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In this fourth post of the series about local characters, we’ll take a look at some colorful citizens who are well known in Peoria, San Marcos, Montreal, New Haven, Wheeling, Ocean City, and Omaha.
1. The Great Antonio
Anton Barichievich of Montreal, Quebec was The Great Antonio. He was born in Zagreb (then Yugoslavia, now Croatia) and moved to Canada in 1945. Barichievich made his living performing feats of strength, including pulling a bus through the streets. He made it into the Guinness Book of World Records by pulling a train in 1952 and by pulling four buses in 1960. At the height of his career, he stood six feet four inches tall and weighed 495 pounds. Barichievich was also a pro wrestler, and appeared on TV and in movies, including Quest for Fire. In his later years, he claimed he was an extraterrestrial. The Great Antonio hung around donut shops and subway stations in Montreal, carrying newspaper clippings of his past glories around in trash bags. He died of a heart attack in 2003. He was 77.
2. Willie York
Everyone in Peoria, Illinois knows Willie York. The homeless panhandler is famous for wearing burlap and bones and eating roadkill. A Vietnam veteran, he refuses offers of help from relatives, but will cause a disturbance in the winter in order to spend time in a warm jail cell. See more about York in the documentary “Sweet Jesus: The Story of Willie York.”
3. The Flower Lady
The Flower Lady of New Haven, Connecticut is Annette Walton. She began to sell flowers on campus in the mid 90s so she could have something to give back to Yale students who gave her money. In 2000 she was forced to stop because she didn’t have the $200 or so to buy a business license. Walton eventually obtained a license, but has been cited numerous times for violating its provisions. See the Flower Lady in action in this video. Leslie Kuo created a set of cards featuring the different local characters of New Haven. Walton often signs her card for people who buy the deck.
4. Frisbee Dan
Frisbee Dan is a local legend in San Marcos, Texas. Dan Barry can be found at Sewell Park tossing a Frisbee every day, as he has for the past 20 years. Barry moved from Ohio to San Marcos in 1986 for physical therapy after he was injured jumping out of a moving truck. He helps Texas State University students learn advanced Frisbee moves, and will sell them Frisbees if they don’t have one. Watch Frisbee Dan put on his show in this video.
5. Moondog
Moondog rides through Wheeling, West Virginia on his bike decorated with lights and flags. His real name is Charles Waldrum, and he’s been bicycling for years wearing an orange vest or a fireman’s jacket and a hardhat. The Wheeling Nailers hockey team gave away Moondog bobbleheads in his honor last year. See Moondog’s MySpace page.
6. The Blind Broom Man
The Rev. Livingston Wills began going door to door selling brooms in Omaha, Nebraska in the 50s even though he couldn’t see well enough to distinguish cash from notebook paper. He had to trust that people paid for his brooms, and for the most part, they did. Wills was also pastor at the Tabernacle Church of Christ Holiness for decades, although many of his broom customers weren’t aware of his other job for many years. People appreciated Wills’ kind words and cheerfulness, as well as his unrelenting work ethic. When word got around that Rev. Wills was sick and in financial straits, the people of Nebraska came through with donations for his care. He was 91 years old when he died in 2008. See a 2004 multimedia presentation on Wills’ life here.
7. Boardwalk Elvis
Boardwalk Elvis is a fixture in Ocean City, Maryland. For years, he walked the boardwalk area dressed in a jumpsuit with a boombox that played Elvis Presley music. Sometimes he’s join in playing a kazoo. His real name is Norman, but his last name is a mystery. Norman doesn’t hang around the boardwalk as much as he used to, but there have been sightings posted as recently as 2008.
Other posts in this series:
How to Be a Local Character: 5 Basic Examples had characters from Memphis, New York City, St. Petersburg, FL, Lexington, KY, and Maggie Valley, NC.
7 Fascinating Local Characters brought you profiles from New Orleans, Boston, Toronto, Austin, Ann Arbor, MI, Anderson, SC, and Wellington, NZ,
9 Wonderful Local Characters featured folks from Atlanta, San Francisco, Seattle, New York City, St. Louis, St. Cloud, MN, and Adelaide, Australia.
6 of Your Favorite Local Characters profiles people you’ve seen in Seattle, Austin, Madison, WI, Jacksonville, NC, and one you are too young to have ever met from San Francisco.
Comments (28)
Comment
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the subways in montreal are called ‘metros’.
posted by karina on 4-9-2009 at 9:17 am
Will there eventually be some love for the patron saint of local characters:
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I?
posted by EMStoveken on 4-9-2009 at 9:28 am
No love for Atlanta’s Baton Bob?
posted by AKCallahan on 4-9-2009 at 9:40 am
I actually was at the Wheeling Nailers game where they gave out Moondog Bobbleheads!
posted by Heather on 4-9-2009 at 10:28 am
I’ve also yet to see some love for Tom Ryan, Madison’s “Piccolo Man.” I graduated from UW in 2005, and still miss seeing him in front of the bookstore on State Street.
posted by Kristin on 4-9-2009 at 10:39 am
AKCallahan, Baton Bob was featured in a previous post! Check the links in the last paragraph.
posted by Miss Cellania on 4-9-2009 at 10:51 am
I’ve known Moondog all my life. I used to talk to him at lunchtime when I was in high school. He’s a great guy, and it’s nice to see he’s getting some positive attention.
posted by Li on 4-9-2009 at 11:00 am
I live in Peoria and have never heard of Willie.. I must not get out much.
posted by Isabella on 4-9-2009 at 11:05 am
We have two great local characters here in San Diego. Both cruise the Boardwalk in Mission and Pacific Beach. We’ve got Slow-Mo, who rollerblades down the boardwalk in, you guessed it, slow motion while listening to classical music on his boombox.
