Little Casey, Illinois, is in possession of a number of world’s largest things as certified by Guinness, which requires largest things to be at least theoretically functional. Accordingly, in addition to its largest things, the town also boasts quite a few just large things, which are at least as cool as the largest things even if not putatively functional.
Why all the big things? A brilliant idea, it seems, to draw tourists to a small town of no particular distinction in the middle of downstate Illinois. And it works. We were there on an October Tuesday afternoon and there were plenty of other gawkers checking out the big things — almost none of whom would otherwise be walking around the small downtown.
The largest-things strategy was the brainchild of Jim Bolin, whose family owns a company that is “a one-stop shop for all things related to pipeline and tank maintenance.” Bolin’s company also built most of the big things. The country needs more Jim Bolins, I say.
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