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 »
Small statues of Buddha line the path to the top of the mountain.
Mitaki-dera
A view of the Sandiaoling bike tunnel.
Sandiaoling Bike Tunnel
The old ticket house at League Park now houses the Baseball Heritage Museum.
League Park
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Passersby stop to admire the punny offerings of Brooklyn’s only dinosaur bodega.
We Visited the Dino Bodega in (Jurassic) Park Slope
about 11 hours ago
Native Americans have a longstanding, rich, and vibrant culture in Wyoming.
Wyoming’s Sacred Landscapes: A Journey Through Native American History
about 15 hours ago
This strawberry cucumber sorbet tastes like early summer in a scoop.
Salt & Straw Wants You to Create Your Own Ice Cream Flavors
2 days ago
Catch a glimpse of some of the many wildflowers Crested Butte is known for.
Rodeos, Star Parties, and Festivals: Your Guide to Colorado’s Magical Summer Events
3 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.