Launching Pad & Gemini Giant

The Gemini Giant is a landmark statue on U.S. Route 66 at the eastern entrance to Wilmington, IL. Currently in storage, the statue previously stood outside the Launching Pad Restaurant from 1965-2024. The 30 foot tall statue is one of many giant "Muffler Man" advertising props found throughout the US in the 1960s. The Gemini Giant is named after the Gemini space program and holds a silver "rocket ship" in his hands, while sporting an astronaut's space helmet that resembles a welding mask.