Frecs the Miner

The Kansas section of Route 66 may be small, but it is packed with roadside attractions, old and new, at every turn. Located on the original alignment of Kansas Route 66 Frecs the Miner in Galena, Kansas was a modern version of a classic muffler man. Unfortunately, he met his demise and now only his boots remain.

Muffler men roadside attractions are fiberglass giants who stand anywhere from 14 to 25 feet tall. Each has a similar design and was built between 1963 and 1972 by International Fiberglass in Venice, California. With signature stances, these big men stood outside of muffler shops and other businesses to call attention from the road.

While Frecs isn’t actually a true muffler man he was constructed to be an archetype of the classic roadside attraction. At 19-feet tall, this giant man was dressed as a miner complete with blue jean overalls, a helmet, boots, a pail, and a pickaxe.

Instead of the traditional fiberglass, this homemade “muffler man” was constructed out of pipe, canvas, chicken wire, and glue. It was made in 2019 after an idea by Renee Charles, president of the Kansas Historic Route 66 Association. She named the Route 66 attraction Frecs after her grandfather Milbern John Busick. He was an actual lead and zinc miner from the area whose nickname was Frecs, short for Freckles, after his red hair and freckles.

Unfortunately, in March 2022 an accidental fire destroyed this Route 66 attraction. When you visit today you’ll only find the remnants of his boots and his informational sign. There are hopes to rebuild a brand new Frecs the Miner in the future.

While you’ll no longer find this Kansas Route 66 attraction on your road trip, there are more attractions to see nearby, like Cars on the Route (a location that partially inspired the Disney Pixar movie Cars), Luigi’s Pit Stop, and Gearhead Curios, who have their own version of a muffler man to see!

Photos of Frecs the Miner in Galena, Kansas