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 The
American Giants Museum will tell the story of the kitschy and quirky
“Muffler Man/Bunyan Giant” statues that sprang up in the 1960s as
advertising gimmicks across the USA. Today, they are some of the
most popular sights for tourists traveling Historic Route 66.
The Atlanta Betterment Fund is working with Joel Baker, the nation’s
leading authority of – and advocate for – the identification,
preservation, and restoration of the giant fiberglass statues
produced in the early 1960s by International Fiberglass Company,
once located in Venice, California.
Baker visited Atlanta a number of years ago while documenting the
Bunyan giant that currently resides there on Arch St. As a result,
he approached the Atlanta Betterment Fund with the idea of creating
an American Giants Museum. Baker’s collection of original molds,
materials, files, photos, and documents from International
Fiberglass will be the basis for the museum’s exhibits, giving Route
66 tourists the chance to see, learn about, and interact with what
will be the largest single collection of American Giants anywhere
along Route 66.
The American Giants Museum building’s exterior
resembles a vintage Texaco service station because one of the
museum’s featured outdoor exhibits will be a 24’ tall “Texaco Big
Friend,” statue.
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Up to five additional giant statues, each
approximately 19’ tall, will also be displayed as part of the
museum’s “Route 66 Land of the Giants Rest Stop area, located on the
museum’s grounds. The additional giants will begin with one
installed this year, and others arriving one at a time over the next
three years leading up to the Route 66 Centennial in 2026. The
Museum’s interior includes exhibit space, a public restroom, storage
for rotating exhibits, and an office for the Atlanta Tourism
Director.
The American Giants Museum will hold a ‘soft opening” this Memorial
Day weekend. Regular operating days/hours will then be announced on
the on the American Giants Museum website, with a Grand Opening
scheduled for later this summer. Learn more, and follow the museum’s
progress, at:
www.americangiantsmuseum.com.
The Atlanta Betterment Fund has taken the initiative to develop the
American Giants Museum, because it sees the project’s potential for
increasing tourist and tour group visits to Atlanta. The city
anticipates additional visitors will translate into economic growth
for the community and local businesses.
The Atlanta Betterment Fund is a 501 (c)(3) 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 its business, civic, and religious organizations.
[Bill Thomas
Logan County Economic Development Partnership]
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