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This is a list of muffler men, large moulded fiberglass sculptures that are placed as advertising icons.[1]

Arizona

California

  • "Big Bert", River Bend Resort, Forestville, CA.
  • "Big Josh" in Joshua Tree, CA (formerly "Mecca Man" at El Tompa Mini Mart in Mecca, CA)
Big Mike, Hayward, California
  • "Big Mike", formerly at Big Mike's Muffler, Hayward
  • "Babe Royer" at Babe's Lightning & Muffler in San Jose.
  • Chicken Boy in Highland Park[2]
  • "El Salsero" Muffler Man at 22800 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu[2]
  • "Edwin", a golfer, at El Monte Sign Company, 2710 Santa Anita Avenue
  • "The Guy," a race car driver holding a checkered flag, off the 405 freeway, at the west coast Porsche Experience Center in Carson. Originally a golfer for the Dominguez Golf Course[2][3]
  • Unnamed, King's Auto Repair in Compton
  • "Sergio," at Automotive Alley in Boyle Heights
  • "Tony" at Tony's Transmissions in City Terrace[2]
  • "Kevin" at Tuneup Masters in Van Nuys
  • "Joor Muffler Man" at Joor Muffler in Escondido[2]
  • "The Indian Warrior" at Ethels Old Corral in Bakersfield, CA.
  • ”Rodeo Man” in Livermore, CA.

Colorado

  • "Trailer Park Cowboy" at Rustic Ranch Mobile Home Park, 5565 Federal Blvd., Denver, CO.
  • "Ranch Cowboy" stands guard with a pitchfork at Lazy T Ranch, 12765 N. 63rd St., Longmont, CO.[4]
  • "Greeley Muffler Man" in front of Just Bob's Auto, 500 1st Ave, Greeley, CO 80631.

Connecticut

When the 26-foot "Muffler Man" Paul Bunyan was erected in front of a Cheshire lumber business in the 1980s, the town objected to the statue, citing that it was a violation of town codes given its substantial height. Finding no limitation on flagpole height on the books, the owners of the statue replaced Bunyan's axe with an American flag.[5]

Norwich- West Main Street Big Bob, a wayward Connecticut cowboy, has been in Norwich since the mid-1960s. For his first 20 years he was on the other side of town. Back then he belonged to Alex Cohen, who used the Muffler Man to draw visitors to his amusement park. That business eventually closed, and when the owners of Surplus Unlimited—who were friends with Al—opened their store in 1982, they bought Big Bob. They had admired him ever since they were kids.

Patriotic Big Bob has held an American flag since his move, and is anchored with cables to the front of the store to prevent people from climbing onto the roof and kicking him over (It's been attempted). At night he is illuminated by a spotlight. Surplus Unlimited keeps Big Bob in good repair, featuring him in its advertising and as artwork on the side of its delivery truck in the parking lot.

Florida

Kansas

Indiana

MacAllister Rental outside of Muncie, In. A Paul Bunyan stands outside the main building, looking at Interstate 69 https://www.macallisterrentals.com/about/locations/muncie-equipment-rental/

Idaho

  • The World's Largest Janitor, "Big Don", at the Museum of Clean in Pocatello.
  • The "lumberjack" at Heyburn Elementary School in St. Maries.[6][7]

Illinois

Iowa

  • Giant "Phil", Williamsburg. A Phillips 66 Cowboy, Muffler Man, once stood at the Landmark Truck Stop in Williamsburg, IA at the intersection of I80 and IA-149.. “Giant Phil” was a well-known landmark and appears on a vintage postcard. It is not known where this statue went but it is possible that he now stands with a large fiberglass bull in Waukon, IA[9]

Louisiana

  • In front of Topps Western World, 3003 Topps Trail, Bossier City (facing I-20, near exit 23).

Massachusetts

  • Plantation Man, Chicopee. It was originally made for a restaurant in Framingham, then as Uncle Sam for a car dealership in Springfield. It is currently being auctioned and its future is uncertain.[10][11]
  • There is a Muffler Man with a large ax and lumberman's hard hat at the entrance to Valley Tree Service on the east side of Route 97 in Groveland, Massachusetts.
  • A Muffler Man depicted in rural attire and baseball cap stands at Green Valley Equipment Company, on Route 43 in Hancock, Massachusetts.[12][13]

Michigan

  • Greg E. Normous: Golfer, Stands at a putt putt golf course, and is named for the golfer Greg Norman (also looks like Bob Hope) 23 Mile Rd. New Baltimore, MI
  • Golf Giant: Golfer at driving range, 1/2 mile west of Greg E. Normous, New Baltimore, MI[14]

Missouri

  • Bunyan (a Mr. Bendo): Stones Last Resort, Cleveland, Missouri
  • Bunyan (no job too big): Skyline Motors Tractor Trailer Repair, Foristell, Missouri
  • Injun Joe and Country Bumpkin: Bagnell Dam Strip, Lake Ozark, Missouri
  • Muffler Man: Chief Wappalese: Chaonia Landing Resort and Marina, Lake Wappapello, Missouri
  • Cowboy Muffler Man (In Pieces): Croft Automotive and Trailer, Valley Park, Missouri
  • Muffler Man (custom designed as a chef and erected in 2020) Route 66 Food-Truck Park, Springfield, Missouri
  • Mega Major: Opposite Uranus Fudge Factory, 14400 Hwy Z, St Robert, Missouri

Montana

  • There is a Muffler Man in front of the tire store on Montana Ave. in Billings.
Casino Dude
  • Casino Dude Muffler Man at Fort Rockvale Restaurant and Casino in Joliet
  • Muffler Man at Plentywood

Nebraska

"Indian" In the Stockade behind Fort Cody Trading Post.

