American Giants Museum Grand Opening Weekend Recap
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- If you were at the American Giants Museum Grand Opening Weekend or you missed it, this is a must watch! In this episode I go through each of the 3 days of the weekend and what happened and how two extra giants managed to show up. We also dive into the backstory of the Texaco Big Friend and how we got it and how it ended up at the AGM. Take a first row seat to all the events of the weekend including the set up of the Big Friend, the Gemini Giants and catch a glimpse of your favorite roadside social media creators. All that and more in this full weekend recap episode.
http:/patreon.com/AmericanGiants
Email me for merch! - joel@usagiants.com
Email Bill for other donation options - wthomas@teleologic.net
Back in the 70's when my friends and I were road tripping we should see these giants and talk about just how cool it would be to have a backyard full of them. I'm really happy to see people actually doing it.
Wow the waving giant turned out BEAUTIFUL. Well done! My eyes are leaking!
Congrats on the museum. Wish i was closer. I'm around 2k miles from you. But when ever I get in that area, it will be one of the first places I go.
I remember these giants as a kid and I live about 3 miles away from an indian giant that still stands proud in our community.
We have to say coming to this opening was so worth the drive from Long Island. Planning a trip around being there was such a great idea. It was great to see the museum and meet everyone. Thank you for being so nice and informative with your knowledge. Our video of the opening just went live today. We really hope the museum does hold other events so we can all gather again.
That is a great story. Can’t wait to visit the museum later this summer.
American roadside attractions warm the heart this is so amazing,,,wow 😊❤
We have an Indian chief giant at riverhead raceway here on Long Island. He was fully restored by the raceway and was originally from the Danbury Fair in Connecticut. It was brought to the track in 1980. Look up Riverhead Raceway and you can see pictures of the Chief.
I need to get out there...
What a cool video! What a great project! Your passion shines through with this project! Looks like a great grand opening. Can't wait to visit the museum someday!
loved this, wish I could have made it, but I will come visit the music sometime, I grew up traveling Route 66 from Chicago to California and back visiting grandparents both directions
It was a wonderful weekend, and thrilling to see that there are so many people who have a passion for these icons of advertising from the 60s and 70s. Pictures of the Texaco Big Friend are great, but don't do him justice. He is a sight to behold in person. Thanks to you and the (Re)Giant team.
The Big Ben's Bargain Barn Tire figure was a landmark on my way to and from school in Bartlett/ Hanover Park, IL. A photo of him used to be hung in the recently closed (and sold to Google) James R. Thompson Center, (State of Illinois Building). He was given a badly-made sombrero at some point, and where his waving hand was missing, the tire shop had hung a large tractor tire, for many years. Gemini Giant, I got to see in his original spot before he was moved. There's a small collection of large figures like this at the Pink Elephant antique store; a converted public school building just 30 minutes down the road from Springfield , IL. on rt. 55 in Livingston, IL. Along with the giants are big elephants and one of the very rare Futuro "flying saucer" homes, which originally was a display at the Illinois State Fair in the 70's.
Interesting information, thank you for sharing. I wish I could see that photo! The sombrero or cowboy hat came with him and I agree, it's poorly made. From everything I am hearing, I have yet to prove this guy really was at Adventureland. The tractor tire seems to be something many remember, I wonder where the hand went.
So this video was great but what put the cherry on top was you bringing to close a mystery from my youth by mentioning and showing a picture of the giant Paul Bunyan which was an iconic piece of our local community of Bristol, CT back in the 70's. The pic you showed at 14:58 of him standing in front of Kemptons Discount Tire and Bristol Auto Parts, opened those old memories of seeing Paul Bunyan as a kid, and trading "what if" stories with local kids friends and family alike, about imagining him coming to life and walking around the streets of town at night scaring everyone. For some reason, no-one has any memories of what ever happened to the statue, as he seemed to disappear overnight all those years ago. As kids, we made up a story, that Paul got tired of holding up that huge tire day in and day out, and one night just walked off the job, and was out there somewhere in the woods of New England, looking for his axe and Babe the Blue Ox.
Thank you for opening fond memories from our youth 50 plus years ago and bringing the mystery to an end!!!
