Click on a picture to embiggen. All photos copyright, Steph Mineart. Not to be used without permission.
I’ve covered all of Indianapolis photographing roadside art and "Big Things" so now my goal is to cover all of Indiana. Here are quite a few of the trips I’ve taken to photograph "big things" around Indiana.
I have to make many more day trips to get some of these: Giant Egg in Mentone, Indiana, Giant Peach near Vincennes, Indiana, A giant chicken in Spenser, Indiana, a giant Indian in Toto, Indiana, and the "World’s Largest Rocking Chair" in Amity, Indiana. Please e-mail me if you know of any big things in Indiana that I’ve missed.
Valparaiso — Giant Root Beer Mug, Giant Cow, Giant Santa Claus
My friend Rich Evers got me the first photo of a big root beer mug in Valparaiso, and then when I was visiting with my girlfriend over Christmas, we got a couple more photos. The mug spins around, and is outside a bank, because the root beer shop it used to advertise no longer exists. The giant cow is outside Kelsey’s Irish Pub, and the Giant Santa is downtown on the square. The Giant Santa used to be located in the triangle at the intersection of Calumet Ave. and Morgan Ave. near the railroad tracks, but it was stolen several times, so they relocated him to the more secure location.
I also took photos of the "Around the Clock" restaurant, which isn’t really a "big thing" but it’s interesting. And I snapped a photo of the Giant Chicken Bucket on the KFC, which you see a lot, but they’re being phased out of the advertising, so they’re slowly disappearing.
Giant Milk Bottle in Michigan City
We stumbled across this milk bottle on top of La Rocco’s while going through Michigan City to see the Christmas light show in the park. The building used to be a milk delivery company. Unfortunately, it was nighttime when we passed by, so I had a tough time getting good pictures.
Eastern Indiana Road Trip — Giant Elephant, Giant Shoes, Giant Men and other miscellaneous interesting stuff
On April 26, 2004, I took a short day trip with my dog Spike in eastern Indiana to capture some big things. I got the pink elephant in Fortville, Indiana, a giant Man in Connersville, Indiana, and two different giant shoes in New Castle, Indiana — an IU shoe in front of the Basketball Hall of Fame, and an University of Iowa shoe in front of the Steve Alford Inn. Check out Spike tied to the giant shoe.
In a fruitless search for a second giant man in Cambridge City, Indiana, I took photos of a cool whale sign, a boat on a billboard, the Whitewater Valley Railroad, and the Restoration of the Dearborn Railroad Tower. On the way home, I snapped photos of a horse on the roof of a building.
Giant Peach, Vincennes
I haven’t been able to get out this way yet, but one of my readers sent me this picture of the giant Peach near Vincennes. I’m planning a trip there soon.
Montpelier "Muffler-Man" Style Giant Indian
My dad got these great photos of a giant Indian in Montpelier that’s from the same factory as the original Muffler Men. So basically, he’s Mr. Bendo’s brother. This is one that hadn’t yet been logged in RoadsideAmerica.com, so I was the first to report it.
Giant Lady’s Leg Sundial At Nudist Resort in Roselawn Indiana
RoadsideAmerica.com wanted photos of a Giant Lady’s Leg Sundial at this nudist resort, but no one who had written in to them about it had ever had the guts to stop and ask if they could take photos. Until me! The sundial has been around since the 1970s, when it was in a documentary on the nudist resort, which was then called "Naked City." I almost got sent off-course because the instructions I had directed me to the other nudist resort, the Ponderosa Sun Club, where the people were most unfriendly and almost didn’t give me directions to the correct place. But the folks at Sun Aura Resort were very nice and accommodating, and they escorted me into the grounds so I didn’t get scared by (or scare away) any nekkid people. These photos also appear in Dick Wolfsie’s Indiana Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities, and Other Offbeat Stuff.
World’s Largest Sycamore Stump, Kokomo, Indiana
The trunk is 57 feet in circumference and the tree stood 100 feet high before it was destroyed by storms. The tree was approximately 800 years old.
Giant Steer "Old Ben" in Kokomo, Indiana
Old Ben was considered the World’s Largest Calf at birth. These photos also appear in Dick Wolfsie’s Indiana Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities, and Other Offbeat Stuff.
Giant Chair, Bunker Hill, Indiana
This giant chair sits on the side of U.S. 31. It was created as an advertisement for a nearby antique store.
Giant Rhino, U.S. 40 East, toward Greenfield
My co-worker Alan snapped these photos for me of the giant Rhino on U.S 40 east.
Giant Pig, Kokomo Indiana
Painted on a Propane Tank at a propane sales business on U.S. 31 in Kokomo.
Giant Santa, U.S. 37 North, Nobleville
I didn’t get very good pictures of the Santa that’s a holiday regular in my hometown of Noblesville.
Giant Slingshot near Roachdale, Indiana
Brian Peterson snapped this great photo of a giant slingshot near Roachdale, Indiana.
Giant Aluminum Urn and Cast Aluminun Steer at PK Distributors, Peru, Indiana
I stopped to snap photos of this neat outdoors store on U.S. 31 near Peru. They had tons of interesting yard art and decor, fencing, gas style lighting, etc. See their website to get more info.
Noblesville’s Giant Chicken
Outside the old Aunt Bee’s Restaurant on Allisonville Road in Noblesville, Indiana. New photos of the repainted chicken, which now advertises the new antique store: Chanticleer. My older brother claims to have pictures of himself riding the giant chicken from back in high school as a stunt.
Giant Rocking Horse in Noblesville, Indiana
at a Children’s clothes place on the way into town. Last time I checked, the horse and the business were no longer there.
Giant Stars in Noblesville, Indiana
at an antiques and home decor place. Sadly, this place is no longer in business. I don’t know what became of the giant stars.
Giant BBQ Grill in Noblesville, Indiana
in a parking lot near 146th street.
Giant Dalmatian in Bloomington, Indiana
At a Radio Station in downtown Bloomington, Indiana. The radio station is housed in a former fire station, and when the building became a radio station, the dog became the station’s mascot.
Giant IU football/Cement Truck
in Bloomington, Indiana.
Giant man is in new castle, not connersville
Boat on billboard sign is north of new castle on 3 , was ad for ice house tavern, now decaying