Whether we’re talking Margate, New Jersey’s Lucy the Elephant, California’s Cabazon Dinosaurs, or Gold Hill’s Oregon Vortex, roadside attractions have decorated American roadscapes since the 1940s. A fun byproduct of interstate automobile travel, they’ve long invited on-the-go people to stop, take a pic, and buy something. Along the way, many became celebrated parts of Americana.
Yet, as early as the mid-1950s, many roadside attractions faced dilapidation as the U.S. Interstate Highway System bypassed their locations. Only the most eclectic and beloved survived the resulting traffic drought. These include the iconic Big Peanut along Interstate 75 in South Georgia. The pride of the state’s peanut belt, Hurricane Michael irreparably damaged the marvelous monument in October 2018.
But residents of its home base in Ashburn recently resurrected the Big Peanut. Back better than ever, it’s a sight to behold.
History of the Massive Goober
More than 50 percent of the United States’ peanut production comes from Georgia. In 2022, this accounted for a whopping 2.9 billion pounds of goobers. So, a giant roadside attraction shaped like a peanut was a natural expression of this industry.
It also acted as an enticement to visitors, inviting them to pull off the road in the small town of Ashburn. One that even big names like Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have proven unable to resist!
Credit: Jud McCranie Via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
But a giant nut crafted from fiberglass couldn’t withstand the 110-mile-per-hour winds that rocked parts of the Southeastern United States during Hurricane Michael. Long story short, it blew away faster than Dorothy’s house in Kansas.
Although the Florida Panhandle took the brunt of the hurricane’s onslaught, the storm spawned destructive tornadoes that ravaged neighboring parts of Georgia. In the Category 5 storm’s aftermath, residents of Ashburn awoke to the horror of a landscape devoid of its legume landmark.
The Big Peanut Reborn
Nearly five years later, however, the Big Peanut’s back better than ever. The 9,000 residents of Ashburn-Turner County raised $80,000 for the rebuild. Ultimately, $70,000 went into the project, with $10,000 set aside for future maintenance.
This time, the gargantuan nut is immortalized in sheet metal. Residents of Ashburn hope the landmark will remain large and in charge for decades to come.
Speaking on behalf of the Ashburn-Turner County Chamber of Commerce, Ashley Miller sees the Big Peanut as far more than a roadside attraction. “I think it represents home.” Moreover, she feels it’s the perfect way to commemorate the Georgia farmers who fuel America’s peanut industry.
Besides choosing a sturdier material for the quirky attraction, community leaders used the rebuild to add a few additional improvements. These include LED lights to illuminate the structure at night. The inner workings of the peanut are also reinforced with a metal pole and interior framework.
A Homage to America
Apart from the money needed for the project, laborers put in serious time. All told, between 700 and 800 laborer hours went into the structure, which stands 40 feet tall from its base to the top of the peanut. The landmark weighs 5,000 pounds!
What does the future look like for Ashburn’s Big Peanut? Local officials plan on creating a welcoming “selfie spot” for passersby. That way, road trippers will enjoy the best angles when snapping selfies with the immense nut.
Ready for your visit to the Big Peanut? Or maybe you’d like to undertake a larger all-American road trip around some of the nation’s most eclectic roadside attractions? Check out our list of the zaniest thoroughfare hotspots in the U.S.
Then, head to your nearest Ripley’s Attraction, where you’ll find fun and fresh nods to the masterpieces of the American roadside. From the sinking Titanic in Panama City Beach, Florida, to Hollywood’s T. Rex, these head turners are just the beginning when it comes to discovering a world of wonder.
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com