Indiana Garfield statues

Firefighter Garfield

Several counties in Indiana have erected statues of the comic strip character Garfield. The cartoonist who created him, Jim Davis, donated the artwork as royalty-free statues. As such, most of them are located near his hometown, Marion.

Locations

• A "James Dean Garfield", dressed in an open-button collar and denim jeans, was unveiled outside the Fairmount Historical Museum in Fairmount, Indiana, in 2005. ^[1]
• A "Popcorn Eating Garfield" in tribute to Van Buren, Indiana, was unveiled at the Popcorn Festival in August 2006.
• A "College-bound Garfield" was unveiled along the Sweetser Switch Trail in Sweetser, Indiana, in October 2006. Its lower left arm was repaired in 2007 after being cut off.
• Marion's first statue, a "Health and Fitness Garfield", dressed in running attire in the colors of Marion High School and carrying a water bottle, was placed along the Mississinewa River in July 2006. Its head was repaired after it fell off when a man hugged it too tightly. ^{[2] [3]} During the Oktoberfest celebrations in 2009, City officials moved the statue to Matters Park. ^[4]
• Marion's second statue, a "Doctor Garfield" wearing surgical scrubs, holding a stethoscope and resting one foot on a first aid kit, was unveiled at Marion General Hospital on May 11, 2007. It was funded by hospital staff members. ^{[5] [6]}
• A "Speedkings Garfield" dressed in a #9 jersey, representing the number of overtime periods played in the record-setting basketball game against Liberty Center in 1964, was erected on Washington Street in Swayzee, Indiana in June 2008. ^[5]
• A "Fisherman Garfield" was erected near the Cumberland Covered Bridge in Matthews, Indiana, in 2009 as an homage to the local river and bridges. ^[7]
• A "Firefighter Garfield" was erected on 7 W Street in Jonesboro, Indiana, in 2009 to commemorate the city establishing the first organized fire department in the county. ^[4]
• An "Ice Cream Lover Garfield" was installed near Ivanhoe's Restaurant in Upland, Indiana, in 2009. ^[5]
• A "Gas Worker Garfield" with a derrick reminiscent of the natural gas boom at the turn of the 19th century was installed in front of the local library in Gas City, Indiana, in May 2011. ^[8]
• A statue of Garfield dressed in a British redcoat was erected outside Payne's restaurant in Gas City. ^[9]
• Muncie, Indiana, has several Garfield statues throughout the city, many of which are situated on and around the Ball State University campus. ^[10]
• While not an official part of the project, a wooden "Golfer Garfield" was commissioned by Arbor Trace Golf Club in Marion and placed in the clubhouse. ^[11]

References

1. "America!". April 1, 2006. Retrieved May 12, 2007.
2. Urbaniak, James. "The Orange Dahlia: A Thriller in Five Acts" . Retrieved June 6, 2020.
3. "Beheaded Garfield statue had physical flaws". Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 22, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
4. "Officials: Garfields nearly all in place". Marion Chronicle-Tribune. August 27, 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2011.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
5. "Trailing the fat cat". August 17, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2008.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
6. "Dr. Garfield unveiled at MGH". May 12, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2007.^{[ dead link ]}
7. "Garfield on his way to town, Fisherman design pays homage to local bridges". August 17, 2007. Retrieved August 17, 2007.^{[ dead link ]}
8. "Gas City Garfield statue in its final place". Marion Chronicle-Tribune. May 9, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2011.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
9. "The Garfield Trail". Grant County, Indiana. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
10. "GARFIELD STATUE TRAIL – DELAWARE COUNTY". Muncie, Delaware County Visitors' Bureau. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
11. "Garfield comes to life at local golf course!". December 6, 2006. Retrieved May 12, 2007.

External links

• Garfield Trail in Grant County
• Map of the Garfield Trail in Grant County
• Web site of the Marion-Grant County Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Official web site of county government
• Map of the Garfield Trail in Muncie & Delaware County
• Official Garfield website