The hillside Green Giant has a new viewpoint and informational signs
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October 3, 2019
Michele Smith
It took more than a year of planning and research to create this new pull-out on Hwy 12, west of Dayton. Now the public can safely view the Green Giant image, on the hillside of the farm belonging to the Warren family, and learn about the importance of Green Giant to the community.Terry Nealy, the project chairperson, said a dedication ceremony will be held in mid-October.
Former Washington State Representative Terry Nealy said Gary Lowe approached him several years ago about creating a pull-out along Hwy. 12 for people to stop and view the Green Giant image, on the hillside, just west of Dayton.
Rep. Nealy said he pitched the idea to the people at the state Department of Transportation, shortly before he retired from the legislature in 2018.
"The DOT responded very favorably, and said they'd widen the highway at a favorable location, but the community would need to produce and install the information signs," Nealy said.
Nealy then elicited help in researching the history and in locating old photos from former Green Giant employees; Duane Dunlap, Lowell Richter and Randy Mann.
He said Ginny Butler helped write the final history.
The Port's Executive Director Jennie Dickinson gave permission to widen the pull-out to encroach slightly on Port property so there would be adequate space for safe parking.
Nealy said they sought permission from B&G Foods, in New Jersey, to use the logo, and the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation was contacted to see if the image could be declared a historic site.
Nealy said that request was denied because the image had not been in its current location for more than fifty years.
"However, the WADOT agreed to place signs stating "Viewpoint ahead" on both sides of Hwy. 12," he said.
Funds for the Green Giant Historical Sign project came from the Dayton/Columbia County Fund.
The signs were made by Signs by Sue, a commercial sign-making company in Pasco.
The Green Giant hillside image was created in the fall of 1992 using a stencil, walkie-talkies, aluminum field stakes and colored surveyor's tape. It has been lovingly maintained by Gary Lowe following the closure of the Green Giant Ag Research Department in 2004.
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