Welcome to Wilmington’s Celestial Giant
The history of the Gemini Giant in Wilmington, Illinois. If you’re traveling the legendary Route 66 through Illinois, there’s one roadside stop you simply can’t miss — the Gemini Giant. Towering 28 feet tall in a silver space suit and clutching a rocket, this fiberglass astronaut has been greeting travelers in Wilmington, Illinois since the space race era. Quirky, nostalgic, and iconic, the Gemini Giant is one of the most photographed figures on the Mother Road.
A Brief History of the Gemini Giant in Wilmington, Illinois
The Gemini Giant is a rare surviving example of a “Muffler Man” — towering fiberglass statues produced in the 1960s by International Fiberglass of California. These statues were originally designed for promotional use by tire shops and auto garages. Businesses could customize them to fit their brand or theme.
Bernice and John Korelec opened the Dari Delite in 1960 on Baltimore Street in Wilmington, Illinois. In 1965, when the business became an independent operation and the menu expanded. They decided to give their business a makeover and the business name was changed to The Launching Pad Drive-In. Located on Route 53, “Route 66”, Bernice and John looked for something distinctive to set their restaurant apart and found it in the form of a 28 foot tall, 500 pound fiberglass muffler man statue. It isn’t clear if it was purchased this way or not, but eventually, the Muffler Man Statue was fitted with a custom space helmet and painted in gleaming silver and green.
After a naming contest at a local grade school, a fifth grade student’s suggestion, “Gemini Giant” was chosen in honor of NASA’s Project Gemini space program that had captured America’s attention at the time. Thus, the Muffler Man was reborn as the Gemini Giant.
The Launching Pad and its towering mascot quickly became a destination on Route 66, drawing visitors with its classic diner fare and futuristic roadside charm. The statue’s name paid tribute to NASA’s Gemini missions, linking it to a time when Americans dreamed of reaching the stars.
The Launching Pad: A Route 66 Landmark
The Gemini Giant quickly became the centerpiece of the Launching Pad, drawing in tourists and Route 66 travelers looking for quirky roadside Americana. The drive-in served classic diner fare and, thanks in part to the Giant, became a must-stop on the Illinois stretch of Route 66.
For decades, the Giant stood sentinel outside the restaurant, weathering seasons and drawing curious visitors. The popularity of Route 66 waned in the 1980s after the interstate system diverted traffic away, but nostalgia and the Route 66 revival movement helped preserve attractions like the Gemini Giant into the 21st century.
A Beloved Landmark in Trouble
For decades, the Gemini Giant stood tall as one of Illinois’ most unique roadside attractions. Even as Route 66 was decommissioned and many businesses shuttered, the Giant remained a symbol of the road’s heyday. Both the Launching Pad and the Gemini Giant were inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame in 2000. However, in 2007, the Launching Pad closed, and the future of the Gemini Giant was uncertain.
The property was sold to a new owner who struggled to keep the business open and eventually it closed again in 2010.
Preservation and Challenges
Route 66 enthusiasts worried that the statue, already weather-worn, might be removed or destroyed. Thankfully, in 2017, two nearby Route 66 advocates purchased the property with the idea of reopening the site, and they began an ambitious restoration of the Launching Pad and the Gemini Giant.
We visited the Launching Pad in May of 2018, shortly it was opened as a gift store. They weren’t serving food at the time, but they began restoring the restaurant, which reopened in 2019 with a renewed commitment to Route 66 heritage. The new owners refurbished the Gemini Giant, repainted the fiberglass, and restored the surrounding grounds, creating a welcoming stop for nostalgic travelers, photographers, and tour groups.
For a couple of years, it gained a lot of publicity and notoriety as a renovated iconic Route 66 stop. Route 66 travelers stopped by the thousands to have their picture taken in front of the newly refurbished Gemini Giant.
Unfortunately, by 2022, the new ownership again cast uncertainty over the future of the attraction and through a variety of struggles, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Launching Pad closed again. This time it seems permanent.
After a couple more years of uncertainty about the future of the Launching Pad and the Gemini Giant, in March of 2024, the Gemini Giant was sold at auction for $275,000. Thankfully, It was purchased by the Joliet Area Historical Museum, and they have loaned it to the city of Wilmington for display. The Gemini Giant has been relocated to the South Island Park in Wilmington at 201 Bridge Street where it now has a permanent home. The Launching Pad remains closed.
