Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
A skeleton on display contemplating its own mortality.
Kid Mai Death Awareness Cafe
This classic London pub has a surprising history behind it.
John Snow
The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.
The Guinea
Welcome to one of the only floating pubs in the world.
Tamesis Dock
This may be the oldest pie in the world.
St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
10 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
13 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
20 days ago
“There may be a collective sense of a dark loneliness,” Dahl says, referring to Norway’s natural landscape.
In Norway, Easter Means Tucking Into Crime Stories
20 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Kansas Galena Frecs the Miner
Frecs the Miner is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Frecs the Miner

This statue is an ode to an iconic roadside advertisement popularized during the 1970s.

Galena, Kansas

Added By
Renee Charles
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Standing tall and proud.   redrenee1 / Atlas Obscura User
Standing tall and proud.   redrenee1 / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-22   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
The remains 6-11-22   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
2019   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
Helping hands in the making.   redrenee1 / Atlas Obscura User
Frecs the Miner  
Frecs the Miner  
Only the boots are left   naynaymasterson / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

This Place Is a Stub

Help improve this place with additional information or photos.

Make an Edit

About

The original alignment of Route 66 in Kansas is relatively small, but holds tons of history and unique places to visit, one example is Frecs the Miner. Located along the second alignment of Route 66, coming in from Missouri, stood a 19-foot homemade version of a modern muffler man. These large fiberglass statues were once used to advertise businesses and tourist attractions. This 21st-century muffler man was named after the creator's grandfather, whose nickname was Frecs, short for freckles. He was also a miner who worked across the Tri-State area. 

Unfortunately this statue was lost to fire and all that remains is his shoes.

Related Tags

Statues Roadside Attractions

Know Before You Go

Sadly, the statue is no more after an accidental fire in March 2022 destroyed all but its boots. You can see the remains next to the "Cars" movie exhibit. 

Community Contributors

Added By

redrenee1

Edited By

Jen Seriously, Darrell Powers, Beth1116, Cringel66...

  • Jen Seriously
  • Darrell Powers
  • Beth1116
  • Cringel66
  • jonathancarey
  • naynaymasterson

Published

August 28, 2019

Updated

August 9, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/65915
  • https://www.girlstandstill.com/tip/65915
  • https://www.joplinglobe.com/news/local_news/foot-tall-fiberglass-miner-added-to-route..
Frecs the Miner
205 Front St
Galena, Kansas, 66739
United States
37.081324, -94.637562
Get Directions

Nearby Places

National Cookie Cutter Historical Museum

Joplin, Missouri

miles away

Red Oak Steakhouse

Quapaw, Oklahoma

miles away

The Ozark Spooklight

Joplin, Missouri

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kansas

Kansas

United States

Places 126
Stories 11

Nearby Places

National Cookie Cutter Historical Museum

Joplin, Missouri

miles away

Red Oak Steakhouse

Quapaw, Oklahoma

miles away

The Ozark Spooklight

Joplin, Missouri

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kansas

Kansas

United States

Places 126
Stories 11

Related Places

  • Danbury, Connecticut

    World’s Tallest Uncle Sam Statue

    Star-spangled and 38 feet tall.

  • This giant fiberglass catfish welcomes visitors to Trempealeau, Wisconsin.

    Trempealeau, Wisconsin

    Trempealeau Catfish Statue

    A giant fiberglass catfish welcomes visitors to this Wisconsin river town and heralds its annual Catfish Days festival.

  • Gummy bear statue

    Boadilla del Monte, Spain

    El Oso Verde (The Green Bear)

    This larger-than-life lime green gummy bear sits in the middle of a roundabout in Spain.

  • This queen has been here since the 1980s.

    Leicester, Vermont

    Queen Connie

    A gorilla holding a VW Beetle isn't what you'd expect in rural Vermont.

  • Blue Bird on the Pier

    St. Augustine, Florida

    Bluebird of Happiness Statue

    An oversized bluebird statue returns to its rightful place on Vilano Beach pier.

  • Sandy, the world’s largest sandhill crane

    Steele, North Dakota

    World's Largest Sandhill Crane

    The metal bird, nicknamed "Sandy," stands nearly 40 feet tall and is an homage to the birds that migrate through North Dakota every year.

  • The mini Statue of Liberty Replica is located between Harlan and Gaylord, on Harlan Hill.

    Harlan, Kansas

    Statue of Liberty Replica

    This roadside prairie Statue of Liberty replica is one of the foremost examples of the Boy Scouts of America's "Strengthen the Arm of Liberty" campaign.

  • Paul Bunyan & Babe. Visitor Center in background.

    Rumford, Maine

    Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox

    A larger-than-life dedication to the famous lumberjack and his loyal ox.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.