The mayor of Wilmington, Illinois, announced the landmark Gemini Giant will remain in the city for at least the next 20 years. Mayor Ben Dietz stated in a Facebook post that the loan of the Gemini Giant from the Joliet Area Historical Museum has been extended through 2045. The city council approved the loan pact … Continue reading Gemini Giant will remain in Wilmington for the next 20 years
Tag: Muffler Men
Entrepreneuer Mary Beth Babcock planning another 20-foot-tall Cowboy Bob in Tulsa
Entrepreneur and Route 66 booster Mary Beth Babcock is planning a fourth, 20-foot-tall Muffler Man giant named Cowboy Bob at one of her businesses in Tulsa. The Tulsa World had the details: The newest giant, Cowboy Bob, will be the mascot for Buck’s Vintage on 66 that is moving into the 66 Collective with other … Continue reading Entrepreneuer Mary Beth Babcock planning another 20-foot-tall Cowboy Bob in Tulsa
Route 66 advocate Mary Beth Babcock named Tulsan of the Year
Entrepreneur Mary Beth Babcock was named one of the Tulsa World's Tulsans of the Year for her advocacy of local tourism, especially along Route 66. Babcock opened the Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on 66 in a former gas station in 2018, then added a specially commissioned, 21-foot-tall fiberglass giant named Buck Atom at the store … Continue reading Route 66 advocate Mary Beth Babcock named Tulsan of the Year
Gemini Giant will be installed in Wilmington park on Nov. 30
The restored Gemini Giant, once a fixture for almost 60 years at the Launching Pad Drive-In restaurant in Wilmington, Illinois, will be the focus of a party on Nov. 30 at his new home in Wilmington's South Island Park. According to a promotional flyer, the event from 1 to 3 p.m. that day will include … Continue reading Gemini Giant will be installed in Wilmington park on Nov. 30
American Giants Museum featured in the New York Times
The so-called "newspaper of record" has published a prominent story about the American Giants Museum in Atlanta, Illinois. The New York Times posted the story by reporter Valerie Schremp Hahn and St. Louis photographer Bryan Birks in its Fine Arts and Design section on Wednesday. It contains a lot of information about the museum's genesis … Continue reading American Giants Museum featured in the New York Times
Joel Baker to appear at American Giants Museum on Nov. 2-3
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 … Continue reading Joel Baker to appear at American Giants Museum on Nov. 2-3
Big A the Texaco Giant installed at Gearhead Curios in Galena
Big A the Texaco Giant, a specially commissioned 21-foot-tall fiberglass figure, was successfully installed Sunday at Gearhead Curios in Galena, Kansas. The giant, colloquially called a Muffler Man, was installed by ReGiant at the former Texaco station at 520 S. Main St. (Route 66). Here are a bunch of photos or videos from the event: … Continue reading Big A the Texaco Giant installed at Gearhead Curios in Galena
Are Muffler Men undergoing a big revival?
The short answer is yes. The Chicago Tribune a few days ago took a look at what one Route 66 advocate, Bill Thomas, called "a bit of a Renaissance" for the fiberglass giants, colloquially known as Muffler Men. The Muffler Men, made primarily by International Fiberglass in Venice, California, during the 1960s to the mid-1970s, … Continue reading Are Muffler Men undergoing a big revival?
Proposed 21-foot-tall statue near Tulsa’s Route 66 prompts some backlash
A proposed 21-foot-tall statue on Cry Baby Hill near Route 66 in Tulsa has sparked some backlash from residents, ranging from the figure itself to an out-of-state artist being selected for the project. The statue is set to be built before Route 66's centennial in 2026 on the hill at 815 S. Riverside Drive. That's … Continue reading Proposed 21-foot-tall statue near Tulsa’s Route 66 prompts some backlash
Big A the Texaco Giant to be installed at Gearhead Curios in Galena on Sept. 8
The specially commissioned, nearly 20-foot-tall "Big A the Texaco Giant" will be installed at Gearhead Curios in Galena, Kansas, at 1 p.m. on Sept. 8. ReGiant, specializing in working on Muffler Men, will install the former Texaco station at 520 S. Main St. (Route 66). Enchanted Castle Studios made the figure itself. It has fabricated … Continue reading Big A the Texaco Giant to be installed at Gearhead Curios in Galena on Sept. 8