Willa was spending the day and we decided to get some exercise at Waltz Golf Farm. Two minature golf courses, a driving range and Turtle Creek Golf make up the Farm. While there we spotted this chicken so Willa and I posed for this photo, putters in hand.
Waltz Golf Farm Chicken
I think I may have sparked a flame. First Willa with Big Things, now her sister Lucy spots a Big Chicken in downtown Clare, Michigan. She was nice enough to pose for a photo she sent to me.
Lucy’s Big Chicken
On our way out of Kitty Hawk with all the vacationers ending their vacation on Saturday morning we spotted a couple of Big Things at the Mill Farms roadside stand. Had to pull over and get this Big Strawberry and Big Chicken. It was good to take a little break from the non-stop traffic heading back home from their vacation.
Mill Farms Strawberry
Mill Farms Chicken
Along US-17 we spotted this chicken standing in a field. After making a quick U-turn we found that it represents the Go Chicken Coop activity center. Located in Winnabow, NC at the corner of Bell Swamp Connection and US-17 the Go Chicken Coop offers activities for the family to share. They would like people to set their devices down and spend time interacting with one another. Sounds like a good plan, I hope they make it.
Go Chicken Coop
Gosh, there are so many of these Big Chickens scattered around the country I don’t know why there is not a web site dedicated to them. There’s several sites for Muffler Men, none for chickens. Maybe someone will create a Big Chicken Site.
Rise-N-Shine Cafe Chicken
After brunch in Tower Grove Park we couldn’t pass up the chance to shop at Gringo Jones, 4468 Shaw Blvd in St. Louis. If you are in the area this is a very interesting shop to visit. The place is crammed with items. Antiques in the basement, cement lawn statues, and much, much more. This chicken was on the curb out front.
Gringo Jones Chicken
We were in Detroit for Erica’s graduation party in June. She is the youngest of the “cousins” and on her way to Grand Valley State University. Deb and I went to the Chicken Shack in Royal Shack to pick up the chicken and ribs for the party. On the way back to Meg and Greg’s house we spotted this special chicken outside Blossoms, a florist located at the intersection of Woodward and S. Adams Rd in Birmingham, MI.
Erica’s Chicken
On our way down to Smoky National Park and our cabin in Gatlinburg we were traveling down I-75 in Tenessee and spotted this Big Chicken at exit 141. We needed gas and thought it would be a good time to fill up and also get a shot of this chicken in front of Stowers Super Store. A very interesting place with lots of stuff out front. This patriotic chicken caught our attention. Just had to get it.
Tennessee Chicken
East Peoria, our last stop on our Out-West trip and the target was this Big Rooster with a top hat. Not only does he have brightly colored plumage but is wearing a top hat. If you look closely there is a string of lights that almost looks like a veil.
Peoria Chicken
We made our way through Minnesota to the Mississippi River and took a right planning to follow this Mighty River down to the Quad Cities. Along the way we were passing through Jan’s home town of Clinton, Iowa. This city was a treat, much larger than I imagined with a nice riverfront park. Just south of downtown we spotted this Big Chicken. While he is a pretty common variety of Big Chicken he does advertise Angelo’s Pizza & Pasta at the corner of 11th Ave S and S 4th Street. Angelo’s was closed when we stopped or I might have stopped for a slice.
Clinton, Iowa Chicken
The fine feathered friend wears a top hat to advertise Bridges Restaurant in Princeton, help Iowa, an old river town along the Mississippi. He sits on the top of the roof to avoid any possible floods. Not sure if the restaurant is still open.
Bridges Chicken
On the way to Estes Park we pulled off I-85 onto US-34, sale ask Eisenhower Blvd and quickly spotted this Rooster in front of North Fork Antiques. Looking more closely I noticed it said “Henco en Mexico” which I assume translates to Made in Mexico. It was a good start to traveling on Eisenhower Blvd. because we also spotted a Big Andirondack Chair and Big Guitar. A wealth of Big Things is such a short distance.
Estes Park Rooster
The people of Logansport don’t know how lucky they are. The per capita count of Big Things is pretty low here. 18,000+ people and 3 Big Things. This Big Chicken is on US-24 out on the west side of town. It’s on display in front of the Next Day Container facility.
Logansport, Indiana Chicken
There are a lot of these chickens scattered around the country. I don’t know that much about them but Mel has two of them in the park. I wish I could have learned more about why he collected all these items. BYW the White Chicken is virtually identical to the Barnburner Chicken in LA, except this one has his tail painted.
Mel’s Painted Chicken
Mel’s White Chicken
I picked up the location of a Muffler Man from “Roadside America” and thanks to GPS we found him and more, this chicken for example. It wasn’t an easy trip but on the way we drove through orange orchards. It let me visualize what the LA area was like decades ago before all the development. At any rate it was near Mentone at the corner of Garnet Road and Mill Creek Road. If you go be sure to stop at the Greenspot store and get some of their “World Famous Jerkee (sic)”
Mentone, CA Chicken
California for Christmas 2008 and still in pursuit of Big Things. After lunch at Lucky Baldwin’s in Pasadena (you have to go there, what a classic place) we were driving South on Fair Oaks and passed the Barn Burner BBQ with this Big Chicken out front. A quick u-turn and the mini-van full of Hejls pulled into the parking lot to grab this image.
Barnburner Chicken
So, we were on our way up to Michigan to see the Davidsons. As we passed an exit I spotted this large rooster in a little park outside a restaurant. We made a note of the exit number and stopped by on the way home. I can’t find the name of the restaurant right now and will update if I find my notes. It was a family style restaurant and would stop there to eat.
I-69 Chicken
Well, we made it “Up North” and were enjoying our vacation on Lake James outside Prudenville. I made a trip into town to go to Ford’s hardware and spotted this chicken outside the Lake Break snack shop. You can get Ice Cream, Pizza, Ribs and of course Broasted Chicken.
Prudenville Chicken
I recently moved to Indianapolis so there is a entire fresh stock of Big Things. Melynda, a co-worker, told me about this Big Chicken. And since I have a special affinity for chickens (see below on this page) Debbie and I had to hustle out to the Chanticleer Cottage in Noblesville Sunday morning to get this chicken. Update: there’s been a change of hands, this chicken is now painted a bland white color, blah!
Noblesville Chicken
