American Giants Museum in Atlanta, Illinois
Atlanta, Illinois
Founded in 1853, Atlanta is located in Logan County Illinois, on Interstate I-55 and Historic Route 66. It is home to more than 1,600 residents, and is located midway on the Mother Road in Illinois, between Chicago and St. Louis, and the locale of the new American Giants Museum.
The community was a frequent stop for Abraham Lincoln when he was traveling as a lawyer on the 8th Judicial Circuit, in the mid 19th Century. A stop at the Atlanta Museum and the Looking for Lincoln historical marker, in downtown Atlanta, give windows into his connections and visits to the town.
In 1926, the original Route 66 alignment ran right through downtown Atlanta. Today, Atlanta retains its rich Route 66 history, and the downtown area has experienced a resurgence in Route 66 enthusiasm.
Map showing the approximate route of U.S. Highway 66 in Illinois and the location of Atlanta
American Giants MuseumThe Atlanta Betterment Fund organization is providing a home for the American Giants Museum in the City of Atlanta, Illinois. The new, one-of-a-kind experience is located at the corner of Arch & Vine Streets, on a 1926 alignment of Route 66 in downtown Atlanta. Grand opening was held on Memorial Day weekend in 2024. The American Giants Museum tells the story of the kitschy and quirky “Muffler Man/Bunyan Giant” statues that sprang up in the 1960s as advertising gimmicks across the USA. The Museum, built to resemble a vintage Texaco service station, features rotating exhibits in addition to its permanent exhibits. Free parking is available on the street and in the City Parking Lot across from the Museum. The entrance to the Museum is stair-free and handicapped parking is available. A handicapped accessible, unisex restroom is available for public use at the Museum during regular hours of operation. Designed as The Route 66 Land of the Giants Rest Stop, this unique area outside the Museum offers picnic tables, a vintage bubbler water fountain, and a photo op for Route 66 roadtrippers amidst a forest of giants. Shown below is an exterior view of the museum, and one of the first "giants" on display on the museum grounds in the spring of 2023. The giant is the 21-foot-tall Snerd, an Alfred E. Newman-looking figure named for Edgar Bergan's sidekick, Mortimer Snerd. Other additions have been the "Texaco Big Friend" on the left side of the museum and the "Phillips 66 Cowboy". On June 20, 2025 the "Viking Carpet Giant" joined the museum's outdoor exhibit area! For more information, opening dates and times, phone 217.650.7117, and
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Paul Bunyon ManStanding 19 feet tall and clutching a giant hot dog, this Paul Bunyon statue (not “bunyan” purposely spelled with an “o”). It is one of Illinois Route 66’s famous "Muffler Man" Statues, joining others like the Gemini Giant in Wilmington and the Lauterbach Giant in Springfield. For more than 35 years it was proudly owned by Hamlet Arthur "Art" Stephens, the proprietor of Bunyon's, a drive-in restaurant in Cicero on Route 66 just southwest of Chicago. Art left the restaurant business in 2002, and the statue ended up being moved to downtown Atlanta. Bunyon's statue is located in Atlanta on Arch Street, across from the Palms Grill Café, which features fine fare from The Mother Road’s golden age. It is a frequent stop for Route 66 travelers, and a popular "photo op"! |
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The Lumi Giant at the Country-Aire RestaurantLumi and her husband Nick Beckteshi are the owners of the Country-Aire Restaurant at 608 E South Street in Atlanta. On August 16, 2024, a 19’ high waitress, in the likeness of Lumi, was erected on the west side of the restaurant. The waitress is holding her Illinois State Fair Champion Baker award winning apple pie! She has many other details, such as a waitress cap, cat eyeglasses and an order pad. Follow the Country-Aire Restaurant on Facebook The Lumi Giant in Atlanta |
| Read more about giant "Muffler Men" & "Uniroyal Gals", their locations, and view photos on this website |
Route 66 Park and Shields“Route 66 Reimagined” through artists’ interpretations of the famous Route 66 shield are on display on this stretch of the 1926 Route 66 alignment that runs through downtown Atlanta, Illinois. |
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Atlanta MuseumThe Atlanta Museum tells the story of Atlanta’s growth and development since the city’s founding in 1853. Local artifacts tell the story of life in Atlanta, including businesses, schools, and social life. The museum is housed in the Downey Building, one of Atlanta’s three buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally built to house the Exchange Bank, the tin ceiling, textured glass, wood paneling, and two vaults are still intact. The Museum is located at 114 SW Arch Street. Phone: 217.648.2112 |
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Interactive Map of Atlanta Illinois
More Information about Atlanta & Illinois Route 66 |
City of Atlanta, Illinois website Atlanta at Destination Logan County Atlanta at Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway |
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