Bubblegum Alley facts for kids
Bubblegum Alley is a super unique spot in downtown San Luis Obispo, California. It's famous for its walls covered in chewed bubble gum! Imagine a narrow street that's about 4.5 meters (15 feet) high and 21 meters (70 feet) long, all decorated with colorful, sticky gum left by people passing by. You can find this unusual alley on Higuera Street.
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A Sticky History
No one is completely sure how Bubblegum Alley first started. Some people think the tradition began after World War II. It might have been a special event for students graduating from San Luis Obispo High School.
Other stories say it began in the late 1950s. This was when students from San Luis Obispo High School and California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) had a friendly rivalry. Leaving gum might have been part of their fun competition. By the 1970s, the alley was already well-known.
Not everyone loved the gum-covered walls. Some shop owners thought it was messy and unhygienic. Because of their complaints, the alley was cleaned completely two times in the 1970s. But guess what? People kept adding gum, and the sticky art always came back! In 1996, there was another attempt to clean it, but it didn't work out. The gum stayed!
Famous and Featured
Over the years, Bubblegum Alley has become quite famous. It has appeared on many TV shows and in newspapers all around the world. People either find it totally gross or absolutely amazing!
Newspapers like The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times have written about it. It was also featured on TV shows such as That's Incredible! and Real People. Even MTV showed Bubblegum Alley on its program Call to Greatness. They filmed an episode there about trying to break the world record for the biggest bubblegum bubble!
Books and Music
Bubblegum Alley has even made its way into books and songs! It's mentioned in the novel Mr. Monk on the Road by Lee Goldberg. The alley is also a setting in Megan McDonald's book Judy Moody: Around the World in 8 and a Half Days. In 2021, a children's book called Stuck: A Bubblegum Alley Adventure was written about this unique place.
The musician "Weird Al" Yankovic mentioned Bubblegum Alley in his 1978 song "Take Me Down." The band Those Darn Accordions also recorded a song called "Wall of Gum" in 1999, inspired by the alley.
Gum as Art
Bubblegum Alley isn't just a wall of old gum; it's also a place for art!
Professional Artists
The alley has inspired professional artists. One artist, Matthew Hoffman, created a giant self-portrait there. His artwork, called "Projectbubble Gum," shows him blowing a bubble. It's made entirely out of bubble gum! He got a lot of help from the community to collect all the gum needed. Hoffman believes that when people help create something in their community, they feel more connected to it.
Images for kids
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Matthew Hoffman's gum self-portrait
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A message of love for San Luis Obispo
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Gum shaped like a flower
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Gum art with Greek letters
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A face made from gum
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A peace sign made from gum
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A colorful section of the alley wall
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More gum on the walls
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A person walking through the alley
See also
