| Land of the Giants |
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| ILLINOIS: MISC. GIANTS |
| Ramses Statue & Golden Pyramid Wadsworth, IL |
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| The 64' tall Ramses Statue stands in front of the Golden Pyramid. The Pyramid is the 6-story tall, 17,000 square foot private home of Jim and Linda Onan. It was the largest 24 karat gold-plated object ever created, before its exterior was stripped. The house contains a replica of King Tut's tomb. There is also a garage with three pyramids and a gift shop. The place opened in 1977 and was open to tours but it has been closed to the public for many years. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. |
| Gambrinus Woodridge, IL |
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This Gambrinus statue once stood at the Milwaukee, WI Pabst brewery. The original wood carved statue was installed there in 1857. This aluminum statue replaced it in 1966. When Pabst moved its headquarters here, the statue came along. He now stands in the employee tasting room at the Pabst Brewing Company's headquarters. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
Gambrinus is the legendary inventor of beer, often called the "King of Beers". There are other Gambrinus statues in La Crosse, WI and Columbus, OH. |
| Revolutionary Soldier St. Charles, IL |
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| The Revolutionary Soldier is 18' tall with a 14' long gun. He was carved from oak trees in the early 1970s as a Bicentennial Memorial. The Soldier sits in front of Custom Furniture. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| SupermanMetropolis, IL | Beach Guy Livingston, IL |
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Metropolis is the self-proclaimed hometown of Superman. This 15' tall bronze representation of him was installed in 1993. He replaced a 7' tall fiberglass statue from 1986. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
This Beach Guy stood in front of the Coliseum Ballroom Antique Mall in Benld, IL since around 2001 and was there when these photos were taken in 2005. In 2006, he was moved to another antiques mall in Livington when the Coliseum closed. The Coliseum Ballroom opened in 1924 with a 10,000-square-foot dance floor. In the 1930s, it featured bands like Tommy Dorsey; in the 1950s, it offered rock concerts. The building is now for sale and it is hoped that it will reopen as a music venue. I believe these giant Beach Guys were made by FAST. See this website for photos of the mold and one ready to go. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| Abraham LincolnLincoln, IL | ||
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| This Abraham Lincoln sits, reading a lawbook, in the World's Largest Covered Wagon (24' tall, 40' long). It is the work of Dave Bentley. He was located in Divernon, IL when these photos were taken in 2005. In 2007, he was moved to Lincoln and restored. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 5. |
| Abraham LincolnSpringfield, IL | ||
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| This Abraham Lincoln is 30' tall and stands at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The rarely depicted clean-shaven Abe was constructed here in 1968. His nicknames include the "Rail Splitter" and the "Axe Murderer". |
| Abraham LincolnCharleston, IL | ||
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| This Abraham Lincoln, aka "Big Abe", is 72' tall. The fiberglass and steel statue was built in 1969 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, one of which took place in town. The statue was produced in St. Paul, MN and trucked here. Lincoln's slender physique was necessary to meet the oversized load restrictions. This statue was originally located at Lincoln Memorial Park (now gone), southeast of town. It was moved here to the Springhaven Campgrounds in 1979. It had fallen into great disrepair but was restored around 2005. As of 2006, the statue is being incorporated into a complex called "Abe's Garden" with educational and recreational activities. For more, see this website. |
| Fisherman and TroutNiles, IL | |
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| The Fisherman and Trout have been abandoned for many years. They advertised for the "Fisherman's Dude Ranch" fishing pond that was located here. Summer was not the best time to photograph these guys with the dense vegetation but it was the best I could do for now. I believe the Fisherman held a fishing pole with a line that extended to the lure in the Trout's mouth. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Man with FishChicago, IL | ||
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| The Man with Fish statue and fountain stands in front of the Shedd Aquarium. It was created by Stephan Balkenhol in 2001. The painted bronze statue is 12' tall. |
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IL Giants Elsewhere in this Section:
Indian Archer (Champaign) Giant Indian (Oak Lawn) |
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More IL Giants:
Abraham Lincolns |
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IL Muffler Men |
Giants Main Page |
| [Main Roadside Page] |
all photos contained at this website are copyrighted and may be used only with consent