So glad I snuck that picture in there. It is a slide that was recently found on ebay by my friend on facebook at Vintage Roadside. Today that giant is at 540 W. Johnson Ave., Cheshire, CT
We were so stinking close yet it just didn't work out but we'll stop by on the way back through town. Bummer because we really would have enjoyed the event and meeting you!!
i remember when I was a kid there was a texaco man at our local station! thanks so much!
Where at?
Saw your video on the Carpet Bagger Channel on UA-cam. It's awesome what you guys are doing. I subscribed to your channel.
Thank you! Carpet Bagger did a great job covering it!
Hi joel... I recently visited your museum in Atlanta and it features in my route 66 vlogs.. I loved it in there and hope to plan to return to see the new giants oneday... keep up the great work... from a UK American giant fan !! 👍🇬🇧😁
Did you say AdventureLand closed in 1971? I’m pretty sure that is not correct as I remember going there in the mid-70’s. Very enjoyable video! Congrats on the Museum!
You are correct, I miss spoke, they closed in 1977.
ITS PEOPLE LIKE U & YOUR GROUP THAT THIS TRULY AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL ART FORM IS ACTIVITY BEING LOOKED FOR AND FOUND & ITS HISTORY PRESERVE YOUR KINDA THE NEW INDIANA JONES INSTEAD OF GOLD IDOLS YOUR GOING AFTER TALL MUFFLER MEN!!!! HAPPY HUNTING & MUCH SUCCESS "INDY"👍👍👍😉😉😉
Why not put the museum location in the video description? Marketing fail!
this was so cool to see. why are they called muffler men?
The guys at roadside America started noticing them and the first ones they saw were in Dallas holding mufflers and they assumed they all held mufflers. They called them muffler men and the name stuck. Only 4 or 5 actually hold mufflers.
How much are the bobbleheads
Check with Lee on Texaco Big Friend Bobble Heads and pricing, he can ship to your door. leetowmanwoods@gmail.com
Was a great time Joel! Thank you for all that you do for these muffler men!!
I'm not crying, you're crying. I'm SO proud of you, Joel! Thanks to you and your team for preserving the beautiful history of the American Giants.
Thank you for the kind words, I enjoyed every second of it.
It is so awesome that you have worked so hard to make all of this happen! I've loved Muffler Men since I first saw one of them from the freeway in Los Angeles on a road trip in the 90s. I've been seeking them out ever since and I hope to get a chance to come to the museum soon!
What an amazing story and a fantastic site. I can't believe that your channel doesn't have at least 250k subs. Thank you for all of your hard work and passion.
Thank you!
Texaco man looks incredible! Great job! I drive by a muffler man and a pink elephant with a martini glass every day. They are not at the same location. Can you use 4"+ foam when transporting for better cushioning? Thank you for the video.
Wondered what happened to our giant on RT 20 in Bartlett…drove past it often then one day it was gone. No idea it was there all along, hibernating in the attic of the barn!
Wonderful video Joel!! Thanks for the recap of the weekend and all the great backstory.
This is Great!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Meet Lee in Feb. 2024, he gave me a great tour of the property and let me take all the pictures I wanted. Great experince
I have big plans for the Route 66 anniversary/USA anniversary in 2026, I'll send y'all emails soon, but feel free to get in touch before that happens, too!
The Indian and the muffler man are standing at Crystal Lake Green House. Always a favorite to drive past.
I'm from Conn. and I swear that Bunyan was at House of Doors for years in Cheshire.
Yep he's the one. The one they have standing there is shown in that picture at 14:59 and the one at Lee's shop is the one that was on the ground and never made it up.
Wonder what a muffler man is.
Some muffler repair shops had giant fiberglass men standing in front with a muffler in its hands to draw attention to them.
What a wonderful video, Joel! We had a great time sharing the day with you, your family, the ReGiant Crew, Lee, Bill, all the Giant enthusiasts, and the folks of Atlanta. I loved the cameo appearance of my Texaco Big Friendly bobblehead in your video! 💜
Yeah that shot fit in so well! I laughed when I saw it. We had a blast hanging out with you!