Volvo Island Is As Ridiculous As It Sounds

Back in the day, most islands were found by some intrepid group of explorers who just happened to stumble upon a wayward landmass as they were blindly navigating the high seas. Or at the very least, had some other really cool story of discovery. Today, any previously undetected points of interest that do remain are more likely to be found by one of the many satellites circling the Earth than by any bold adventurer. Such is the case with Volvo Island, which, technically speaking, isn't so much an island as what looks like a jumbled pile of rocks.

Let's rewind to 2015, when this so-called "island" first appeared on Google Maps and Street View. It was once listed as a "place of worship," but is now labeled as a "tourist attraction," earning a 4.9-star rating based on nearly 500 reviews. Approximately 80 miles southwest of Chicago, on the outskirts of Ottawa, Illinois, sits a patch of land with what appears to be a small lake situated on it.

Within that lake is a minuscule island about the size of a car, which is ironic, because sitting on top of this rockpile is a silver 2001 Volvo S80, complete with a sunroof. Adding even more fodder to this satirical situation is the fact that the 2010 version of the S80 is one of the most reliable Volvos ever built; so, in some weird way, it seems altogether fitting that such a trusty vehicle would end up in such a ridiculous and puzzling spot. But how? And why?

Ottawa is a typical small town, much like the one John Mellencamp sings about in his 1985 hit song. It's home to a Dairy Queen, Starved Rock Harley-Davidson, a Holiday Inn Express, and Scott Mann; the owner of the property at the intersections of Illinois' Route 71 and U.S. Highway 6, where this mysterious Volvo and the island it sits on are located. Mann reportedly owns two auto repair shops in the area, adding another piece to this intriguing puzzle.

The "lake" is actually an abandoned strip mine that flooded, with some areas reaching depths of nearly 40 feet. One day in 2012, Mann and his office manager, Tiffany Warren, started batting around crazy ideas. One of which was to place a car in the middle of the "lake," then hold a contest to see who could figure out how it mysteriously appeared. Due to safety concerns about how outlandishly far the public might go to investigate the flooded mine ensconced in deep, murky water, they ditched the contest ... but not the crazy idea.

The "island" was once part of a thin peninsula that protruded into the water. Mann towed the Volvo out to the end, then used a massive excavator to remove most of it, leaving the tiny "island" on which the Volvo S80 sat. And where it still sits today, so you too can possibly find the meaning of life, as some Google reviewers have mused after seeing it. Puzzle solved.