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Popeye: Popeye Picnic
built 652 days ago
This 6 foot tall, 900 pound, bronze-metallic statue of Popeye was inspired by the fact that Segar, Popeye’s creator, was born in Chester and that many of the Popeye characters were modeled after real residents of the town. It is reported that Segar's old boss at the Opera House, J. William Schuchert, was the model for J. Wellington Wimpy and had a fondness for hamburgers. Olive Oyl's real-life persona was Dora Paskel, who was the proprietor of a general store and was tall, lanky and wore her hair rolled tightly in a bun. Popeye was based on Frank "Rocky" Fiegel who was a local tough guy. Each year the city of Chester organizes the Popeye Picnic to celebrate its famous citizens.
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The 6 ft. bronze Popeye statue, dedicated in 1977, is located in the Segar Memorial Park (near the the Chester Bridge). It was inspired by the fact that Elzie C. Segar, the creator of Popeye, was born in Chester and many of the Popeye characters were modeled after real residents of Chester! Each year the city of Chester organizes the Popeye Picnic to celebrate this fact. Pictures from the most recent Popeye Picnic can be found here.
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The Popeye Picnic is held every year in Chester, Illinois on the weekend after Labor Day. Popeye fans attend from across the globe, including a visit by a film crew from South Korea in 2004. The one-eyed sailor's hometown pulls out all of the stops to entertain devotees of all ages. [10]
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