Uncle Sam-Related Odds & Ends

Since Uncle Sam is such a widely-recognized character, it isn't surprising that he appears in some odd locations -- he shows up everywhere from porcelain planters to beer bottles to gravy boats.

George Bush doll
Uncle George doll

This picture shows a 4" doll of George Bush wearing Uncle Sam's hat. This somewhat bizarre looking item was produced in 1988 for Bush's presidential campaign.

The doll's hands clamp together so that you can clip it onto a coat lapel. In the 1980's, many dolls of this type were made -- but most of them were dolls of koala bears or other cute animals. This is the only "lapel bear doll" I've ever seen featuring a not-so-cute human face. Perhaps this doll was an attempt by the Bush campaign to present a "kinder, gentler" face to voters.

Uncle Sam cereal box
Uncle Sam Cereal

Looking for a healthy breakfast? You could try Uncle Sam Cereal -- "A Natural Laxative." Wheat flakes and whole flaxseed. The cereal's name came from the fact that its creator, Lafayette Coltrin, was proud of his resemblance to Uncle Sam.

Huge Statue
World's Tallest Statue of Uncle Sam

Lake George, New York is the home of the world's tallest statue of Uncle Sam: a 38-foot, 4500-pound fiberglass statue that stands in the parking lot of the Magic Forest amusement park.

The giant Sam statue is on route 9, between exits 20 and 21 of I-87; around 60 miles north of Albany. It's a few miles north of the Great Escape amusement park.

Alison (5' 4") poses next to the statue to provide a sense of scale.

'Hungry Sam' arcade game
Hungry Sam

Step right up for your turn at a game of skill, a game of luck, a game of...rubber hot dogs?

Hungry Sam was one of the indoor games set up for the 1997 Riverfront Arts Festival in Troy (the same festival that hosts the sidewalk art competition). For two tickets, you got three tries at tossing a rubber hot dog into Sam's grinning mouth. Contestants, please keep your feet behind the blue bow tie.

Here we see Alison doing a quick Groucho impression before tossing the winning dog.

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	Uncle George doll This picture shows a 4" doll of George Bush wearing Uncle Sam's hat. This somewhat bizarre looking item was produced in 1988 for Bush's presidential campaign. The doll's hands clamp together so that you can clip it onto a coat lapel. In the 1980's, many dolls of this type were made -- but most of them were dolls of koala bears or other cute animals. This is the only "lapel bear doll" I've ever seen featuring a not-so-cute human face. Perhaps this doll was an attempt by the Bush campaign to present a "kinder, gentler" face to voters.

	Uncle Sam Cereal Looking for a healthy breakfast? You could try Uncle Sam Cereal -- "A Natural Laxative." Wheat flakes and whole flaxseed. The cereal's name came from the fact that its creator, Lafayette Coltrin, was proud of his resemblance to Uncle Sam.

	World's Tallest Statue of Uncle Sam Lake George, New York is the home of the world's tallest statue of Uncle Sam: a 38-foot, 4500-pound fiberglass statue that stands in the parking lot of the Magic Forest amusement park. The giant Sam statue is on route 9, between exits 20 and 21 of I-87; around 60 miles north of Albany. It's a few miles north of the Great Escape amusement park. Alison (5' 4") poses next to the statue to provide a sense of scale.

	Hungry Sam Step right up for your turn at a game of skill, a game of luck, a game of...rubber hot dogs? Hungry Sam was one of the indoor games set up for the 1997 Riverfront Arts Festival in Troy (the same festival that hosts the sidewalk art competition). For two tickets, you got three tries at tossing a rubber hot dog into Sam's grinning mouth. Contestants, please keep your feet behind the blue bow tie. Here we see Alison doing a quick Groucho impression before tossing the winning dog.