Here’s The Story Behind The Massive Uncle Sam Statue In Connecticut
By Lisa Sammons|Published February 28, 2022
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Lisa Sammons
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Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
One of the world’s tallest Uncle Sam statues is in Connecticut, and he’s got a surprisingly interesting history! This massive statue of Uncle Sam left the state for many years, but returned in 2019. He now proudly stands over the Danbury Railway Museum, greeting visitors and locals alike in his star-spangled suit. There’s some debate as to whether he’s actually the world’s tallest Uncle Sam, but in any event, he is a beloved Connecticut resident.
Uncle Sam is one of the most recognizable symbols of Americana. The origins of the character are hazy, but the first known reference to him was made way back in 1810.
The figure was commonly used in wartime propaganda to encourage military enlistment. It was not until a famous 1917 World War I enlistment ad that Uncle Sam got the standardized appearance we recognize today.
The famous Uncle Sam statue in Connecticut was constructed in the 1960s for a burger chain called Uncle Sam's that was based in Toledo, Ohio.
When the restaurant went out of business in the early 1970s, the Uncle Sams were sent elsewhere. One ended up in Connecticut, where he proudly stood over the State Fairgrounds until the fair closed in 1981.
Uncle Sam then ended up at Magic Forest, a New York-based theme park that featured many fiberglass statues. When the park was sold a few years ago, the statue was set to go to Troy, New York.
Troy claims to be the home of the character of Uncle Sam. According to legend, one inspiration for him was a fatherly meat packer who lived in Troy.
However, Nutmeg State residents felt a connection to the statue. Many had fond memories of seeing it as a child at the fairgrounds. The citizens of Danbury raised funds to purchase the statue. It was returned to the city in 2019.
At 38 feet tall, this is one of the tallest Uncle Sam statues in the world. There is one that is reported to be a few feet taller, but that one's up on a pedestal. The Uncle Sam statue in Connecticut is placed directly on the ground, so we feel like it's a fair argument to say he's the tallest whose feet are on the ground.
