Muffler Men. Stoic sentinels of another era? Or smouldering chimneys of unrest? These
colossi were originally created in the 1960s by a California fiberglass company for gas
station chains in two sizes -- 18 and 25 feet (though sizes in between are occasionally
reported). M-Men once beckoned noisy and exhaust-weary vehicles to replace their mufflers.
The statues' hands were molded to hold mufflers or tires. As establishments closed or
changed hands, the lantern-jawed Muffler Men were transplanted to other locales. While
hundreds have been lost forever, many still stalk the shoulders of highways across the
nation.
Though many defy easy categorizing, there are several subspecies of the pure,
muffler-holding creature. The Cowboy Muffler Man wears western duds and hat, but is
identifiable by lantern jaw, steely gaze, leg and arm position. In Milford, NE, one
painted with University of Nebraska colors loiters near the World's Largest Covered Wagon.
The lumberjack or big woodsman type is often identified as a Paul Bunyan, with bushy beard
and wool cap, axe in hand.
The Noble Savage is an Indian chief whose arm juts out in a friendly greeting to
stationwagon-trains. Look for them in Cherokee, NC Pigeon Forge, TN,and Picacho, AZ. A big
Indian Muffler Man proudly stands within the replica stockade (circa 1870) of the Fort
Cody Trading Post in North Platte, NE. Has he killed off the whole garrison?
The big-eared Happy Half-Wit is the rarest of the M-Man lines. In Winslow, NJ, a statue
known as "Mr. Bill" is actually a standard Muffler Man with the head of Alfred
E. Neuman.
A Muffler Spaceman stands outside the Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington, IL, holding a
rocket. His helmet is lit from the inside at night. The shortsleeved spacesuit is one clue
that he may have started life as a regular muffler man.
Know the signs.
18 to 25 feet tall. Silent.
Right hand up. Left hand down.
Don't be fooled. Though it appears that new bybride M-Man are being bred today, the
original Muffler Men still hold the highway in their thrall!
Half of our Muffler Man reports are never verified. Some are on the move, stealthily
shifting from one sentry post to another, changing outfits -- and heads.