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Homecoming in Danbury for world's tallest Uncle Sam statue

After two weeks of coordinating efforts between Danbury Public Works and the owner of a 38-foot tall Uncle Sam statue, crews went up to Magic Forest Amusement Park yesterday to transport the Danbury Fair memorabilia back to the City. 

A wide load permit was secured from the Connecticut and New York Departments of Transportation to allow his travel on the back of a very long trailer.  The crew stopped at the exit one commuter lot to allow people to be part of the convoy.  Danbury Police agreed to provide an escort into the City.

Mayor Mark Boughton says it wasn't an easy task to get him loaded up and make the more than three hour trek, but the move went well.   He's in talks with two individuals to do restoration work, one who has experience working on these figures from the fair and the other did the restoration of the smaller Uncle Sam inside City Hall.  This one will have to be gel coated so it can withstand winter weather. 

Public Works Director Antonio Iadarola says they didn't anticipate all of the reinforcement in his feet, but then everything went smoothly.  He says it was a bit of a nerve-wracking trip because of all of the potholes on I-84, and the statue was moving quite a bit on the trailer. 

They did have to cut off the statue's left hand in order to fit under highway overpasses.  Iadarola says the first thought was that they'd have to go for the arm, but after measuring found that the hand would be enough.  The statue was about 18 inches too high, even flat on its back.

The Department posted on Instagram that he's been vacationing in Lake George for years, but is now retiring in Danbury. 

 

(Photo: DPW)

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