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Exhausted Paul Bunyan.

Exhausted Paul Bunyan

Field review by the editors.

University Park, Illinois

Although clearly Bunyan-size at 25 feet tall, this colorful, lifelike statue is an unusual representation of America's legendary tree-biter. Paul looks limp; his shoulders sag; his ax is apparently too heavy for him to lift from the ground.

Officially titled "Paul 2006," this Bunyan was created by artist Tony Tasset, who later built a 30-foot-high eyeball in Dallas, Texas. Tasset said that exhausted Paul was a "portrait of this American moment," and that one of his artistic inspirations was "fading roadside attractions."

We observed that Bunyan stands in a treeless field -- so perhaps he is not world-weary, just tired. Clearing the land by chopping down entire forests is hard work.

Also see: Paul Bunyan: Friend or Foe?

Exhausted Paul Bunyan

Address:
1 University Pkwy, University Park, IL
Directions:
On the campus of Governors State University. I-57 exit 335. Drive east on Monee Manhattan Rd until it ends. Turn left onto Hwy 50/Governors Hwy. Drive north two miles. Turn right at the blinking light onto Stuenkel Rd, then turn right on University Pkwy and onto campus. You'll soon see Bunyan on the left; drive a little further, park in the lots on the left, then follow the paths to the sculpture.
Phone:
708-534-4486
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Rail Fan ParkRail Fan Park, Park Forest, IL - 3 mi.
The Chinese HouseThe Chinese House, Park Forest, IL - 4 mi.
Cow With a Chef's HatCow With a Chef's Hat, Chicago Heights, IL - 5 mi.
In the region:
World's Largest Religious Wood Carving, Darien, IL - 24 mi.

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