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Shamong, New Jersey: Mighty Joe the Gorilla

RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report

Mighty Joe's Gas, Grill & Deli

Address:
1231 US Hwy 206, Shamong, NJ
Directions:
Mighty Joe's Gas, Grill & Deli. On the west side of US Hwy 206, a little over four miles south of Hwy 70, and about a half-mile south of Tuckerton Rd.
Phone:
609-268-0303
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Mighty Joe.

Mighty Joe the Gorilla

A beach jungle colossus, 25 feet tall, rehabilitated as an inland memorial to a beloved son, "Mighty Joe."

Roadsideamerica.com Report...

Visitor Tips and News About Mighty Joe the Gorilla

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Mighty Joe.

Mighty Joe the Gorilla

Mighty Joe is an awesome tribute.

[Kathie, 11/24/2020]
George the Gorilla

George was purchased privately and now looms over a gas station called Mighty Joe's on Route 206 South in Shamong, New Jersey. He was purchased to memorialize the owner's son, Joe Vallanzano, who died of cancer and was considered "Mighty Joe" for the valiant fight against his disease.

[Tabernacle MAC!, 05/17/2008]

Kong in Wildwood.

King Kong Statue

I was viewing your site and saw the picture of the gorilla in New Jersey. At the end of the page there was a different picture of a gorilla. This brought back the memory of seeing it when I was in Wildwood NJ. I had taken a picture of it from the boardwalk.

[George Schmetzer, 02/05/2006]

A nice detail in this view of the early King Kong statue on Wildwood's boardwalk: his modesty wrap is composed of a city skyline. Kong has no legs, and is long gone. Wildwood's other big monkey, George, has also moved on....

George the Gorilla.

George the Gorilla Sold and Moved

The George the Gorilla statue that was used as a slide ride at the Islander Fun Park has been sold and moved to Larry Valenzano's Gas Station and Grill in Burlington County. They now call the gorilla "Mighty Joe." The gorilla was once named Kongo Pongo and Magilla when it was residing on the Wildwood Boardwalk before its move to the Islander Fun park. Sixteen people bid on the gorilla statue but the owner sold it to Valenzano for $2,000. It sold for $50,000 when it was first built. It needed extensive repairs to the ankles and supports and took five months of welding and other work. He named it in honor of his deceased son who passed away in 1999.

[Mike Vlkovic, 09/19/2004]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Water Tank RobotsWater Tank Robots, Vincentown, NJ - 4 mi.
Killed Making Washington's GunpowderKilled Making Washington's Gunpowder, Medford, NJ - 7 mi.
Diggerland USADiggerland USA, West Berlin, NJ - 10 mi.
In the region:
Giant Salt Water Taffy, Beach Haven, NJ - 32 mi.

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