The Tale of Big Tom #

The most celebrated resident of Frazee, Minn., stands 22 feet tall. Known fondly as Big Tom, he resides just off Highway 10, attracting admirers seeking photos at all hours. Big Tom is a turkey — proclaimed the world’s largest by locals — and his fiberglass feathers celebrate the region’s poultry industry and the annual Turkey Days festival.

While no sculpture matches Big Tom’s grandeur, the Midwest is rich with supersized statuary. Minnesota is host to a giant loon in Vergas, an otter in Fergus Falls, a prairie chicken in Rothsay, a crow in Belgrade, and several Paul Bunyans in Akeley, Bemidji, and Brainerd.

For small towns that lack towering skyscrapers or grand stadiums, claiming the world’s largest of something is a way to forge identity, draw visitors, and share laughter. “They’re all over the place — it’s kind of a Midwestern thing,” reflects a longstanding resident.

In an era when small towns strive to attract newcomers and businesses, a claim to world’s-largest fame sparks civic pride and creates tourism, generating revenue through things like meals and fuel. Some towns seek Guinness recognition; others research online and stake their claim.

Casey, Ill. exemplifies this trend. Getting travelers to pause on Interstate 70, a local businessman created the world’s largest wind chime from spare parts. Following the wind chime’s success, Casey soon introduced other giant items, transforming the landscape of the town.

In Halstad, Minn., a super-sized sugar beet promotes community pride and conveys growth. The 560-population town proudly displays the beet next to local shops and an electric vehicle charging station, with educational signs about sugar beets, a regionally significant crop.

Frazee’s Big Tom dates back to the 1980s, when residents sought a unique symbol for their city. Generations have been connected with turkeys, with the city once home to a hatchery and processing facility. Minnesota remains the largest U.S. producer of turkeys, with 38.5 million birds raised last year.

After the first Big Tom sculpture deteriorated, locals raised funds for a replacement. However, the original met an untimely end when workers accidentally set it ablaze with a blowtorch, growing its legend further. A passerby captured a photo of the flaming sculpture, cementing Big Tom’s mythos.

Frazee embraces its turkey ties. Beside Big Tom, another turkey sculpture stands at the gas station, complementing a turkey-themed scavenger hunt, frozen-turkey bowling at the Turkey Days festival, and a turkey mascot in social media videos. The Gobbler pub on Main Avenue keeps the theme alive.

Residents hope to be recognized for more than just their fabled bird. New businesses, housing, and a community center offering programs and a youth-staffed bistro reflect the area’s revitalization. “Our vision is to make Frazee the best place to raise your kids,” emphasizes a local leader. However, to many, Frazee remains the town with the giant turkey. “Traveling the U.S., if you wear a Frazee shirt, you’re bound to meet someone who’s seen Big Tom.”