The One & Only Hippie Memorial
N Oak St., Arcola, IL 61910
Get there with Google Maps by clicking HERE
Date Visited: Unknown
Sometimes, these “odd & unusual” sites are right in your own backyard. This memorial is located only 9 miles from my “hometown.” Although I didn’t personally know Bob Moomaw, several of my friends did. Some of the research I have done, described Moomaw as “the town grouch.” According to everyone I’ve spoken with personally, he was a good man.
The Memorial was dedicated June 29, 1999, with an acceptance speech by his widow, Sharron Moomaw.
The best explanation of the memorial is probably in the speech delivered by Sharron Moomaw, the artist’s widow, at the dedication. I’ve included a photo of the sign at the memorial, but will also type it out below.
The text reads:
“Even after 30 years of marriage to Bob Moomaw, I was always surprised at his ideas — and this event is another surprise.
Bob said there have been sculptures built on more ridiculous concepts than my life — this is not ridiculous — this is my life: A HELL OF A MESS
Why a memorial to hippies? He said they changed our society for the good. Because of them, he didn’t have to conform anymore.
The sculpture represents his life — mounted atop a wall. Made of iron rods, junk parts and crafted metal.
The short portion on the left is the first 26 years of his life: which included the depression, World War II, the RED scare and the hypocrisies of the 1950’s. He said it was like living in a coal mine with a 3ft ceiling; the tallest man he ever met was 3ft. tall. Society forced people to stoop.
The memorial rises to 6ft. representing the 1960’s to the 1980’s when the hippies hit and raised the ceiling off everything! Everyone got to stand up against oppression and repression. Bob said it was like growing up! They broke free from small town morality and during the “Kennedy Camelot” and the “Hippie Movement”. The metal shapes are brightly colored showing love and peace symbol and — individuality!
In 1980 Reagan necked society down to small-mind-ed-ness again.
The crossbars are the “webs of his life”. As his life passed through time, other peoples’ junk stuck to him and made him what he was — the product of leftovers from a previous existence. He said he never got to determine a thing in his life; it was determined for him. Bob said he left the pieces raw — so they would rust — the way life is — junk collecting rust is all that life is.
Was Bob Moomaw a hippie? NO. He did have a beard and a pony tail while attending the university. He was THERE at the same TIME & PLACE as the hippies were, but he was raising his children then to use the freedom of THEIR minds to search for knowledge in education as he did. As he said, “to his shame, he was no hippie!”
Hippies, he said, gave us room to BREATHE; and that is what aspect of their lives he was honoring.
Bob would greatly enjoy this celebration of his life sculpture — thank you all for joining in our dedication of his work: MOOMAW — AMERICA’S — ONE AND ONLY HIPPIE MEMORIAL“
Sharron Moomaw – June 29, 1999
I have several photos which I’m going to put in a slide show below… you can see that some pieces have even fallen off… but they remain… kinda like life… “stuff” happens… falls off… but life goes on!
As always, THANK YOU for the visit. I welcome and appreciate comments (at the bottom of every page/post) and/or EMAILS. Please feel free to SUBSCRIBE (free or voluntary donation) to this site. If you enjoyed your visit, learned anything, or feel like helping the site out a little, I would love it if you shared our site with friends and family. If you don’t like this site ***GASP*** then you should spam your enemies with it LOL. Hey, any traffic helps! You can also DONATE to keep this dream alive. I always give 50% of all (net) donations and (net) profits from any source to charity as my way of giving thanks and sharing my good fortune.
Thanks again!
Joe
