Helper, Utah: Big John: Coal Black Muffler Man

I have seen dozens of muffler men and this jumped to Top Five. The coal black shininess was pretty awesome. The town of Helper is a fun little spot of railroad and mining history --many old buildings and old neon. And Big John keeps watch over it all from the center of town.

The street in front of Big John was completely torn up, but construction workers were kind enough to stop work and assist our crossing in order to visit "The big guy," as they called him.

He's still there; all coal black and in excellent condition. He is still on Main St. but is in front of the Helper Library.

Ever since I read about your collection of Muffler Man sightings in the October issue of the Smithsonian, I've wondered why you do not have a picture of the one in Helper, Utah, my father's home town.

Last weekend, while visiting my kids that attend BYU, made a trip to Helper to find "Big John". He was easy to find, thanks to your description of the location -- in front of the Civic Auditorium. I talked to a local lady, who confirmed that they call him "Big John". He is a proud symbol of the coal mining industry in the area. He is in remarkable condition.

The photo was taken the morning of November 3, 2000. The light would be better in the late afternoon.

Big John was installed in front of the civic auditorium in the mid-1960s. He held an axe for quite a number of years, and then one day it disappeared. Big John does represent the unifying of a community. It is good to know that not only the statue has a significance to the community, but the song of "Big John" goes along with community pride. He also signifies the memory of all those who have given their lives in the local coal mines since the late 1890s.