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'''Snowzilla''' is a giant [[snowman]] which has been erected each pre-Christmas season since 2005 in the front yard of private resident Billy Powers' home in [[Anchorage, Alaska]]. |
'''Snowzilla''' is a giant [[snowman]] which has been erected each pre-Christmas season since 2005 in the front yard of private resident [[Billy Powers]]' home in [[Anchorage, Alaska]]. Keeping good on a promise to return again some day, Snowzilla reappeared in snowy and cold December 2023. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The first Snowzilla was built in 2005. It rose to {{convert|16|ft}}, and featured a [[corncob pipe]], a [[carrot]] nose, and two eyes made out of [[beer]] bottles.<ref>[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/news/2005-12-19-snowzilla-anchorage_x.htm "Anchorage man builds monster snowman"], [[Associated Press]] at ''[[USA Today]]'', December 19, 2005.</ref> After drawing widespread attention,<ref>[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/news/2006-12-26-anchorage-snowzilla_x.htm "Giant snowman rises even bigger in Alaska neighborhood"], [[Associated Press]] at ''[[USA Today]]'', December 26, 2006. ("Last year's version, with Alaskan Amber beer bottles for eyes, drew scores of photo-snapping crowds and TV crews from Japan and Russia before it melted in the spring.")</ref> the snowman returned the following year, built to a height of {{convert|22|ft}}.<ref>Katie Pesznecker, [http://www.adn.com/2006/12/25/151853/snowzilla-ii-its-bigger.html "Snowzilla II: It's bigger"], ''[[Anchorage Daily News]]'', December 25, 2006.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/06/AR2007010600368.html "Alaska Snowman Has Some Neighbors Fuming"], [[Associated Press]] at ''[[The Washington Post]]'', January 6, 2007.</ref> In 2008 the accumulated snow rose to an estimated {{convert|25|ft}} height.<ref>http://www.charlotteobserver.com/104/story/434020.html Article in 24 December 2008 issue of US newspaper ''Charlotte Observer''{{dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref><ref name="Bluemink">Elizabeth Bluemink, [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705272985/Snowzilla-rises-again-in-Anchorage-despite-city-opposition.html?pg=all "Snowzilla rises again in Anchorage, despite city opposition"], ''[[Deseret News]]'', December 25, 2008.</ref> |
The first Snowzilla was built in 2005. It rose to {{convert|16|ft}}, and featured a [[corncob pipe]], a [[carrot]] nose, and two eyes made out of [[beer]] bottles.<ref>[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/news/2005-12-19-snowzilla-anchorage_x.htm "Anchorage man builds monster snowman"], [[Associated Press]] at ''[[USA Today]]'', December 19, 2005.</ref> After drawing widespread attention,<ref>[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/news/2006-12-26-anchorage-snowzilla_x.htm "Giant snowman rises even bigger in Alaska neighborhood"], [[Associated Press]] at ''[[USA Today]]'', December 26, 2006. ("Last year's version, with Alaskan Amber beer bottles for eyes, drew scores of photo-snapping crowds and TV crews from Japan and Russia before it melted in the spring.")</ref> the snowman returned the following year, built to a height of {{convert|22|ft}}.<ref>Katie Pesznecker, [http://www.adn.com/2006/12/25/151853/snowzilla-ii-its-bigger.html "Snowzilla II: It's bigger"], ''[[Anchorage Daily News]]'', December 25, 2006.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/06/AR2007010600368.html "Alaska Snowman Has Some Neighbors Fuming"], [[Associated Press]] at ''[[The Washington Post]]'', January 6, 2007.</ref> In 2008 the accumulated snow rose to an estimated {{convert|25|ft}} height.<ref>http://www.charlotteobserver.com/104/story/434020.html Article in 24 December 2008 issue of US newspaper ''Charlotte Observer''{{dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref><ref name="Bluemink">Elizabeth Bluemink, [https://web.archive.org/web/20131221104055/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705272985/Snowzilla-rises-again-in-Anchorage-despite-city-opposition.html?pg=all "Snowzilla rises again in Anchorage, despite city opposition"], ''[[Deseret News]]'', December 25, 2008.</ref> |
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==Controversy== |
==Controversy== |
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One neighbor in the block complained of heavy traffic and cited safety concerns about a very large snowman on the front [[lawn]] of a residential neighborhood, as a result of which city officials issued a [[cease and desist]] order in December 2008, preventing Snowzilla from being completed (it was about 50% completed when the order was issued and the accumulated snow removed). However, a few days later it |
One neighbor in the block complained of heavy traffic and cited safety concerns about a very large snowman on the front [[lawn]] of a residential neighborhood, as a result of which city officials issued a [[cease and desist]] order in December 2008, preventing Snowzilla from being completed (it was about 50% completed when the order was issued and the accumulated snow removed). However, a few days later it re-appeared on Powers' lawn, although he denied making it.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2008/12/24/giant_snowman_rises_again_in_alaska____mysteriously/ Article in 24 December 2008 issue of US newspaper ''Boston Globe'' {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226141814/http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2008/12/24/giant_snowman_rises_again_in_alaska____mysteriously/ |date=December 26, 2008 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/alaskas-snowzilla-rises-again-mysteriously "Alaska's 'Snowzilla' Rises Again, Mysteriously"], [[Associated Press]] at [[Fox News]], December 24, 2008.</ref><ref>[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98629365 "Snowzilla Declared Public Nuisance"], ''[[Morning Edition]]'', [[NPR]], December 23, 2008 (audio).</ref> |
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A strong public outcry soon arose over the apparent municipal interference with |
