Cardinal Motel - Bowling Green, KY

This mom and pop motel in Bowling Green doesn't have an old fashioned neon sign, but instead has a Cardinal statue out front. It's located on Nashville Rd. (US31W/231)

Gorilla's Muffler Center - Nashville, TN

I'm pretty sure a gorilla could tear the bad muffler off of a car. Located on Nolensville Rd. in Nashville.

Barbaro Memorial - Churchill Downs Museum

Barbaro won the 2006 Kentucky Derby by 6 1/2 lengths but then shattered at the Preakness. His struggle was the focus of national attention.

This bronze statue of Barbara and jockey Edgar Prado by local artist Alexa King was dedicated in 2009 in front of the Churchill Downs Museum. Barbaro's ashes are interred beneath the memorial.

What makes this statue unusual is the way Barbaro appears to be midair with all four feet off the ground. The 1500 pound sculpture is attached to the horizontal bronze rail.

Shelby Park Mockingbird - Nashville

This Mockingbird Statue was placed at Shelby Park in honor of the park's 100th birthday in 2012. Lawrence Argent created the artwork out of black Chinese Granite and Stainless Steel. The Mockingbird is one of Tennessee's State Symbols as the official state bird.

Pulaski Gobbler

More and more cities are coming up with a town mascot, which is then being made into artistic statues. It used to only be big cities that did this, like Nashville and the catfishes. Then, some of the smaller towns did it, also, such as Pulaski, TN and their Turkeys, since they have large flocks of wild turkeys walking around the countryside.

When I first found these, there was a website where I could look up the name of each painted turkey, but I can't find that link any more.

Cherokee Alphabet Black Bear

In and around Western North Carolina in Cherokee areas are several different Black Bear statues painted with different themes. This one was located near the eastern end of the Cherhola Skyway and Robbinsville, NC.

Camera Nut - Dothan, AL

Dothan, AL has earned the nickname of "The Peanut Capital of the World." Peanuts Around Town is a public art project organized by The Downtown Group, consisting of 5-foot-tall peanut sculptures decorated in various fashions and displayed around Dothan. I only spent about 30 minutes in Dothan on trip through town, but the Camera Nt was my favorite since I think of myself as a Camera Nut (although I am a not of the still image variety and not a video camera as seen with this nut).

Happy Thanksgiving with a Pulaski Gobbler

"Walk gently upon these green hills"

More and more cities are coming up with a town mascot, which is then being made into artistic statues. It used to only be big cities that did this, like Nashville and the catfishes. Now some of the smaller towns are doing it, also, such as Pulaski, TN and their Turkeys, since they have large flocks of wild turkeys walking around the countryside. This one is one of the easiest to find, along the town square.

The Painted Black Bears of Cherokee, NC

"Sequoyah Syllabeary"

Since the thing for towns to do these days are to have statues of a mascot animal (like a few years ago Nashville had their catfish and Atlanta had their cows) Cherokee, NC has black bear statues all over town. This one was seen while driving highway US441 through town. There are many around town and here is a sampling.






"Eagle Dance Bear"


"Pottery Bear"

Coal Miner's Otter

As more and more cities decide upon a town animal mascot that they place statues of all around, Crossville, TN has recently settled on the Otter. I was told by the lady in the gift shop of the Crossville Depot where this is located that Otters, once common, are now near extinct in many parts of Tennessee, but not in Crossville. Coal Miner's Otter seems like such a perfect name, but alas, this is Franky. Franky represents the mining activity of Cumberland County and was donated by Franklin Industrial Materials.

In the vein of 'It's not funny if I have to explain it,' the title is a pun based on Middle Tennessee's Coal Miner's Daughter, Loretta Lynn, who now lives in Hurricane Mills.

Sadly, I never found a "Welcome Back, Otter"