The Gemini Giant - History Secured

Фильм және анимация

For both Route 66 travelers and locals of Wilmington, IL, March 20, 2024 might as well have been the moon landing. Thousands sat riveted to their phones or computer screen waiting to see the fate of the Gemini Giant. Would a private collector get it, would someone out of state or even out of country snag it? Would it be saved and stay in Wilmington, no one knew. Join us as we talk about that day and the weeks leading up to it and the small role the American Giants Museum got to play in his take down and transport. Also learn a bit more about the history of Muffler Man and specifically the Space Men that were made in the mid 60s.
Website - usagiants.com
Email - info@usagiants.com
Patreon - patreon.com/AmericanGiants
American Giants Museum - www.americangiantsmuseum.com
Joliet Historical Museum - www.jolietmuseum.org

Пікірлер: 28

  • @forestpkguy
    @forestpkguy3 ай бұрын

    Thank you for taking such good care of our giant

  • @gretchenschmeckpeper7545
    @gretchenschmeckpeper75453 ай бұрын

    💚🚀Perfect🚀💚 Hopefully one day, anyone who can't fathom why anyone would want to save this big ol' piece of fiberglass will watch this & finally just get it. Thank you to EVERYONE involved! This can't be said enough.

  • @jconnway
    @jconnway3 ай бұрын

    Such a beautiful muffler man!

  • @StressLessCamping
    @StressLessCamping3 ай бұрын

    Wow - just wow. This just shows that things you think are permanent/forever are part of the march of time. Glad I got to see it at the Launching Pad when we did and glad it’s staying in the neighborhood. As always, great job!

  • @MrGoosePit
    @MrGoosePit3 ай бұрын

    Been following the saga of the Gemini Giant over the past year or so. Was thrilled to hear you guys were there to help save him For Wilmington. Thank You!!!

  • @DLeadVox
    @DLeadVox3 ай бұрын

    💛💛💛 I have tears in my eyes. Thank you Dave, Joel and your team for helping! For coming to Wilmington and properly removing the Gemini Giant from where he stood for almost 60 years. He is precious to us. Your help and expertise made sure GG's take off and landing were precision operations. I will be making the trip to Atlanta this summer to visit the museum and thank you in person! DD☮️

  • @Evom777
    @Evom7773 ай бұрын

    Ironically, I just bought a 1 oz .999 silver piece that commemorates Route 66 and the Gemini Man. It's a good looking piece that really captures his likeness. I wanted to know the history of this muffler man and just found out about the latest drama concerning it. I'm glad it will stand again! 💪

  • @kat771973
    @kat7719733 ай бұрын

    It was definitely a roller-coaster of emotion!! So happy our giant gets to stay!! 💚💚💚

  • @UkuleleBetty
    @UkuleleBetty3 ай бұрын

    Thank you, Joel! Thank you, Joliet Historical Society! Thank you, Wilmington! For now, rest Gemini Giant. 💚

  • @SmokyMountainBlessed
    @SmokyMountainBlessed3 ай бұрын

    happy to see the Gemini Giant saved in his hometown, I traveled Route 66 as a kid with family, and love it and a little as an adult, looking forward to traveling it more, and visiting your museum, thanks for your help in saving this history, and my childhood memories being preserved to see again

  • @Laine2539
    @Laine25393 ай бұрын

    Love to see the Giant since I was a little girl. So happy he is safe and sound!

  • @glennh3855
    @glennh38553 ай бұрын

    Thank You. I drove Rt 66 in 2023 and The Launching Pad was closed and heard several versions of several rumors. I hoped the Giant was going to stay because it was one of the icons of the start of Rt66. I was very relieved to so relieved to see this video. You do great work preserving Americana.

  • @Hobart1958
    @Hobart19583 ай бұрын

    Great video, loved the history lesson! We'll be making a road trip to your museum this year!

  • @elibourgard8969
    @elibourgard89693 ай бұрын

    Great job as always, Joel! Thank God there are people like you who care so much about what becomes of these giants.

  • @BIGWojo68
    @BIGWojo683 ай бұрын

    I'm so happy! Can't wait to visit the Gemini Giant's new home. I'm just a hop skip and a jump from Wilmington! Good job, guys!

  • @UDUMBARA_Helsinki
    @UDUMBARA_Helsinki3 ай бұрын

    Thank You, this is so interesting. Wonderful that going to have a museum for The Great American Giants. I remember admiring them when traveling across USA in the early 1970. They were truly a big wonder for a 12-year-old from Finland!

  • @marauder134
    @marauder1343 ай бұрын

    10 out of 10. Great job!

  • @galvaillinois
    @galvaillinois3 ай бұрын

    Thank you very interesting

  • @hisdukeness3037
    @hisdukeness30373 ай бұрын

    I’ll be out to Atlanta soon! Just went to Peoria today to check out the tire gal.. looking good

  • @lwhitman57
    @lwhitman5724 күн бұрын

    I lived in Joliet and worked in Wilmington back in the 1980s and ate lunch at the Launching Pad often. I thought the Gemini Giant was really cool but didn’t understand the significance of it at the time. I last visited in 2016 on a Route 66 drive from Tulsa to Chicago. I now live in Tulsa just blocks from Buck Atoms and soon-to-arrive Stella Atoms. Oh, there are a couple other Giants I’m familiar with - the Bunyan Muffler Man in Springfield, Illinois. I lived there during high school and passed by it often. My high school was Springfield Southeast whose mascot is a Spartan. There’s a huge statue on the front of the school of a carpet Viking turned Spartan.

  • @JoeJoyHaveLanded
    @JoeJoyHaveLanded3 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much for this. It is great to know he is safe. Back in 2012 the Gemini Giant was the first Muffler Man we ever stopped to see. Back then I was photographing roadside attraction and of course on a trip from NY to Omaha he was surely worth a stop. I love the Spaceman design, we actual have a model of the one from Coney Island on our nightstand. We can not wait for the official opening of your museum. We just need to know two things, when is the official date so we can book a hotel? And second can we document it?

  • @AmericanGiants

    @AmericanGiants

    3 ай бұрын

    May 26 is the Grand Opening but we will be setting up some new giants on May 24. Yes feel free to document your experience!

  • @JoeJoyHaveLanded

    @JoeJoyHaveLanded

    3 ай бұрын

    @@AmericanGiants thank you so much. This will be incredible.

  • @barberjeff67
    @barberjeff673 ай бұрын

    I noticed at 5:36 that streetlights used in the 64/65 NY World's Fair are next to the giant.

  • @user-hx3nw3vj8m
    @user-hx3nw3vj8m3 ай бұрын

    My dad worked at a muffler shop from 1956 till 2000 they got a Alfred E Newman in the 1960s muffler shop is closed now I wish someone would save him before the new owners tear him up he is in Beaumont Texas I wish I could have one in my front yard

  • @LostDepot
    @LostDepot3 ай бұрын

    Ha Ha video has one thumbs down. I wonder who that could have been.

  • @jamesb8305
    @jamesb83053 ай бұрын

    I'm shocked he weighs less than 500 pounds.

  • @socialbootleggings
    @socialbootleggings3 ай бұрын

    This was such great news

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