Dothan Peanuts

I posted stories and photo's in the past about the giant letter O's in Omaha, the horse statues in Louisville, Kentucky and the butterfly statues in St. Louis. During my recent visit to Dothan, Alabama I stumbled on a couple of giant peanut statues there. I have been visiting the circle city, as Dothan is also called, since my aunt moved there thirty years ago. I photographed the giant gold peanut that sits in front of the visitor's center several times since it was installed back in the mid nineties.

Camera Nut outside the TV station

But, I was unaware that over sixty fiberglass peanuts, each five feet tall and decorated by local artists have been installed at public locations around the city. These statues began as a Community art project that continued to multiply over the last few years.

Downtown Peanut holding onto the business district signs.

We go to Dothan to visit my aunt and, other than an occasional trip out to dinner, we do not usually have time for sightseeing. If the air conditioning had not gone out in our vehicle this trip I would probably not have discovered these peanuts again this year. The repair shop for our air was down in the older part of town and we found the peanuts seemingly around every corner. Regrettably, we did not have time to seek out all the peanuts my aunt told us about, which includes the Elvis Nut, Violin Nut, Mr. Peanut Head, Wise Ol' Owl Nut, and the Shopping Nut. There is even an “Officer I. B. Nuts” at the Police Station and a peanut fire hydrant complete with Dalmatian outside the firehouse.

Uncle Sam Peanut in a city park

Several states grow peanuts commercially, but no place does it like Dothan. Judy Woodward Bate's of the Birmingham Budget Travel Examiner writes that

65% of the entire nation's peanut crops are produced

Within a 100-mile radius of Dothan.

With statistics like these, is it any wonder they can rightfully tout themselves as the “Peanut Capital of the World?”

Paperboy Peanut outside the Dothan Eagle

According to the Dothan city website, "Peanuts Around Town" was undertaken to provide funding for restoration projects in the historic downtown area. Local businesses, civic organizations, and individuals may purchase and decorate their peanut according to their own concept. The five foot high hollow peanut sculptures made entirely of fiberglass weight 55 pounds. Prior to permanent installation by the city, the peanuts are filled with concrete bringing the weight to approximately 400 pounds.

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"Kiss goodbye to Breast Cancer" Peanut

I hope you enjoyed seeing the peanut statues I stumbled across this trip. I will certainly plain more time next trip to find the others.

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