It has been a fixture along I-80 for decades. North Platte, NE exit 177.

New Jersey

New Mexico

May Cafe
  • May Cafe, Albuquerque (this is a lumberjack figure, not a Muffler Man)
  • Sun Glass, Farmington
  • Big Daddy's Flea Market, Las Cruces
  • Franciscan RV Inc., Hatch
  • John's Used Cars, Gallup (cowboy Muffler Man)

New York

  • Westchester County 135 N Saw Mill River Rd, Elmsford, NY 10523 (Yellow Shirt Green pants)Muffler man
  • Mountain Air Campground 1265 Lake Ave, Lake Luzerne, NY 12846 (Red Shirt Blue Pants)
Muffler Man

North Carolina

  • Bradsher Landscape Supply, Raleigh (bluejeans and baseball cap)[16]
Rocky Mount, North Carolina
  • Harry's On The Hill Cadillac GMC, Asheville (Chief Pontiac)
  • Paul Bunyan holding an axe, with Babe the Blue Ox, Original Log Cabin Company, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
  • White's Tire Company, Wilson, North Carolina

North Dakota

  • Chieftain Motel, Carrington (figure is a Native American with upraised arm)

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Giant chip at the Inside Scoop Ice Cream Shop

South Dakota

  • Automotive Brake & Exhaust, Sioux Falls - 'Mr. Bendo', arm upraised if holding an exhaust pipe in one hand
  • Full Throttle Saloon (new location), 'Windover Willie' originally from Winnemucca, NV. Located at 19942 Hwy 79, Vale, SD - Cowboy holding a cigar in his left hand and a mug of beer in his right.

Texas

Red McCombs

Tennessee

Native American in chinos
  • Native American in Chinos - Beside Sad Sam's at Exit 112 off of I-65, near Cross Plains.
  • Pal's, Kingsport - Man carrying a hamburger
  • Pratt's, Kingsport - Indian in loincloth
  • Muffler Man at Four Way Mufflers & Motors, 1368 E Broadway, Gallatin, TN

Utah

  • "Big John", a coal miner on South Main Street in front of the Helper Civic Auditorium & city library (formerly the city hall) in Helper
  • "Mr. Spock," a muffler man repainted to resemble the Star Trek character. It sits atop a business in Salt Lake City hidden from street view.

Virginia

Chincoteaque Viking
  • Chincoteague Viking, Chincoteague Island
  • Auto Muffler King at 5835 Jefferson Avenue in Newport News, Virginia
  • Williamson Road Service Center at 3110 Williamson Rd Roanoke VA Roanoke VAR
  • Coeburn VA Red Oak Trading Company.

Washington

  • Paul Bunyan, Shelton Washington

There is one on a roof of the SSA Marine building located at 1105 Hewitt Ave, in Everett Washington at the end of Hewitt Ave.

There is a 22'tall Cowboy muffler man located in Pomeroy WA on HWY12 on the lower East side of town. He is on private property in public view.

Wisconsin

  • Gus's Drive-In, East Troy - Gus's Giant [18]
Gus's Giant Muffler Man, in front of a restaurant, with neons lit, dusk
Gus's Drive-In, East Troy, WI
  • Bulik's Amusement Center, Spooner - Cowboy
  • Fasco Appliance, Oshkosh- Paul Bunyan

References

  1. ^ "Muncie, IN Equipment Rental | MacAllister Rentals". www.macallisterrentals.com. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  2. ^ a b c d e Kabar, Kim (January–February 2012). "Men at Work". Westways. Automobile Club of Southern California. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Carson, CA - Muffler Man". October 18, 2013.
  4. ^ "Longmont, CO - Muffler Man".
  5. ^ Muffler Man - Bunyan, Of Necessity, a Patriot
  6. ^ "St. Maries, Idaho: Paul Bunyan - Big Friend". Roadside America.com. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  7. ^ Heyburn Elementary (Official Website) Retrieved June 12, 2015
  8. ^ Dave Hoekstra (June 4, 2012). "Hot dog merchant who brought giant Paul Bunyan statue to Route 66 dead at 89". Chicago Sun-Times.
  9. ^ "Missing Muffler Men | American Giants – Muffler Men". Archived from the original on 2015-02-11. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  10. ^ Kinney, Jim (November 13, 2013). "Chicopee's Plantation Inn, with Plantation Man, to be sold at auction Friday". masslive.com. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  11. ^ Kinney, Jim (November 15, 2013). "Plantation Man to stay in Greater Springfield, buyer says; Chicopee motel and land fail to sell". masslive.com. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  12. ^ "Hancock, MA - Muffler Man - The Big Man". RoadsideAmerica.com. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  13. ^ jbaker98 (2016-12-09). "The Green Valley Equipment Giant". American Giants - Muffler Men. Retrieved 2019-01-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "New Baltimore, MI - Muffler Man: Greg E. Normous". RoadsideAmerica.com.
  15. ^ "Roadside Attractions Map - The Muffler Men". www.roadsideamerica.com. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
  16. ^ "Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum: The Legend Of The Raleigh Giant". June 24, 2014.
  17. ^ "Tulsa's own Muffler Man, Buck Atom, to tower over Route 66".
  18. ^ "Gus's Drive-In: The Muffler Man".
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