Chicken Boy facts for kids

Chicken Boy

Chicken Boy is a very tall and unique statue found in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles, California. This amazing 22-foot-tall statue is made of fiberglass. It looks like a man with a chicken's head, holding a bucket. In 2010, the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, gave Chicken Boy a special award. This award was for its role in preserving history.

The Fascinating History of Chicken Boy

Chicken Boy at its first home in July 1977

The Chicken Boy statue was first created in the 1960s. It was made for a restaurant called Chicken Boy Fried Chicken. This restaurant was located in Downtown Los Angeles on Broadway street. Back then, a company named International Fiberglass made many large statues. These statues, often called "Muffler Men," were used to advertise businesses along roadsides.

The Chicken Boy restaurant bought one of these statues. They then hired an artist to change it. The artist replaced the man's head with a chicken head. The statue's arms were also changed to hold a bucket. This made it look like the perfect mascot for a chicken restaurant!

The statue stayed at the restaurant until 1984. After the restaurant closed, the statue was given to an artist named Amy Inouye. She kept Chicken Boy safe for many years. In 2007, Amy moved the statue to its current home. Her design company, Future Studio, had a new office in Highland Park. This building had a strong roof that could hold the big statue. Many people in the community helped save Chicken Boy. They worked together and donated money to make sure this special statue would be preserved.

Celebrating Chicken Boy: Awards and Recognition

Chicken Boy has received several important awards for its historical value and community spirit. These honors show how much people appreciate this unique landmark.

• Governor's Historic Preservation Award, Sacramento, California, 2010. This award celebrates efforts to save important historical places.
• Community Beautification Grant, City of Los Angeles, 2005-2006. This grant helped make the area around Chicken Boy more beautiful.
• California Preservation Foundation, Three Minute Success Story, 2009. This recognized the successful effort to preserve the statue.
• Highland Park Heritage Trust Preservation Award, 2009-2010. This local award honored Chicken Boy's importance to the community.
• Commendation, City of Los Angeles, 2009. This was a special recognition from the city government.
• Commendation, California State Assembly, Sacramento, California, 2010. This was another official recognition from the state.