Rome, New York: 10-Foot-Tall Neanderthal Soldier
During WWII someone sculpted a big half-Alley Oop caveman, half-American GI out of concrete. A unique pro-USA depiction of Americans as half-human beasts.
- Address:
- Hill Rd, Rome, NY
- Directions:
- East edge of the city. The Alley Opp statue is along an outdoor sculpture trail just east of the traffic circle at the intersection of Hwy 825/Hill Rd, Ellsworth Rd, and Geiger Drive. The closest parking lot is just south of the traffic circle, off of Geiger Drive. A path from there leads across Hill Rd and straight to the statue.
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
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The soldier has been refurbished in the last few years. Looking good.
[Sandee, 05/26/2019]In the 1940s this ten-foot-tall statue was a mascot for Griffiss Air Force base. He was subsequently lost and found again a few times over the years. The statue depicts the comic strip character Alley Oop as a shirtless American GI wearing a helmet. He used to hold a machine gun, which has since gone missing.
For a long time the statue was covered in weeds and vandalized with graffiti. The last time he was found, people reclaimed the concrete man and moved him to his current location, among other pieces of artwork at the Griffiss International Sculpture Garden.
[Mike McAllister, 12/09/2016]A former USAF base, Griffiss has a B-52 bomber on static display (complete with cruise missiles), a large sculpture park with a few dozen modern pieces along a winding trail, and a concrete "Alley Oop" airman.
[Jim Van Damme, 04/18/2016]Nearby Offbeat Places
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The 10-foot-tall Alley Oop World War II GI is unique. He wears a pot helmet, no shirt, and has pointed teeth. He's missing the machine gun he once held in his right hand, as well as his lower legs (he was once 15 feet tall), but the rest of him was salvaged and moved to his current spot in late 2015.