Wilmington’s Gemini Giant returns to Route 66

Hundreds looked toward the sky Saturday afternoon at Wilmington’s South Island Park.

It wasn’t a bird or a plane. It was the town’s beloved, 30-foot-tall Gemini Giant returning to his post overlooking historic U.S. Route 66.

Visitors came from near and far to witness the iconic green statue reclaim his right as a roadside attraction during the Gemini Giant Homecoming event, which preceded Christmas celebrations in nearby downtown Wilmington.

Looking out over a sea of residents and Route 66 enthusiasts, Wilmington Mayor Ben Dietz welcomed the crowd ahead of the ceremonial ribbon-cutting on Saturday.

Dietz has been a steward of the project to return the Gemini Giant to his post.

“He was always there for us in Wilmington, and when there was a chance he wasn’t going to be there, we found an outpouring of support,” Dietz said. “I’m so glad he’s back.”

For over 65 years the Gemini Giant has welcomed millions of visitors around the world. For many travelers, Wilmington has been their first impression of small town America, Dietz said.

Being one of the most photographed attractions in Illinois, and along 2000-plus miles of Route 66, Dietz said the city knew it needed to have a place that was respective of such an icon.

The new site at 201 Bridge St. is about a half mile from the landmark’s original location outside The Launching Pad Drive-In, where it stood from 1965 until March earlier this year after the restaurant’s current ownership closed the business and put the Gemini Giant and its trademark rights up for auction.

After a grassroots campaign to save the giant led by the local VFW Post 5422, as well as residents and officials, garnered widespread attention, the Joliet Area Historical Museum put up the winning bid of $275,000, made possible through a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Now, after the giant was donated back to the city of Wilmington and restored with help from the American Giants Museum, he has been resurrected in his rightful zip code.

“Everyone is glad he’s back home,” said Wilmington resident Lalar Melvin. “He’s part of this town.”

Melvin, who met her husband while working at the Launching Pad as a teen, recalled the spot serving as the popular hangout of the time as high schoolers would “shoot the loop” by driving from one end of town to the other where the Gemini Giant stood watch.

Her daughter, Lindsay, 26, said she also associates the big green giant with home.

“I’m glad the city of Wilmington owns him now and he’ll remain where he belongs,” Lindsay said.

Will County Board member Joe VanDuyne, of Wilmington, applauded Dietz and the city for choosing the “perfect” location and making the South Island Park site fit for a giant.

“It was a scary moment [when we thought we might lose him],” VanDuyne said. “Now he’s finally back home. I’m so excited for all of us to enjoy the Gemini Giant for a long time to come.”

Giant facts

Weighing in at a hefty 438 pounds, Gemini was created during the space race era and named after America’s second space mission, the Gemini program, according to Route Magazine.

The statue is part of the Muffler Men phenomenon, a series of towering fiberglass figures built to advertise businesses across the U.S. with many on or near the Mother Road of Route 66, which begins in Chicago.

In their heyday, there were hundreds of Muffler Men designed to inspire road trips and draw in visitors as competition sprung up along the drive.

As of 2024, only a handful remain on Route 66, with estimates suggesting there are likely only four still standing. Illinois lays claim to three of these Muffler Men, nicknamed the “three gentle giants of Illinois,” according to Route 66 Guide.

Wilmington’s South Island Park now hosts the famous Gemini Giant atop a concrete base in the shape of the iconic Route 66 road sign and features a new parking lot, a walking trail around the display and a Route 66 monument.

The Gemini Giant’s one-piece green space uniform, silver helmet and the rocket in his hands have all been restored to a sparkly sheen with one new addition — the number 5422 joins the American flag on the rocket’s wing as an ode to the local VFW post that helped save the celebrated landmark.