The American Giants Museum in Atlanta, Illinois, announced Joel Baker of American Giants LLC will be the volunteer docent at the museum from 1 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 2 and from 10 a.m. to noon on Nov. 3.
Baker, who lives in Colorado and doesn’t get to Illinois often, also will speak at the Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference in Edwardsville, Illinois, on Nov. 1.
While in the area, he will drop off a new artifact at the American Giants Museum — a Shoney’s Big Boy giant.
The American Giants Museum tells the story of the kitschy and quirky Muffler Man fiberglass statues that popped up in the 1960s as advertising gimmicks across the United States.
Today, the Muffler Men are among the most popular sights for those traveling Route 66.
The American Giants Museum is operated by the Atlanta Betterment Fund, a federally certified organization established in 2008 through private donations and administered by a board of directors. Its mission is to make Atlanta a better place to live by supporting local businesses, plus civic and religious organizations.
(Images of Joel Baker and a Shoney’s Big Boy courtesy of Bill Thomas)