In a small town in Minnesota, there is a 22-foot turkey sculpture named Big Tom that is considered a local icon. Throughout the Midwest, small towns often boast about having the biggest or largest of various things.
Roadside statues in the Midwest have been elevated to an art form.
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Authored by Mitch
Images taken by Graham Dickie
I am reporting from Frazee, Minnesota, and other towns in the Midwest that value large sculptures.
In Frazee, Minnesota, the most well-known resident is Big Tom, a 22-foot-tall figure who resides near Highway 10. People come to visit him and take photos throughout the day, as he stands alone near the metal barns and railroad tracks.
Big Tom is a turkey statue that is considered the largest in the world by local residents. The statue represents the importance of the poultry industry in rural Minnesota and also serves as a symbol for the annual Turkey Days festival in Frazee, a small town with a population of 1,300 located about 200 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
There are many large sculptures scattered throughout the Midwestern countryside, but none quite like Big Tom. This particular sculpture depicts a turkey named Big Tom, perched on top of Frazee with icicles on its chest, snow on its tail feathers, and a serious look on its face. Despite its uniqueness, there are plenty of other oversized statues to be found while exploring the area.
In Minnesota, there are various giant sculptures scattered throughout different towns. These include a loon in Vergas, an otter in Fergus Falls, a prairie chicken in Rothsay, a sugar beet in Halstad, a crow in Belgrade, a pelican in Pelican Rapids, and statues of Paul Bunyan in Akeley, Bemidji, and Brainerd.
In smaller towns or cities that may not have impressive skyscrapers or large sports stadiums, having one of the world’s largest anything can help create a sense of uniqueness, attract tourists, and bring joy through shared experiences.
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