A 40-foot-long dinosaur statue evicted from a Southern California neighborhood because of zoning issues has landed in its new home at Grand Canyon Caverns near Peach Springs, Ariz.
Longtime roadie Jim Conkle sent me these photos of the life-size apatosaurus that Grand Canyon Caverns recently installed on its grounds.
A formal ceremony to dedicate the dinosaur will be scheduled later.
The dinosaur once was at the Zoomars petting zoo in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. But city officials nixed the statue, siding with historical advocates who claimed it was an eyesore or a nuisance.
Zoo owner Carolyn Franks fielded offers for the dinosaur’s new home and settled for the longtime Route 66 business in Arizona nearly 400 miles away.
Grand Canyon Caverns, in addition to its motel, restaurant and canyon tours, also is home to a dinosaur of its own. But this one is bigger and more impressive. And with roadside kitsch a long part of Route 66 history, Grand Canyon Caverns likely will be a more welcome home for it.
Yea for you for taking our precious Apatosaurius! I will be bringing my grandchildren to see it at your ‘Caverns’ on our road trip through Arizona. As a residence of San Juan Capistrano, I was saddened by it’s move.
Thank you so much for your wisdom!
Joanne Mersch, San Juan Capistrano, CA