Opinion & Editorials
    • National Columnists
  • Sports
    • Arizona Wildcats
    • Greg Hansen
    • High Schools
    • Roadrunners
  • Lifestyles
    • Events Calendar
    • Arts & Theatre
    • Food & Cooking
    • Movies & TV
    • Movie Listings
    • Music
    • Comics
    • Games
    • Columns
    • Play
    • Home & Gardening
    • Health
    • Get Healthy
    • Parenting
    • Fashion
    • People
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Faith
    • Retro Tucson
    • History
    • Travel
    • Outdoors & Rec
    • Community Pages
  • Brand Ave. Studios
  • Join the community
    • News tip
    • Share video
  • Buy & Sell
    • Place an Ad
    • Shop Local
    • Jobs
    • Homes
    • Freedom RV AZ
    • Marketplace
    • I Love A Deal
  • Shopping
  • Customer Service
    • Manage My Account
    • Newsletter Sign-Up
    • Subscribe
    • Contact us
  • Mobile Apps
  • Weather: Live Radar
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
© 2026 Lee Enterprises
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy
Arizona Daily Star
News+
Read Today's E-edition
Arizona Daily Star
News+
  • Log In
  • $1 for 3 months
    Subscribe Now
    • Manage account
    • e-Newspaper
    • Logout
  • E-edition
  • News
  • Obituaries
  • Opinion
  • Wildcats
  • Lifestyles
  • Newsletters
  • Comics & Puzzles
  • Buyer's Edge
  • Jobs
  • Freedom RV AZ
  • 80° Showers in the Vicinity
Share This
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • WhatsApp
  • SMS
  • Email
Remember stopping at "The Thing" east of Tucson? Look at it now
Share this
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • WhatsApp
  • SMS
  • Email
  • Print
Top Story

Remember stopping at "The Thing" east of Tucson? Look at it now

  • Arizona Daily Star
  • Aug 22, 2018
  • Aug 22, 2018 Updated Oct 10, 2018

The Thing, the roadside attraction east of Tucson along Interstate 10, has undergone an extensive renovation and is offering alternative facts to the history of the world as well as... The Thing.

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

An alien scouting party from RAH'thian Prime begins to explore the planet during Earth's Cretaceous Period as renovations and new revelations, along with a couple of alternative historic facts, are on display at The Thing. Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc, which operates the combination roadside attraction, Dairy Queen and gift shop an hour east of Tucson along Interstate 10, is making substantial changes to their display. Known for its billboard ads that line I-10 for miles around, The Thing is rewriting human history with the help of aliens and dinosaurs.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

Worlds and alternative facts collide at The Thing. Known for its billboard ads that line I-10 for miles around, The Thing is rewriting human history with the help of aliens and dinosaurs.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

Myles K. Erwin, a general manager with Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc., spreads out a wall display in the new lobby as renovations and revelations that are out of this world are taking place at The Thing. Known for its billboard ads that line I-10 for miles around, The Thing is rewriting human history with the help of aliens and dinosaurs.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

An armed alien rides a dinosaur which is on display at the new lobby of The Thing as renovations and revelations that are out of this world are taking place at highway stop on I-10.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

In this interpretation of facts, an evil alien clan had hoped to wipe out the Earth millions of years ago by directing an asteroid toward what is now the Yucatan peninsula in this display at The Thing. Known for its billboard ads that line I-10 for miles around, The Thing is rewriting human history with the help of aliens and dinosaurs.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

A dinosaur on display at The Thing. Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc, which operates the combination roadside attraction, Dairy Queen and gift shop an hour east of Tucson along Interstate 10, is making substantial changes to their display.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

An alien chauffeur drives British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a limousine which is on display at The Thing. In their story line aliens from RAH'thian Prime either helped or interfered with mankind throughout history. The Ammattria's assisted the Allies during World War II to combat their nemeses, the Mylzerath.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

Myles K. Erwin, a general manager with Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc., shows the World War II office of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill at The Thing. In their story line, which Erwin created, aliens from RAH'thian Prime either helped or interfered with mankind throughout history. The Ammattria's assisted the Allies during World War II to combat their nemeses, the Mylzerath.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

A pair of glasses lay on the desk of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, along with a map of Arizona, at The Thing. The new Thing is rewriting human history with the help of aliens and dinosaurs.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

Raymond Rodriguez, with Worlds of Wow, paints a piece of styrofoam for display at The Thing. Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc, which operates the combination roadside attraction, Dairy Queen and gift shop an hour east of Tucson along Interstate 10, is making substantial changes to their display.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

