And One More on the Way: Jolly Green Giant

As part of our conference countdown, I’m going to start a new series of postings of possible places you might want to add to your Wilder conference trip. Some will be Laura related, others are just kind of neat tourist spots. Enjoy!

First up, the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth, Minnesota.

Jolly Green Giant with Genny and Andy

When I discovered that the friends I was traveling with to see the musical in Sioux Falls, South Dakota had never seen the Jolly Green Giant of Blue Earth, Minnesota I told them that we simply had to stop. I told them everyone needs to meet the Giant. Someday I intend to go to the scarfing ceremony the weekend after Thanksgiving when Santa Claus himself puts a giant red scarf. I can hardly wait.

Blue Earth gets its name from the blue-gray clay found in riverbanks in the area. It’s located just off of I-90 aka the fast way to get across the state of Minnesota when you don’t have time for Highway 14 – the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Highway. There is a rest area just slightly west of Blue Earth which is a nice facility (typical for the area – no restaurants east coast people) and it has a good display explaining the town name. I have been told several times that you can see the giant from the rest area, but I haven’t spotted him from there yet. If you want to see him, take the time to pull off the Interstate and stop.

He should be easily spotted in a park about 2 blocks off the Interstate. Pull off and head south. Look for access to a frontage road on the west and look for the trees. You will drive by one active gas station and one closed and boarded up gas station. The giant is in the park just behind it. He’s 55.5 feet tall (including the base) and towers over the small park which backs up to the county fairgrounds. He would wear size 78 shoes. His fiberglass smile alone is 48 inches and he weighs 8,000 pounds.

There is a small souvenir stand and if you’re lucky it will be open and you too can buy yourself a Little Sprout and look at a small historical display. I got my brother a shot glass for his collection one year and always stock up on Green Giant postcards. You can also get your photo taken with the giant either at its base or by climbing up the handy steps so you can be eye to ankle with the giant. Wooden cutouts of the other characters that appeared in the Jolly Green Giant ads help to populate the park at a more human size.

Green Giant/Seneca foods have a long association with the area. There is still a Green Giant factory in town (sorry no factory tours) that sends canned vegetables all across the country and around the world. The giant was unveiled on July 6, 1979 after a group of locals came up with the idea and raised donations to pay for it, $50,000. I also learned this time that there is a museum with a Green Giant history display downtown, but we didn’t have time to stop this trip.

So make a slight detour right off of Interstate 90 and the next time you pick up a can or bag of Green Giant vegetables at the grocery store you can say you’ve met him in person.

On a side note, the Chocolate Dream, a forerunner of the Eskimo Pie was invented here. So they aren’t ALL about the vegetables. Those into history will find a charming “pioneer village” on the fairgrounds which is directly behind Green Giant Park.

Read more about the giant here:
http://blueearthchamber.com/enjoying-blue-earth/visitor-guide

On a logistics note, there are no modern bathroom facilities at the statue site, but there are several fast food places and gas stations in the area and rest area right down the road.

Sarah S. Uthoff

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