I slowly cruised down Market Avenue by Metropolis – it was a small city – and all of a sudden got here to a cease in the course of the road. My jaw hung open, and my eyes have been fixated on the towering Superman Statue forward. A automotive honked behind me, and I unexpectedly pulled over – proper in entrance of the Tremendous Museum. The place on the earth had I traveled this time?
Just some days earlier, I had completed essentially the most epic street journey of my life. It had taken me three months to journey from Charleston, South Carolina to Paducah, Kentucky – and I by no means as soon as drove an interstate freeway. With that thrilling – however exhausting – journey behind me, I wanted a spot to chill out a few days earlier than heading dwelling.
I had booked two nights at Harrah’s Metropolis. I’m not a lot for playing, however they’d a ridiculously superior nightly charge of their snug rooms that I couldn’t cross. That’s what introduced me throughout the Ohio River into Metropolis and one of the thrilling discoveries of the yr.
The Solely Metropolis within the Nation
In 1839, a neighborhood landowner and a rich service provider from Pittsburgh based a small city close to the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The founders believed the placement would make it a booming space for commerce and business – in order that they named the city Metropolis.
The city – with a inhabitants lower than 7,000 – by no means turned the metropolis the founders envisioned. However the locals knew they’d a really small declare to fame as the one city within the nation named after Superman’s fictional dwelling. In 1972, plans have been introduced to construct an epic $50 million Superman theme park – however these plans by no means occurred.
It didn’t cease the locals from banking on the DC Comics superhero. The native newspaper is named The Metropolis Planet – an homage to The Every day Planet. Statues devoted to Superman and Lois Lane have been erected within the city. Since 1978, the four-day Superman Celebration has introduced hundreds of individuals into the one Metropolis within the nation.
Jim Hambrick – Founding father of the Tremendous Museum
Superman debuted in 1938, however it could be over twenty years later earlier than his largest fan acquired his first piece of memorabilia. When Jim Hambrick was 5 years previous, his mom purchased him a lunch field that includes a scene of Superman and a robotic battling over a burning Metropolis. That lunch field – now on show contained in the museum entrance – started a lifelong quest to construct essentially the most intensive assortment of Superman memorabilia on the earth.
Hambrick was simply ten years previous when he constructed the primary show of his memorabilia. Utilizing his bed room as a one-room museum, he charged his classmates 5¢ for admission to admire the gathering. It was solely the start of his profession as a curator of Superman collectible objects.
In 1985 – after years of creating a number of touring displays – Hambrick determined to ascertain a brick-and-mortar dwelling for his assortment. Leaving California behind, he moved midway throughout the nation to the one metropolis named Metropolis. It took a whole yr to pack his assortment and one other seven to finish the museum. In 1993, the Tremendous Museum opened its doorways.
Visiting the Tremendous Museum
I parked across the nook from the Tremendous Museum’s entrance. It was a nice day, and I didn’t thoughts the stroll. As I approached the doorway to town block-sized brick constructing, I puzzled how a lot admission would value. Ten {dollars}? Extra like twenty. I may need even been keen to pay extra.
“5 {dollars},” Morgan Siebert informed me. I couldn’t imagine the world’s most intensive assortment of Superman memorabilia – 75,000 objects and rising – could possibly be seen for simply 5 {dollars}! I fortunately handed over the money and requested concerning the historical past of the museum.
“My dad began this museum about 25 years in the past,” she replied. For the following fifteen minutes, I listened to her tales of her father, Jim Hambrick, and rising up together with the museum. Her barely contained zeal was contagious, and by the point I began my self-guided tour by the museum, I used to be bouncing with pleasure.
It was extra like strolling by a toy retailer than a museum. Objects crammed the cabinets of makeshift bookcases, coated the flooring and partitions, and coated tables. There have been few interpretive panels – I can’t think about how lengthy it could take to create that a lot content material – but it surely was nonetheless thrilling to see every merchandise.
It solely took about half an hour to discover the varied rooms of the one-story museum. However I’m additionally not the largest Superman fan – I used to be extra of a Batman fan as a child. I in all probability may have spent an hour or two if I acknowledged all of the objects. The one issues I may rapidly establish have been a number of the costumes worn by Teri Hatcher in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
517 Market Avenue, Metropolis, IL | 618-524-5518 | https://supermuseum.com
Superman Statue
When Hambrick introduced his plans to construct the Tremendous Museum in Metropolis, town council determined so as to add to the expertise. A fundraiser was began to construct a statue in honor of Superman – and in 1993, the towering 15’ Superman Statue was devoted.
Situated beside the courthouse, it was one of the stunning journey moments of the yr for me. In fact, once I had discovered the lodge in Metropolis, my first thought was about Superman’s fictional dwelling – however I by no means anticipated to see a city so dedicated to the Man of Metal.
In 2020, the primary of three phases of renovations have been accomplished on the Superman Statue. 25 years of accrued paint have been eliminated, and a recent coat was utilized. Immediately, the statue stands simply as proudly and prominently as when first constructed – a sight I’ll definitely always remember and look ahead to seeing once more sometime.
The place to Keep
Metropolis is a small city, and truthfully, I might suggest staying throughout the river – about twenty minutes away – in Paducah, Kentucky. Nonetheless, the small city does have a really charming downtown, a few good eating places, and also you would possibly wish to keep native for comfort.
My high suggestion can be Harrah’s Metropolis Resort. One factor about casinos is that they all the time have nice motels – they need their company to be very nicely rested after they hit the slot machines! The lodge was very snug for the 2 nights I stayed, and I’ll keep there once more.
One other excellent spot to remain is the Vacation Inn Categorical. Situated beside the interstate, it’s simpler to achieve and gives improbable rooms. Together with rooms with one or two beds, the lodge additionally includes a suite with a king mattress and couch mattress, good for touring households.