In the world of roadside attractions, “world’s largest” titles are often one word against another. Anyone can build something big and slap a plaque on it. And, because of that, you’ll often find competing big things in towns across America and beyond. One of the most popular and contested titles is the world’s largest rocking chair. You can find examples of these across the globe, but just where is the world’s largest rocking chair?
Big chairs are a popular roadside attraction. If you build one just big enough, tourists can climb on board for an Edith Ann inspired photo that looks proportionally out of place. Add a rocking element for a bit of fun and you have an even better attraction. But why stop there? After all, everyone knows that bigger is better when it comes to roadside giants.
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Many giant chairs claim the tile of world’s largest rocking chair. So how do you know which one is telling the truth? Lucky for us, there is, however, one institution who is the authority on big things: Guinness World Records.
Guinness World Records (nee The Guinness Book of Records, The Guinness Book of World Records) is the governing body behind determining record-breaking human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. They go out an officially verify world’s largest claims. And, over the years, they have found three different world’s largest rocking chairs, each bigger than the last.
So where can you find these roadside attractions? And which one is currently the record breaking title holding champion?
Where is the world’s largest rocking chair?
Big John at Long’s Furniture World
4108 S. US Hwy 31, Franklin, IN
Big John, the “world’s largest rocking chair” was built in 2004 and sits outside of Long’s Furniture World in Franklin, Indiana (Amity). The wooden piece of furniture stands at 32 feet tall and was named after JD Long who owned the business until 2007. A sign onsite and their website claims that the Guinness Book of World Records recognized it as the “largest chair of it’s kind.”
Route 66 Rocker
Fanning Outpost General Store, 5957 Hwy ZZ, Cuba, MO
In 2008, a new “World’s Largest Rocking Chair” was erected on historic Route 66 outside the Fanning Outpost General Store in Cuba, Missouri. Designed by John R. Bland and fabricated by Joe Medwick this giant chair stands at 42 feet tall and 20 feet wide and weighs 27,500 pounds. After it was built it was certified by Guinness World Records, beating out the former champion, Big John in Franklin, Indiana.
Originally painted black and white, the structure is made from welded steel and actually is a fully functioning rocking chair (it had to be in order to secure a Guinness world record), but soon after construction, due to safety concerns it was firmly bolted in place.
In 2015 Missouri’s World’s Largest Rocking Chair was repainted and renamed with a new moniker: Route 66 Rocker. While there was no official word, the name change and red rocking chair makeover was most likely due to losing its title as world’s biggest rocking chair…
World’s Largest Rocking Chair in Casey, Illinois
110 E Main St, Casey, IL
The current official World’s Largest Rocking Chair is located in Casey, Illinois, a small town that has become known for its big things. Measuring at 56 feet, 1 inch tall and 32 feet 10 inches wide, and weighing 46,200 pounds this big chair eclipses every rocking chair, and every regular chair, in America. The giant rocker was completed on August 25, 2015 and verified on October 20 of that year.
Where is the world’s largest rocking chair? The current Guinness World Records record-holding world’s largest rocking chair is located in Casey, Illinois.
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