Where On Google Earth?

In the Movie “A Christmas Story”, the father character enters a contest and wins “a major award”. Unaware of what it is, the family awaits the arrival until this very moment:

Ok, so how did that become this? And why in Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA?

Well, it’s quite a circuitious story.

A professor at the University of Oklahoma Art School, Noland James, was born in Chickasha. At some point in his life, he created a lamp using the bottom half of a mannequin

This lamp sat in his office for most of his teaching career and was a subject of interest for many students, faculty and vistors. Once such “admirer” was later to find himself on the production team for “A Christmas Story” and designed the leg lamp for the movie. Was he inspired by Dr. James’s lamp? No one seems to know, but the city leadership of Chickasha took that info and most definintely ran with it.

Starting in 2020, they started using a giant inflatable leg lamp in their Christmas parade. They used the same inflatable in their “Christmas in July” parade in 2021 and their 2021 Christmas (presumably in December?) parade. Such was the publicity and acclaim, that they decided to erect this monstrosity er, statue in the town square by the old train station.

If you visit this small town 50 or so miles south of Oklahoma City, you can also see Dr. James’ original artwork, at the Grady County Historical Society.

Those who won the “Major Award” by finding it before the hint:

• Graham Hedley
• hhgygy
• Garfield
• Bas van Limpt
• Angie CF
• Martin de Bock

and those who had to settle for a “Minor Award” by finding it after:

• Ashwini Agrawal
• Paul Voestermans
• Phil Ower

One could say that this location started off with a small seed of an idea. It started as a humble tribute from a son to his father. From there, it developed a measure of celebrity and in some ports of call, evolved into a “destination” in its own right. Tim McGinn, owner of the pistachio ranch, said he wanted to “honor the memory of his father, Tom McGinn, who originally founded the pistachio and grape-producing farm.” The World’s Largest Pistachio was built in 2007. The location is just north of the town of Alamagorda, New Mexico in the southwest US.

Found before the hint:

• Garfield
• Paul Voestermans
• Graham Hedley
• hhgygy
• Martin de Bock
• Eloy Cano
• Felix Bossert
• Philip Ower
• Angie CF

After the hint :

• Ashwini Agrawal
• Bas van Limpt
• The Curiosity

The Big Merino is a 15 metres tall concrete merino ram, located in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia. Nicknamed “Rambo” by locals, the Big Merino contains a gift shop on the ground floor and a wool display on the second floor. Visitors can climb to the top and look out through the Merino’s eyes to view the local area.

The Big Merino was officially opened on 20 September 1985 at 98 Hume Street, Goulburn, approximately 800 metres north-east of its current location.

In 1992 the Hume Highway bypassed the town, which resulted in a loss of 40 busloads of tourists to the Big Merino complex per day. On 26 May 2007, the Big Merino was moved to a location closer to the new Hume Highway to increase visitor numbers, and is now located near the freeway interchange at a service station. A drive-through car wash now occupies Rambo’s original location.

Found before the hint:

• Garfield
• hhgygy
• Paul Voestermans
• Martin de Bock
• Graham Hedley
• Angie CF
• Eloy Cano
• Phil Ower
• Bas van Limpt
• Lighthouse