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Bluto statue.

Statue of Bluto

Field review by the editors.

Chester, Illinois

Popeye's chief rival is frozen in granite as if he's just delivered a roundhouse punch to the sailor man. But it's just a fleeting victory; we all know that the beefy bully will get his payback once Popeye chugs down a can of spinach.

Bluto is the most massive of 16 separate statues that the city of Chester is erecting around its downtown, part of a decades-long plan to honor the Popeye characters created by hometown cartoonist Elzie Crisler Segar. Popeye went up way back in 1977, and the final statue, of Elzie himself, won't be unveiled until 2020.

According to Debbie Brooks, president of the Popeye Picnic Committee and proprietor of the downtown Popeye Museum, the Bluto statue is an especially popular stop for visitor photo-ops, with tourists frequently mimicking Bluto's fisty pose.

Also see: Popeye the Sailor Man

Statue of Bluto

Address:
200 W. Holmes St., Chester, IL
Directions:
On the northwest corner of Stanwick and W. Holmes Sts, next to the bank parking lot.
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Nearby Offbeat Places

Only Sherlock Holmes Statue in the USAOnly Sherlock Holmes Statue in the USA, Chester, IL - < 1 mi.
Popeye MuseumPopeye Museum, Chester, IL - < 1 mi.
Statue of WimpyStatue of Wimpy, Chester, IL - < 1 mi.
In the region:
World's Largest Catsup Bottle, Collinsville, IL - 52 mi.

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