This unique bunyan version stands to the west of St Louis at Skyline Motors along I-70 and holds a big sign that says “No Job to Big”. He is a classic bunyan except he has the arm pose of an indian m man. In my two years of muffler man hunting and research he is the only one like this that I know of with a raised right hand salute like a standard indian would have. Back in the 60’s when companies purchased muffler men there were different options they could choose from and IF would combine different versions of their muffler men to meet the purchasers needs. So in this rare case someone wanted a bunyan with a salute instead of the standard palm up/palm down. There is a half wit in Lake of the Ozark’s also in MO that has the right hand salute as well, he is also one of a kind being the only half wit I know of with that arm configuration. There are a few bearded service man models out their with this raised hand salute but they arn’t technically bunyans since they don’t have the pants tucked into the top of the boots and in some cases a knit cap. One of them stood in Vista CA for many years and is now in storage in Rocky Mount, NC along with another saluting M Man. All these versions and combinations can get a bit confusing at times and we can’t forget the Mr Bendo version which looks almost the same but has a closed fist instead of open palm and normally holds an iron bar.

The history on the Foristell Bunyan is a bit hazy but it seems he once stood in front of a tire shop in St Louis during the 60’s and 70’s but was purchased sometime around 1984 and moved to the buyers property and laid on his back until 1997 when he was brought to his current location and set up behind a fence along the frontage road to the interstate. He has been here since then and badly needs a new paint job, the paint is completely gone from his eyes giving him the appearance that he has gone blind. Also again as I have mentioned in other blogs you will notice that he has cuts on his legs just below the knee. I have noticed this on many of the Bunyan versions and have yet stumble upon the reason for it.

This Bunyan is part of a small group of muffler men that are in the St Louis area. There is a cowboy to the south that has been down for a few years on his back behind a trailer business and one of the shorter Bunyan versions is to the north standing in a field along the interstate in Livingston. There also used to be a Bunyan down 44 a ways in Sullivan, MO for many years before it moved to MN and now is part of the m man collection in Rocky Mount, NC. I’ll have to do a blog on the Rocky Mount log cabin business since they seem to be collecting muffler men and have got at least 4 that I know of either in storage or at different locations in the area. Also in NC is the White Tire company who collects M Men.