Georgia Magazine - June 2021 - 7

Curious GEORGIA

By Sarah Russell

Woodstock's
legendary turkey
lives on in sculpture

www.georgiamagazine.org

7_Curious_GA_0621.indd 7

COURTESY CITY OF WOODSTOCK

ound for pound, he packed a lot
This statue of Bob the
of attitude. Short and beady-eyed,
Turkey has become famous
with his weight mounded around
in its own right. The statue
his middle, he was quite the turkey-
previously was featured in
literally. A decade later, Bob the Turkey
Georgia Magazine as the
still rules Main Street in Woodstock, just
Picture this? contest photo
as he did from the moment he strutted
in November 2014 (bit.ly/
into town in 2011.
picthis1114) and in a piece
Quickly taking squatter's rights to a
about artist Bruce Weinzetl
vacant lot near the Serenade neighborin the annual spotlight on
hood, Bob the Turkey did not go unGeorgia-made products
noticed or unnamed for long. He took
in November 2015 (bit.ly/
gaproducts1115). For more
to gobbling greetings to passers-by and
information about Weinzetl
going pretty much anywhere he pleased,
or his work, go to facebook.
especially the white wooden fence
com/junkmanartist.
overlooking Main Street. Prominently
perched there most days, Bob made
known his intent to keep surveillance on
the comings and goings of all the town folks.
" He was a hit with the kids on the school buses, "
Because of the town's sentiments-and particularly the
Woodstock resident Diane Geeslin says. " Who could find the
children's-Bob's remains were quickly retrieved from city
turkey first? "
refuse and buried in his old domain beside Serenade. A
His willingness to play hide-and-seek with them also
memorial emerged, with flowers, signs and soon a brick
grew his fan base. Not included in that group were the cyclists
headstone with his name.
he pecked and a whole lot of drivers. Frequently taking a firm
The memorial was very nice, but Bob would be the first to
stance in the middle of Main Street, " he would stop traffic,
say he deserved even more.
people would honk at him-ha, he didn't care, " Geeslin says.
Geeslin secured permission from the mayor and City
Those who did manage to pass could expect to be chased
Council and started raising funds and putting out the word
down the 25 mph stretch.
There was no point in calling the police on Bob. They found to find a sculptor. Soon, she had both the funds and her
sculptor: self-described " Junkman Artist " Bruce Weinzetl
him equally defiant. He showed no respect for the uniform,
from Acworth.
pecking the officers and their tires and staunchly refusing to
Weinzetl transformed exhaust pipes and scrap metal
vacate the hoods of their patrol cars, even when they needed to
into a 60-pound bird that stands 20 or so inches tall and is
respond to calls.
complete with lots of feathers- " about 720, I think I counted, "
Nevertheless, Woodstock Mayor Donnie Henriques gave
Weinzetl says.
him a full pardon at Thanksgiving. Whether that was from
The sculpture now stands on Main Street beside the city's
dinner plates or law enforcement wasn't quite clear, but Bob's
welcome sign. There was one unfortunate coincidence about
attitude indicated he took it to mean both. By then, he had
the placement that was not discovered until the sculpture was
become quite the celebrity, with a Facebook page dedicated to
securely installed. When Weinzetl stood right behind Bob, lined
him and features on local and national news.
up with his beak and followed his gaze, he noticed a sign on
In January 2012, less than a year after he made his first
a restaurant right in Bob's field of vision: " Turkey Burgers Our
appearance, Bob was the victim of a hit-and-run. His Facebook
Specialty. "
page quickly spread the awful truth, and tributes came in,
It was enough to give any bird an attitude.
such as one that read, " You were a beautiful, hilarious, fun
Sarah Russell is a freelance writer in Hot Springs, Ark.
and brave turkey. "

5/12/21 7:12 PM

http://bit.ly/picthis1114 http://bit.ly/picthis1114 http://bit.ly/gaproducts1115 http://bit.ly/gaproducts1115 https://www.facebook.com/junkmanartist https://www.facebook.com/junkmanartist http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Georgia Magazine - June 2021

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