Honest John’s, Kingsport TN

honesdtjohns
This is a fairly common card, a Haynes Distributing Company issue out of Roanoke VA.  Chrome, of course.  Plate number is 45031-B.
On the reverse: “BIG INDIAN, 32 feet tall  Weight 10,000 pounds  Located on Stone Drive Super Hiway Route 11W, Kingsport, Tennessee
As far as known, it is the world’s largest wooden Indian.  Built by Honest John.
Honest John’s Gift Shop, John D. Barker, owner”
There’s interesting information on this indian here.
Pratt’s bought the building in 1971.
In the message area on this card, in ball point pen, script:
“Helen   1972-card sent”
The address:  Pratts, 1225 E Stone Dr.  Kingsport, Tenn
It was never sent.

I am told that when this statue was in its original location on Memorial Boulevard (the old Bristol Highway, about halfway up to Edens Ridge), Honest John (Barker) had a loudspeaker installed in it.  He would use an attached amplifier and microphone to issue cheery greetings to tourists passing by.

Probably freaked the hell out of them…

 

1 thought on “Honest John’s, Kingsport TN

  1. Pavlo Metritikas

    My father in the late 60’s bought a picture of a guardian angel. Does anybody have any knowledge about this picture (icon) of an angel looking over 2 children crossing a bridge?

    Reply

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