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Popeye Character Trail

Popeye Character Trail
General HistoryOutdoor Experiences
10 Truck Bypass
Chester Illinois 62233

Information

618-830-8569
lat: 37.9050433 long: -89.8338854

Popeye has been a staple in the world of animation since 1933; it’s commonly remembered as Fleischer Studios’ magnum opus. However, Popeye was a widely popular comic strip before it was ever animated. Popeye’s creator, E.C. Segar, had been drawing a comic strip featuring the Oyl family for years.  Popeye was introduced to the Oyl Family in the “Thimble Theatre” comic strip in 1929. Popeye became such a popular character that Segar shifted the focus to him. Segar was a true innovator in the world of comics, as he brilliantly merged the genres of comedy and adventure to make something that had never been seen before. By 1937, Popeye was second only to Little Orphan Annie in terms of popularity.

E.C. Segar was born and raised in Chester, Illinois, so his work has a particular significance in this town. After all, it makes sense for a town to be proud of being the home of someone who completely revolutionized a genre.  As a fitting memorial to Segar, in 1977 the town erected a bronze statue of Popeye. Since 2006, a new granite statue of one of Segar’s characters has been added to the trail each year.

Visiting the statues to see works of art based on the beloved characters is a great experience for fans of the comic strip, cartoon, and movie–and a chance to get a good look at the town where the creator grew up.

 

Nearby Attractions

Distance Unit:

Elzie C. Segar Memorial Park
Elzie C. Segar Memorial Park

Chester Welcome Center, 10 Bridge Bypass Rd, Chester, IL 62233, USA
Distance: 0.01 Away

General History

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Chester Welcome Center
Chester Welcome Center

Chester Welcome Center, Bridge Bypass Road, Chester, IL, USA
Distance: 0.01 Away

Museums and Interpretive Centers

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Chester, Illinois
Chester, Illinois

Chester Welcome Center, Bridge Bypass Road, Chester, IL, USA
Distance: 0.01 Away

Cultural Districts

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Chester Bridge
Chester Bridge

Chester Bridge, Chester, IL, USA
Distance: 0.26 Away

Viewpoints

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Frederick Weistar House
Frederick Weistar House

Frederick Weistar House Historic Site, Chestnut Street, Chester, IL, USA
Distance: 0.28 Away

Other

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Randolph County Courthouse and Annex
Randolph County Courthouse and Annex

Randolph County IL Courthouse, West Taylor Street, Chester, Illinois, USA
Distance: 0.32 Away

Museums and Interpretive Centers

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St. Nicholas Landmark
St. Nicholas Landmark

St. Nicholas Landmark, Ferry Street, Chester, IL, USA
Distance: 0.41 Away

Food and Drinks

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Cohen Memorial Home
Cohen Memorial Home

Cohen Memorial Home, Harrison Street, Chester, IL, USA
Distance: 0.61 Away

Guided Tours Viewpoints

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Old Fire Station
Old Fire Station

822 Swanwick St, Chester, IL 62233, USA
Distance: 0.64 Away

General History

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Spinach Can Collectibles
Spinach Can Collectibles

Spinach Can Collectibles, State Street, Chester, IL, USA
Distance: 0.76 Away

Shopping

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Christian Weinrich House
Christian Weinrich House

217 Opdyke Street, Chester, IL, USA
Distance: 0.79 Away

General History

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Horse Island Lewis & Clark Historic Marker
Horse Island Lewis & Clark Historic Marker

174 MO-51, Perryville, MO 63775, USA
Distance: 0.81 Away

LC Features

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