Retro Roadside Kitsch: Giant Muffler Men Among Us
In the 60s and 70s thousands of really big fiberglass figures were created as roadside attractions and attention getters for retail stores along the highways and byways all across America. Dubbed "Mufflermen," in the 1990s, many remain today around the country, reconfigured but still standing tall.
I grew up in the "See the USA in a Chevrolet" days of family road trips. So throughout my career, I have always enjoyed excuses to take back roads - or to drive a little out of my way - between assignments. I have also managed to create projects for myself over the years that take me on photographic adventures/road trips that I was lucky to be able to share with readers - The Lewis and Clark trail, Pennsylvania's cross-state Route 6, the Hallowed Ground of Civil War cemeteries, the Poconos and Amish Country, and many others whose internet links have been lost to time (and the buying and selling of my newspaper - and its servers - five or six times) so all that I can find now is my "Back Roads to the Jersey Shore." But I digress (or will post on the subject at a later date)
π·Mr. Bill's Restaurant, Winslow Township, NJ
Left over from the bygone era of my childhood, many larger-than-life fiberglass figures still loom over highways and byways across America. The giant square-jawed giants - with both hands extending out in front of them, one palm up, one down - were named "Muffler Men" (because some were holding products like tires and muffers) by Roadside America in the 1990s. The authors started keeping track of the fiberglass figures and invited other travelers to report sightings and send in photos. A handful are within an easy drive of Philadelphia. Those are the ones I visited - sometimes three or four times - over the summer (many while retracing the New Jersey Food Trail of the late Anthony Bordain).
I interviewed the owners and the photo essay as published on our website can be found here, or by clicking on any of the pictures.π·Cowtown Rodeo, Pilesgrove, NJ
π·Werbany Tire Town, Blackwood, NJ
π·Royal Tire & Auto, Magnolia, NJ
The guys at Roadside America who first "re-discovered" and coined the "Muffler Man" term also created the most awesome map of the figures all over America. It uses tiny head icons so you can immediately tell which kind is where. It is still the go-to site for "Muffler Men" updates. Joel Baker at American Giants is also a great source of information. He came into the fold after Roadside America, but has advanced the study of these figures (mufflermanpology?) with twenty YouTube videos. He has a shop that specializes in Muffler Man repairs and restoration. The website even has a page of "For Sale" guys (and UniRoyal gals) to facilitate the hooking up of buyers and sellers. Finally, Debra Jane Seltzer with Roadside Architecture has also compiled a big trove (some 60,000 photos) of vintage buildings, signs, and statues - including many muffler men - from all over the country. π·Barnacle Bill's Amusements, Ortley Beach, NJ
π·Arnold's Family Fun Center, Oaks, PA
π·Casino Pier, Seaside Heights, NJ
π·Orr's Flooring, Deerfield, NJ
π·Pirates Of The Golden Galleon Golf, Ocean City, NJ
π·Hershey Farm Restaurant And Inn, Ronks, PA
Stephen Colbert, on The Colbert Report, September 18, 2007