Raise The Giant
Tax deductible
Check out The Oakland Press' coverage of our story!
A 23 ft. tall Native American "Giant" is intended to be raised on the Woodward Loop in downtown Pontiac, MI this coming year. Pontiac is named after a key historical figure in Native American leadership who is the namesake of both the City, as well as the famous car brand. This sculpture is also an extension of the Pontiac Transportation Museum.
The grand opening of the Pontiac Transportation Museum is expected to occur this year as well. The Pontiac Transportation Museum will play an essential role in energizing community development and revitalization while preserving, exhibiting, and maintaining Pontiac and Oakland automobiles and related artifacts, to include preserving their heritage, influence, significance, and place in our society, culture, and history.
The funds raised through this campaign will help support the actions and materials required to raise and share this historic sculpture. Your support is very much appreciated!
The Museum:
The Pontiac Transportation Museum has been in contact with both the City of Pontiac, many residents, and a direct descendant of Chief Pontiac. The statue location agreed upon is at Woodward Avenue split in downtown Pontiac. This location provides a great photo opportunity with the city skyline as a background. We expect this will emerge as a symbol of both the city’s fascinating heritage and the museum itself. Funding is necessary to create a pedestal, landscaping and the labor/material associated with mounting this giant.
The Museum intends to portray the 150+ year history of this community in transportation (from carriages to trucks, to muscle cars, etc) but also has a significant role to play in STEM outreach to Pontiac schools and generating foot traffic that assists downtown businesses.
A 23 ft. tall Native American "Giant" is intended to be raised on the Woodward Loop in downtown Pontiac, MI this coming year. Pontiac is named after a key historical figure in Native American leadership who is the namesake of both the City, as well as the famous car brand. This sculpture is also an extension of the Pontiac Transportation Museum.
The grand opening of the Pontiac Transportation Museum is expected to occur this year as well. The Pontiac Transportation Museum will play an essential role in energizing community development and revitalization while preserving, exhibiting, and maintaining Pontiac and Oakland automobiles and related artifacts, to include preserving their heritage, influence, significance, and place in our society, culture, and history.
The funds raised through this campaign will help support the actions and materials required to raise and share this historic sculpture. Your support is very much appreciated!
The Museum:
The Pontiac Transportation Museum has been in contact with both the City of Pontiac, many residents, and a direct descendant of Chief Pontiac. The statue location agreed upon is at Woodward Avenue split in downtown Pontiac. This location provides a great photo opportunity with the city skyline as a background. We expect this will emerge as a symbol of both the city’s fascinating heritage and the museum itself. Funding is necessary to create a pedestal, landscaping and the labor/material associated with mounting this giant.
The Museum intends to portray the 150+ year history of this community in transportation (from carriages to trucks, to muscle cars, etc) but also has a significant role to play in STEM outreach to Pontiac schools and generating foot traffic that assists downtown businesses.
Sculpture “giants” in American culture, often known as Muffler Men, or Giants, come in many forms, such as Cowboys, Pirates, Indians, Paul Bunyan, and many others including our Chief Pontiac, originated at International Fiberglass Company of Venice, CA. These were popular roadside attractions starting in the late 50’s as families increasingly set off on driving vacations on 2 lane highways like Route 66.
https://www.pontiactransportationmuseum.org/
https://www.pontiactransportationmuseum.org/
The Chief:
Joel Baker of American Giants is the recognized expert on these enormous eye-catchers, he moves them, restores them and tracks them. Joel estimates that today there are approximately only 200 known to exist. The giants have a huge following and many fans keep track of these larger-than-life exploits through his website and Facebook posts.
Harry’s on the Hill, an auto dealership in Asheville, North Carolina was founded by Harry Blomberg in 1923 and later began offering Pontiacs in 1941. In 1967 the company moved from downtown to the present location at 819 Patton Avenue in Asheville. That same year while Blomberg was on a trip to Florida, he spotted an Indian giant and felt that it was a must-have for his new dealership. The Pontiac brand had begun in 1926 was named after the great Indian leader, Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe. For decades GM used images of Native Americans on advertising, promotional items, and the car itself. Blomberg was sure the 23’ tall statue would be the perfect thing to bring attention to his dealership.
This giant proudly stood in front of the dealership on a hill overlooking Patton Ave. and beyond for fifty years. Many of the folks in town grew up always seeing this landmark, having stood there so long it had become more than a symbol of the dealership, but a part of the city’s historic landscape.
In 1991, the dealer added GMC trucks to their line-up and then Buick was brought on board. In 2009 there was a huge blow to every Pontiac dealer when GM announced they were dropping the brand. Now with Blomberg’s granddaughter, Patricia Grimes at the helm, Harry’s on the Hill weathered the storm. But all things change, and Harry’s is no longer a Pontiac dealership and the decision was made to remove the giant after fifty years and donate it to the museum. After several phone conversations, the details were worked out. The dealership hired Giant Expert, Joel Baker to come in 2018 and take down the statue (it requires both finesse and experience to handle the colossal fiberglass figure). Baker took the statue to Mark Cline at Enchanted Castle Studios in Virginia for restoration.
After the restoration was completed, Baker transported the freshly repaired and painted sculpture to Pontiac, Michigan where he awaits the next chapter of his existence. This representation of the city’s native american background, will be a great attraction as both a memory of a proud past and a bright future, including the new Pontiac Transportation Museum.
Joel Baker of American Giants is the recognized expert on these enormous eye-catchers, he moves them, restores them and tracks them. Joel estimates that today there are approximately only 200 known to exist. The giants have a huge following and many fans keep track of these larger-than-life exploits through his website and Facebook posts.
Harry’s on the Hill, an auto dealership in Asheville, North Carolina was founded by Harry Blomberg in 1923 and later began offering Pontiacs in 1941. In 1967 the company moved from downtown to the present location at 819 Patton Avenue in Asheville. That same year while Blomberg was on a trip to Florida, he spotted an Indian giant and felt that it was a must-have for his new dealership. The Pontiac brand had begun in 1926 was named after the great Indian leader, Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe. For decades GM used images of Native Americans on advertising, promotional items, and the car itself. Blomberg was sure the 23’ tall statue would be the perfect thing to bring attention to his dealership.
This giant proudly stood in front of the dealership on a hill overlooking Patton Ave. and beyond for fifty years. Many of the folks in town grew up always seeing this landmark, having stood there so long it had become more than a symbol of the dealership, but a part of the city’s historic landscape.
In 1991, the dealer added GMC trucks to their line-up and then Buick was brought on board. In 2009 there was a huge blow to every Pontiac dealer when GM announced they were dropping the brand. Now with Blomberg’s granddaughter, Patricia Grimes at the helm, Harry’s on the Hill weathered the storm. But all things change, and Harry’s is no longer a Pontiac dealership and the decision was made to remove the giant after fifty years and donate it to the museum. After several phone conversations, the details were worked out. The dealership hired Giant Expert, Joel Baker to come in 2018 and take down the statue (it requires both finesse and experience to handle the colossal fiberglass figure). Baker took the statue to Mark Cline at Enchanted Castle Studios in Virginia for restoration.
After the restoration was completed, Baker transported the freshly repaired and painted sculpture to Pontiac, Michigan where he awaits the next chapter of his existence. This representation of the city’s native american background, will be a great attraction as both a memory of a proud past and a bright future, including the new Pontiac Transportation Museum.
Organizer
Terry Connolly
Organizer
Pontiac, MI
Pontiac-Oakland Museum & Resource Center Inc
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
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