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| Location | Plains,Georgia,United States |
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| Type | Roadside attraction |
| Material | Wooden hoops,chicken wire,aluminum foil, andpolyurethane. |
| Height | 13 feet (4.0 m) |
| Completion date | 1976 |
| Dedicated to | Jimmy Carter |
TheJimmy Carter Peanut Statue is amonument located inPlains,Georgia, United States. Built in 1976, theroadside attraction depicts a largepeanut with a big smile, and was built to supportJimmy Carter during the1976 United States presidential election.
The statue was commissioned by theIndiana Democratic Party during the1976 United States presidential election to support Democratic candidateJimmy Carter's campaign through Indiana.[1] The statue, a 13-foot (4.0 m)peanut, references Carter's previous career as a peanut farmer.[2] According toThe New York Times, the statue is made of "wooden hoops,chicken wire,aluminum foil, and polyurethane".[3] The peanut features agrin, modeled after Carter's, which he was known for during the campaign.[1][4] The statue is the second-tallest statue of a peanut in the world, with the "World's Largest Peanut" located several miles away inAshburn, Georgia.[4] The statue initially was located at thetrain station inPlains, but in 2000, it was damaged in acar wreck, and after repairs it was moved to an area alongGeorgia State Route 45,[1][2] near the MaranathaBaptist Church where Carter was a member and taughtSunday school.[4] At one time, the statue featured a large hole on its rear side, which, according tourban legend, was cut by theUnited States Secret Service to ensure there were no explosives or assassins in the statue.[5]
Every few years, the statue is re-painted in the shade of "peanut" by Michael Dominik.[6] Jimmy Carter once admitted that he disliked the peanut's smile.[6] In 2023, Jill Stuckey, the superintendent of theJimmy Carter National Historical Park, claimed that Carter “hates” the statue, which stands on the route between his house and the church he attended weekly.[7] Despite Carter’s alleged feelings towards the statue, it has become a town symbol androadside attraction. In 2010,Time listed it as one of the Top 50 American Roadside Attractions.[1]
Beginning in 2018, pictures of the statue have been used ininternet meme culture, with many pictures of the statue being characterized ascursed images.[8]
32°02′30″N84°23′32″W / 32.04176°N 84.39228°W /32.04176; -84.39228
