Launching Pad Drive-In and Gemini Giant

810 E Baltimore St
Wilmington, IL
815-476-6535  |

Muffler Man, Eats, Roadside Attraction, Route 66 Landmark  |  “Zippy the Pinhead” location  |  Status unknown

The Gemini Giant in Wilmington, Illinois, is a space-age variation on what insiders call Muffler Men (big fiberglass guys originally built to hold tailpipes). He’s been stiffly standing guard with helmet on head, and rocket in hand at the Launching Pad Drive-In since 1960 and still looks pretty good.

One of the “Illinois 66 Giants” – 3 muffler men – the Gemini Giant, the Lauterbach Giant, and the Hot Dog Muffler Man.

Oh noooo….in December of 2010, the Launching Pad was closed (until at least February) and put up for sale. A real estate listing included the ominous phrase “Wife says sell or else.”

Also a “Zippy the Pinhead” comic strip location Sunday 03/16/2003

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 5th, 2011 at 1:19 pm. It is filed under Illinois, Road Food, Roadside Attractions, Route 66 Classics and tagged with Illinois, Road Food, Roadside Attractions, Route 66. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.