Green Giant Statue Park - Blue Earth, Minnesota - Park


The Green Giant Statue Park is located at Giant Drive on Highway 169 off Interstate 90 in Blue Earth, Minnesota. To get to the statue drivers should follow I-90 exit 119 and turn south onto US 169. Driving a further half a mile, visitors should then turn right onto CR-104/Fairgrounds Rd, and then left onto Giant Drive, where the Green Giant can be found behind the Dairy Queen.

The Green Giant character was actually created way back in 1925 for the Minnesota Canning Company, and was named after a large variety of peas. He first appeared in advertising for the company in 1928 and his towering presence has presided over the vegetables grown in his valley ever since. As a result of his enormous popularity the company changed their name to Green Giant.

The Green Giant statue was permanently erected in 1979 at a cost of $43,000 and is the symbol of food manufacturing company Green Giant, which is owned by General Mills. It is the world's largest statue of the jolly Green Giant standing at 55-feet tall and it attracts over 10,000 visitors each year. The tall imposing figure is made of fiberglass and was made to commemorate the linking of the east and west sections of Interstate 90.

The statue was the idea of Paul Hedberg, the owner of a local radio station, who contacted the company in 1977 to see if they would allow their corporate symbol to be immortalized along the new Interstate 90. Green Giant worked with the statue builder Creative Displays of Sparta, Wisconsin to get the accuracy of the character. In the latter part of 1978 a 65 foot crane was used to hoist the new statue in to position for him to overlook the opening of I-90.

The park also features several picnic tables for visitors to enjoy their lunches at, and there is also a tourist information center. Accessible via steps, the pedestal of the statue welcomes visitors to Blue Earth, MN, which is a city in Faribault County and is named after the Blue Earth River. The 108-mile river is the largest tributary in terms of volume of the Minnesota River.

There are various other attractions near the Green Giant Statue Park including at Interstate 90 Rest Stops, which features picnic tables, a children's playground and visitors can walk along a nature trail as well. The Bicentennial Trail is located in Putnam Park and has a trail along the Blue Earth River as well as a cross country ski trail in the winter. Putnam Park also features a heated swimming pool, wading pool, basketball and tennis courts, playground equipment and picnic tables.

Should visitors want to stay in Blue Earth overnight or longer there are a number of hotels and inns in and around the area. Super 8 and AmericInn Lodge & Suites are both less than a mile away from the Green Giant Statue Park. Visitors to the statue have left reviews stating it is a must see for anyone visiting the area.

1
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Apr 17, 2013 @ 9:09 am
We may be coming to Blue Earth for a few months due to my husbands job and would like to know if there are any RV parks near so that we may live in our motorhome while in the area.
2
Doug
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May 18, 2019 @ 12:12 pm
are small dogs allowed at green giant park? thank you.

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