OLE big

One of the most eye-catching landmarks in Alexandria is Big Ole – a Viking statue in Big Ole Central Park at the north end of Broadway. The idea for the statue began in January 1964 when North Star World’s Fair Corporation in Osseo began working on an addition to the Minnesota display for the New York World’s Fair. The display was to feature the Kensington Runestone in an animated scene titled “Minnesota, Birthplace of America.” The new item to coincide with this display was a 28-foot, four-ton Viking statue. Big Ole was completed by Gorden Displays of Minneapolis in April 1965 and transported to New York for the World’s Fair. He arrived in Alexandria in December 1965. Big Ole most recently underwent repairs and a new paint job, including new beard color, in 2016.

2023