A not so little green man greets visitors to The Thing. Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc, which operates the combination roadside attraction, Dairy Queen and gift shop an hour east of Tucson along Interstate 10, is making substantial changes. Known for its billboard ads that line I-10 for miles around, The Thing is rewriting human history with the help of aliens and dinosaurs.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

What's new at The Thing

What's new at The Thing

New signage showcases The Thing. Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc, which operates the combination roadside attraction, Dairy Queen and gift shop an hour east of Tucson along Interstate 10, is making substantial changes. Known for its billboard ads that line I-10 for miles around, The Thing is rewriting human history with the help of aliens and dinosaurs.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

Related to this collection

Highway attraction east of Tucson — The Thing — gets major upgrade

Highway attraction east of Tucson — The Thing — gets major upgrade

On Saturday, a new museum revolving around the The Thing’s origin story will debut in a 12,000-square-foot facility.

Tucson Medical Center sues pharmaceutical companies over opioid crisis

Officials say TMC is first hospital in state to seek legal action against opioid companies to recover unreimbursed costs.

Man stopped for driving golf cart the wrong way on Arizona highway

Man stopped for driving golf cart the wrong way on Arizona highway

PHOENIX — A man drove a golf cart the wrong way on a suburban Phoenix highway and wouldn't stop for police until he was boxed in by an officer…

Summer attractions of Saguaro National Park might surprise you

Summer attractions of Saguaro National Park might surprise you

Summer isn't necessarily a seared, colorless season at Saguaro National Park.

Steller column: Ethnic attack on Rep. Raúl Grijalva likely to hurt GOP challenger

Steller column: Ethnic attack on Rep. Raúl Grijalva likely to hurt GOP challenger

Republicans have long chafed at Grijalva's identity politics, but calling him a 'racist' and a bad Mexican won't help

U.S. agencies, Tucson environmentalists spar in court over border-enforcement impacts

U.S. agencies, Tucson environmentalists spar in court over border-enforcement impacts

A Tucson environmental group and the feds grapple in court over whether a sweeping environmental review is needed for border fencing, roads, lighting and helicopter use.

25 years after first experiment ended, Biosphere poised for new efforts in science, outreach

25 years after first experiment ended, Biosphere poised for new efforts in science, outreach

From studying coral reefs to coffee farming, UA leaders believe facility north of Tucson is poised to gain footing as important research hub.

Guatemalan woman's story of extortion, murder detailed in Tucson court documents

Guatemalan woman's story of extortion, murder detailed in Tucson court documents

Separated from children at border, Alma Jacinto sued the U.S. and got judge to stop her deportation.

Arizona congressman Paul Gosar blasts siblings who back political opponent

"It's intervention time," Tim Gosar says in the ad, endorsing Democrat David Brill. "And intervention time means that you go to vote, and you go to vote Paul out."

Star Opinion: Don't blame priest sex abuse on the 'sexual revolution'

Star Opinion: Don't blame priest sex abuse on the 'sexual revolution'

Tucson Bishop Edward Weisenburger released a lengthy statement last week about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in which he revealed that, …

Actor John Goodman gives shout-out to Southern Arizona's The Thing on national TV

Actor John Goodman gives shout-out to Southern Arizona's The Thing on national TV

Actor John Goodman gave a national shout-out to Southern Arizona roadside attraction The Thing on the ABC late-night series, "Jimmy Kimmel Liv…

Arizona Daily Star
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Arizona Daily Star Store
  • This is Tucson
  • Saddlebag Notes
  • Tucson Festival of Books

Sites & Partners

  • E-edition
  • Classifieds
  • Events calendar
  • Careers @ Lee Enterprises
  • Careers @ Gannett
  • Online Features
  • Sponsored Blogs
  • Get Healthy

Services

  • Advertise with us
  • Register
  • Contact us
  • RSS feeds
  • Newsletters
  • Photo reprints
  • Subscriber services
  • Subscription FAQ
  • Licensing
  • Shopping
© Copyright 2026 Arizona Daily Star, PO Box 26887 Tucson, AZ 85726-6887
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Advertising Terms of Use | Do Not Sell My Info | Cookie Preferences
Powered by BLOX Content Management System from bloxdigital.com.
  • Notifications
  • Settings
You don't have any notifications.

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

Topics

News Alerts

Breaking News