Brennan Heating
Jacksonville, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

Looks like the Tin Man found steady work at Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning in Jacksonville, Illinois. Built from sheet metal and ventilation parts, this roadside greeter holds the company sign while showing what a little imagination can do with ductwork. He's certainly more memorable than an ordinary advertising board.

Richard “Dick” Brennan founded the company in 1947 as a one-man shop behind his home. The business grew into a substantial heating and sheet-metal operation at 619 East Morton Avenue, handling everything from household ductwork to custom metal fabrication. The mascot has stood outside since at least 2007 and has received a few wardrobe changes, including a green outfit and Irish hat.

UPDATE: Brennan remains in business, and its metal man continues greeting motorists. Repainted silver around 2021, he's back to the familiar finish that makes the Tin Man comparison hard to resist. Fortunately, a fellow made from ventilation parts couldn't ask for a better place to find repairs. 07-26

Clubhouse Mouse (Gone)
Kenosha, WI
Photo courtesy Jason Carlton

Back in the 70's, this place was a super-club on it's last legs. It then turned into "The Clubhouse" in the 90's when a dog track opened nearby. Now defunct, the large mouse still remains perched on the roof. Thanks for Jason Carlton for info.

The property previously housed a supper club before becoming associated with The Clubhouse during the 1990s. A 1997 advertisement announced “The Clubhouse Filling Station” in the “House With the Mouse on 120th Avenue,” showing that the rooftop character had become part of the business's identity. The nearby Dairyland Greyhound Park added another attraction to the area.

UPDATE: The Clubhouse has closed, and the rooftop mouse's current whereabouts remain uncertain. This character shouldn't be confused with the mouse at Mars Cheese Castle, another Kenosha-area landmark. Apparently, there was room for more than one oversized rodent along the Wisconsin roadside. 07-26

Elvis Museum (Gone)
Foristell, MO
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

Elvis was larger than life outside the Elvis Is Alive Museum near Foristell, Missouri. A 16-foot cutout of The King in his white jumpsuit greeted Interstate 70 travelers, making this an easy place to spot even without blue suede shoes.

Reverend Bill Beeny opened the museum in 1990 in a former laundromat near Wright City. Exhibits promoted his theory that Elvis had faked his death, using purported documents, recordings, and a replica casket to make the case. Admission was free, leaving visitors to decide what they believed after taking a look around.

UPDATE: Beeny closed the Missouri museum in 2007 and sold its collection on eBay for $8,300. The exhibits resurfaced in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in 2008 before that museum also closed. The giant roadside Elvis cutout's fate remains uncertain. 07-26

Oscar Meyer Wienermobile
Kansas City, KS
Photo courtesy Bob Jagendorf

Here's the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile taking a break outside a Kansas City hotel. Even a giant hot dog needs somewhere to park, although this one probably attracts more attention than anything else in the lot.

The first Wienermobile rolled through Chicago in 1936 after Carl Mayer proposed the idea to his uncle Oscar. That original vehicle measured just 13 feet long. Later versions grew considerably, becoming traveling attractions driven by “Hotdoggers,” who visit community events and hand out the familiar Wiener Whistles.

UPDATE: The Wienermobile continues touring the country. Its brief 2023 renaming as the “Frankmobile” lasted only about four months before the original name returned. After decades on the road, this rolling hot dog apparently wasn't ready to give up its famous identity. 07-26

Santa Claus (Closed)
Christmas, MI
Photo courtesy Chibbqking

Here's Santa Claus greeting motorists in Christmas, Michigan. Standing about 35 feet tall outside Santa's Workshop, this smiling fellow points skyward as if he's directing the next sleigh landing. That's quite a welcome along M-28. 05-09

Despite his size, Santa is a painted cutout rather than a freestanding sculpture. The town's holiday connection dates to 1938, when a local entrepreneur opened a factory making Christmas gifts. The factory didn't last, but the name did, giving this Upper Peninsula community a reason to keep celebrating all year.

UPDATE: Santa's Workshop has closed, but the giant Santa remains beside the highway. His companion Mrs. Claus was knocked down during a storm, leaving him to handle the greetings alone. Fortunately, this oversized reminder of Christmas is still standing. 07-26