A strong public outcry soon arose over the apparent municipal interference with the holiday tradition, and a website (formerly "Snowzilla.org") appeared on 23 December 2008.<ref name="Bluemink"/> On Christmas morning, a group of small sign-carrying snowmen appeared in front of Anchorage city hall, but the city quickly demolished them.<ref>Kyle Hopkins, [http://www.adn.com/2008/12/26/634599/snowzilla-squad-suffers-setback.html "Snowzilla squad suffers setback at City Hall"], ''[[Anchorage Daily News]]'', December 26, 2008.</ref><ref>[[Radley Balko]], [http://reason.com/blog/2008/12/29/humidity-built-the-snowman-anc "Humidity Built the Snowman, Anchorage Brought Him Down"], ''[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]]'', December 29, 2008.</ref> In 2009, a new mayor was sitting in City Hall, and the family said that it expected to be able to erect the giant snowman without interference.<ref>Joshua Saul, [http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/snowzilla-rises-again "Snowzilla rises again"], ''[[Alaska Dispatch]]'', December 18, 2009.</ref><ref>James Halpin, [http://www.adn.com/2009/12/19/1063145/snowzilla-will-rise-again-likely.html "Snowzilla will rise again, likely without city interference"], ''[[Anchorage Daily News]]'', December 19, 2009.</ref> Writing about the January 2011 version, an editor for ''[[Alaska (magazine)|Alaska]]'' magazine described Snowzilla as "a symbol of Alaska civil disobedience enacted, appropriately enough, in snow".<ref>Rebecca Luczycki, "Snowzilla", ''[[Alaska (magazine)|Alaska]]'', January 11, 2011, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110119053135/http://www.alaskamagazine.com/blogs/snowzilla archived] from the original at the [[Wayback Machine]] (accessed 2013-02-02).</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist|2}} |
{{reflist|2}} |
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==External links== |
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* {{Official website|http://www.snowzilla.org}} |
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[[Category:Buildings and structures made of snow or ice]] |
[[Category:Buildings and structures made of snow or ice]] |
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[[Category:Roadside attractions in Alaska]] |
[[Category:Roadside attractions in Alaska]] |
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[[Category:Snow sculpture]] |
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Latest revision as of 00:31, 8 November 2024
Snowzilla is a giant snowman which has been erected each pre-Christmas season since 2005 in the front yard of private resident Billy Powers' home in Anchorage, Alaska. Keeping good on a promise to return again some day, Snowzilla reappeared in snowy and cold December 2023.
History
[edit]The first Snowzilla was built in 2005. It rose to 16 feet (4.9 m), and featured a corncob pipe, a carrot nose, and two eyes made out of beer bottles.[1] After drawing widespread attention,[2] the snowman returned the following year, built to a height of 22 feet (6.7 m).[3][4] In 2008 the accumulated snow rose to an estimated 25 feet (7.6 m) height.[5][6]
Controversy
[edit]One neighbor in the block complained of heavy traffic and cited safety concerns about a very large snowman on the front lawn of a residential neighborhood, as a result of which city officials issued a cease and desist order in December 2008, preventing Snowzilla from being completed (it was about 50% completed when the order was issued and the accumulated snow removed). However, a few days later it re-appeared on Powers' lawn, although he denied making it.[7][8][9]
A strong public outcry soon arose over the apparent municipal interference with the holiday tradition, and a website (formerly "Snowzilla.org") appeared on 23 December 2008.[6] On Christmas morning, a group of small sign-carrying snowmen appeared in front of Anchorage city hall, but the city quickly demolished them.[10][11] In 2009, a new mayor was sitting in City Hall, and the family said that it expected to be able to erect the giant snowman without interference.[12][13] Writing about the January 2011 version, an editor for Alaska magazine described Snowzilla as "a symbol of Alaska civil disobedience enacted, appropriately enough, in snow".[14]
References
[edit]- ^ "Anchorage man builds monster snowman", Associated Press at USA Today, December 19, 2005.
- ^ "Giant snowman rises even bigger in Alaska neighborhood", Associated Press at USA Today, December 26, 2006. ("Last year's version, with Alaskan Amber beer bottles for eyes, drew scores of photo-snapping crowds and TV crews from Japan and Russia before it melted in the spring.")
- ^ Katie Pesznecker, "Snowzilla II: It's bigger", Anchorage Daily News, December 25, 2006.
- ^ "Alaska Snowman Has Some Neighbors Fuming", Associated Press at The Washington Post, January 6, 2007.
- ^ http://www.charlotteobserver.com/104/story/434020.html Article in 24 December 2008 issue of US newspaper Charlotte Observer[dead link]
- ^ a b Elizabeth Bluemink, "Snowzilla rises again in Anchorage, despite city opposition", Deseret News, December 25, 2008.
- ^ http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2008/12/24/giant_snowman_rises_again_in_alaska____mysteriously/ Article in 24 December 2008 issue of US newspaper Boston Globe Archived December 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Alaska's 'Snowzilla' Rises Again, Mysteriously", Associated Press at Fox News, December 24, 2008.
- ^ "Snowzilla Declared Public Nuisance", Morning Edition, NPR, December 23, 2008 (audio).
- ^ Kyle Hopkins, "Snowzilla squad suffers setback at City Hall", Anchorage Daily News, December 26, 2008.
- ^ Radley Balko, "Humidity Built the Snowman, Anchorage Brought Him Down", Reason, December 29, 2008.
- ^ Joshua Saul, "Snowzilla rises again", Alaska Dispatch, December 18, 2009.
- ^ James Halpin, "Snowzilla will rise again, likely without city interference", Anchorage Daily News, December 19, 2009.
- ^ Rebecca Luczycki, "Snowzilla", Alaska, January 11, 2011, archived from the original at the Wayback Machine (accessed 2013-02-02).