Rescuing America's Roadside Giants

[c2R]

Well, we've got some roadside art in the UK and Ireland, but I found this article about giant fibreglass statues in America very interesting:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36534695

They're not something I ever realised even existed....

[Fenlander]

I pass a few smaller ones randomly dotted around on my travels. these 2 in someone's yard or these 2 advertising a garden centre, they're not the only fibreglass things at that particular place.

[KeithW]

Well, we've got some roadside art in the UK and Ireland, but I found this article about giant fibreglass statues in America very interesting:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36534695

They're not something I ever realised even existed....

If you got off the Interstates and follow the old routes like Highway 40 or old Route 66 you used to see a lot of these old highway attractions. What I also found fascinating is the faded advertising signs that still exist, many for products and companies that haven't existed for decades. In the mid 90's there were still faded roadside signs for Burma-Shave and Standard Oil along US Route 40 in Ohio which was the main east west route before Interstate 70 opened. Another good road to see them was US Route 52 along the Ohio River. Unfortunately a lot of them have now been torn down as the federal and state government has increasingly legislated for the removal of unlicensed signs under the Scenic Byways Acts. They have removed some of the more scenic signs in the name of preserving the scenic route - sigh.

[KeithW]

I pass a few smaller ones randomly dotted around on my travels. these 2 in someone's yard or these 2 advertising a garden centre, they're not the only fibreglass things at that particular place.

There are quite a few giant signs in Australia, I personally visited the Big Pineapple in Queensland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia%27s_big_things

I also saw the Big Goose in Wawa Ontario while driving from Toronto to Thunder Bay.
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/10539

[bothar]

I recall some of these giant signs in Spain, including a giant bull.

[chaseracer]

I recall some of these giant signs in Spain, including a giant bull.

The bulls are 1950s adverts for sherry, erected by a British-owned wine company called Osborne. The ninety or so that remain are now protected.

[roadtester]

A new major piece of roadside art is planned for a Belgian motorway.

Apparently, its creator has been trying to get it erected for many years, including two failed attempts to get it built in France.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/ ... arc-majeur

[KeithW]

Here in England have our own roadside monuments of course such as the Angel of the North
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.91398 ... 6656?hl=en

The Brick Train at Darlington
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.52325 ... 5000?hl=en

and of course a rather older example - the Cerne Giant
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cerne-giant

We seem to be positively overrun by White Horses cut into or painted on the hillside

[Chris Bertram]

Here in England have our own roadside monuments of course such as the Angel of the North
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.91398 ... 6656?hl=en

The Brick Train at Darlington
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.52325 ... 5000?hl=en

and of course a rather older example - the Cerne Giant
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cerne-giant

We seem to be positively overrun by White Horses cut into or painted on the hillside

Most of the white horses and other figures are comparatively modern. The Uffington white horse is ancient, for example, but the Westbury horse is not. I particularly like the Fovant badges, which you can see from the A30 between Shaftesbury and Wilton. They are regimental badges carved into the hillside, and they have varied over the years.

[bart]

Most of the white horses and other figures are comparatively modern. The Uffington white horse is ancient, for example, but the Westbury horse is not. I particularly like the Fovant badges, which you can see from the A30 between Shaftesbury and Wilton. They are regimental badges carved into the hillside, and they have varied over the years.

I stumbled across the Fovant badges when I had an afternoon to kill in that part of the country and had a browse in my road atlas. Most of the military badges were carved by members of the army regiments who were stationed temporarily. However, there's also a YMCA badge, and I think that was done by the village people.

[Halmyre]

Most of the white horses and other figures are comparatively modern. The Uffington white horse is ancient, for example, but the Westbury horse is not. I particularly like the Fovant badges, which you can see from the A30 between Shaftesbury and Wilton. They are regimental badges carved into the hillside, and they have varied over the years.

I stumbled across the Fovant badges when I had an afternoon to kill in that part of the country and had a browse in my road atlas. Most of the military badges were carved by members of the army regiments who were stationed temporarily. However, there's also a YMCA badge, and I think that was done by the village people.

Very good.