You could possibly name Atlanta, Illinois, the land of giants nowadays. Towering over the neighborhood 45 miles north of Springfield is a group of roadside icons introduced collectively by a small museum.
These itching for a spring street journey ought to get their motors operating and head out on the freeway to Atlanta. From there search for extra journey in Peoria, the place you may go wild with car tradition on the Peoria Riverfront Museum’s customized automobile exhibit.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY BOHLEN
Luni the Girl Big, left, is one in all a number of larger-than-life fiberglass figures at house in Atlanta, Illinois.
Welcoming its first guests final yr, the American Giants Museum closes for the winter months however is open April by means of October. Becoming a member of the gathering this yr is an authentic Bob’s Massive Boy statue. Different fiberglass creations embody a 1967 Texaco Massive Good friend virtually 24 toes tall and “The Snerd,” a goofy-looking huge man from an Ohio amusement park.
Concrete pads await the arrival of an enormous Viking, Native American chief and cowboy determine, in keeping with museum volunteers. Close by on Atlanta’s primary avenue, a Paul Bunyan-like Muffler Man holds an enormous scorching canine. Luni the Girl Big attracts clients to the Nation Aire Restaurant simply off Route 66.
Joel Baker, thought-about the chief of a motion to establish, accumulate and restore large statues manufactured by the Worldwide Fiberglass Firm in California, visited Atlanta’s Bunyan scorching canine man. He had the concept of a museum devoted to the motion, and Atlanta civic leaders jumped on it to boost the city’s tourism.
Guests to the donation-optional museum can watch a video explaining Baker’s work, see a few of Baker’s assortment of artifacts from Worldwide Fiberglass and consider components of different promoting giants. The constructing sits on the positioning of an previous fuel station and resembles one, full with a Texaco signal and classic fuel pumps.
Museum supplies clarify how companies used to attempt to appeal to motorists with advertising indicators, billboards and an array of fiberglass giants, animals and different objects. Such efforts fueled America’s freeway tradition.
The museum is standard with Route 66 aficionados, in keeping with volunteer Marge Dyer. “We get individuals from all around the world, together with Japan, Lithuania, Brazil and New Zealand. It’s simply superb,” she mentioned.
The American Giants Museum is open April by means of September from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. In October it’s open solely on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Atlanta additionally attracts vacationers with a couple of present/vintage retailers, an arcade museum, the J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum and an historic library with a clock tower. For extra info on Atlanta, go to atlantaillinoistourism.com.
After your Atlanta go to, you may motor to Peoria for a cease on the Riverfront Museum and its particular exhibit, “BUILT: American Customized Automotive Tradition,” operating by means of April 27. Every of the eight automobiles within the exhibit is exclusive with personalized engineering, chrome and paint.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PEORIA RIVERFRONT MUSEUM
Guests to the Peoria Riverfront Museum can peruse eight customized automobiles as a part of the “Constructed: American Customized Automotive Tradition” exhibit on show till April 27.
The museum advertises the exhibition as the primary showcasing “the varied historical past, artistry and mechanics of American customized vehicles with nationally acknowledged vehicles from the Midwest.”
Nearly all of the vehicles, vans and bikes displayed come from central Illinois builders however have gained nationwide customized automobile reveals.
The area has an extended custom of cruising and celebrating automobile customization with the primary Road Rod Nationals held in Peoria in 1970, in keeping with museum info.
Melody Konrad, assistant director of promoting and communications for the museum, says the BUILT exhibit is only one purpose to cease. “The Peoria Riverfront Museum itself is equivalent to superior place to go to for a day journey as a result of we do not simply cowl one space. We now have exhibitions on science, historical past, artwork and native achievements.”
The museum additionally hosts a planetarium and an enormous display screen theater “so you may see a film, a planetarium present and museum galleries all in the identical go to,” she mentioned.
Konrad mentioned the preferred everlasting exhibit is “Bronzeville to Harlem: An American Story,” which options nationally recognized native sculptor Preston Jackson. Jackson’s studio is within the close by Up to date Arts Heart, permitting him to maintain the exhibit recent.
Documentarian Ken Burns is curating a future exhibit for the museum to have a good time the USA’ semiquincentennial in 2026, Konrad mentioned. Data on that exhibit and different happenings is out there at peoriariverfrontmuseum.org.
The museum is open Tuesday by means of Saturday from 10 a.m. to five p.m. and on Sunday from midday to five p.m. Admission is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors 60+ and college students over age 17, and $16 for youth ages 13-17. Each second Sunday of the month museum admission is free. Guests pay further for planetarium reveals and flicks.