There’s also the Thong Guy who also rollerblades the boardwalk. He wears a thong and will dress up in costume depending on the particular holiday or event of the day (I’ve seen him as a leprachaun, uncle sam, santa, and even basketball man during march madness).
Anybody who’s spend any amount of time at these beaches has more than likely seen one or both of these characters.
posted by Steve-O on 4-9-2009 at 11:11 am
my family has been going to ocean city for years (at least 23) and boardwalk elvis sitings were a tradition. sadly, we noticed his absence in recent years and i swore we got word that he passed on a few years back. either way, he’ll always be a part of oc!
posted by Mo on 4-9-2009 at 11:33 am
Have you ever heard of the Bush Man, who works on fisherman’s wharf in San Francisco?
posted by anoushka on 4-9-2009 at 11:46 am
While living in New Haven a few years ago, I did indeed buy a flower or two from The Flower Lady!
posted by Lori on 4-9-2009 at 11:56 am
Bush Man was profiled in a previous post. About the others, what do you think? Should I do another round of characters?
posted by Miss Cellania on 4-9-2009 at 11:57 am
OC MD also has “sand-art man” who creates elaborate sand-art based on scenes in the Bible every week, around 7th street and the boardwalk.
posted by amyu on 4-9-2009 at 12:18 pm
No love for Atlanta’s Baton Bob? He’s no doubt one of the most uplifting things about a day out in atlanta
posted by ACallahan on 4-9-2009 at 12:27 pm
Glad to see one of my locals, the Broom Man, get mentioned. My husband grew up in Benson so he got to see him quite often as a boy. It was really sad to hear he was sick and to hear about his passing. He made a good life for himself and was a beloved person here.
posted by Sarah on 4-9-2009 at 12:28 pm
I can’t believe Madison, WI’s Scanner Dan wasn’t mentioned. He’s been a fixture on State St for as long as I’ve been here.
posted by katace on 4-9-2009 at 12:43 pm
How about the Spoonman in Seattle? I think his name is Artiss. Soundgarden did a song about him in the 90’s (Spoonman). It led all of the local news broadcasts a couple years ago when he had a heart attack at Pike Place Market. He is still alive, and if I’m not mistaken, you can still see him playing his spoons at various downtown locations.
posted by Sean O. on 4-9-2009 at 1:41 pm
When I was in junior high back in 19mmmf, there was a local character known as Smiley who walked all around town over the course of the day. He used to pass our school at the end of the school day and chat with us at the bus stop. He was so popular that every year the students chipped in together to buy him a new pair of wing tips. Ironic recaptch: trips 34
posted by Judy on 4-9-2009 at 2:26 pm
I grew up in Madison, WI and used to talk to Scanner Dan when I would be skipping school and hanging out on State Street. I was just there on business recently and had a good chat with him.
posted by bayoubadger on 4-9-2009 at 2:50 pm
anoushka- the bush man in SF is so much fun to watch!!
posted by hippodelight on 4-9-2009 at 3:20 pm
there had a guy in Arcata, Ca. whose name is Pete. He was homeless over twenty years. Everyone knows who he is and he actually saved a woman’s life.
posted by P. Esh on 4-9-2009 at 3:26 pm
I can name off the top of my head three Madison, WI local celebs that didn’t make the list… Scanner Dan, Tunnel Bob and the Piccolo man (who wears hunting orange because it’s the only color the aliens can’t see).
posted by lisa on 4-9-2009 at 3:38 pm
what about the west st walker in annapolis MD? he carries two garbage bags full of air.
posted by nick on 4-10-2009 at 10:57 am
Baton Bob and Bush Man have both been profiled (see the end of Miss C’s post). And YES! More of these would be great!
posted by PJ on 4-10-2009 at 5:20 pm
How about Florence Gump from Florence, KY?
He is an amazing man. He is a mentally-challenged 40 year old man that walks up and down U.S. 42 every single day with a boom box on his shoulder. He was suffered from brain damage due to a car accident when he was younger, and since then he has always thought he was a child. He takes very pronounced, large steps which gives the illusion that he is bouncing. No one knows his real name, but mostly everyone calls him “Florence Gump.” If you are interested in posting his story, I can take a photo and send it to you.
posted by BLT on 4-13-2009 at 4:02 am
Ronny-woo-woo from chicago.
colorful cubs fan. Also has a documentary, sadly being held up on some rights issues. They filmed him in Wrigley, but then cubs management decided not to let it out. I’d buy it in a second. I’ve seen him around the street a few times. Sometimes he gets rides to parties after games.
posted by Rich on 4-14-2009 at 6:17 pm
Rich, Ronnie Woo Woo was recently featured in another mental floss article,
7 Major League Baseball Stadium Icons.
mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/24457
posted by Miss Cellania on 4-14-2009 at 7:31 pm