There is an exciting addition to the statues across Chester that make up the popular "Popeye Character Trail." As visitors travel to the 17 locations that hold 29 different Popeye characters, they now can access detailed information about each statue via their smartphones by using a new QR code.
Brenda Owen, Chester Beautification and Tourism Commission director, said with all the social distancing going on, the QR codes have come at a good time.
"It makes for a nice one-day field trip for Chester residents and visitors to tour each of the 17 locations throughout the trail tour," she said. "I have made the complete tour twice and each time it took me approximately three hours."
The QR codes are etched on stainless steel 2X4-inch plates which are made by Plaque Maker from Fortville, Indiana. The plaques are attached to each statue by Owen and her husband, Bob. A user merely has to hold their smartphone camera over the QR code and press the connection to the website that will appear on the screen. The codes connect to a website at the Chester Public Library.
Each statue also has a brief description located on the back, and information is also available in the Popeye Character Trail brochure available in printed form or online at www.chesterill.com/character-trail/.
"The QR codes give the visitor a much more detailed description of the statue than what is printed in the brochures or online," Owen said.
Owen authored the character stories with assistance from Popeye "experts" like Don Barth from Barth Media, who provided the expertise for the creation of the codes, and Mike McClure, founder and coordinator of the Popeye Character Trail, who was charged with checking the stories for accuracy, punctuation and the like.
McClure says the first statue on the trail was the bronze statue of Popeye at the Chester Bridge. "That statue was erected in 1977 and the project was coordinated by the Beta Nu Sorority in Chester."
The trail that followed began in 2006 and has 16 other locations that represent 28 other Popeye Characters. McClure has coordinated the trail since 2006.
• Popeye (1977, Chester Bridge)
• Wimpy (2006, Gazebo Park)
• Olive/Swee'Pea/Jeep (2007, Randolph County Courthouse)
• Bluto (2008, Buena Vista Bank)
• Castor Oyl/Whiffle Hen (2009, Memorial Hospital)
• Sea Hag/Benard (2010, Walmart/McDonald's)
• Cole Oyl (2011, Chester Public Library)
• Alice the Goon & Child (2012, Chester Center)
• Poopdeck Pappy (2013, Cohen Complex)
• Professor Wotasnozzle (2014, Chester High School)
• Roughhouse (2015, Reid's Harvest House)
• Four Nephews (2016, Chester Grade School)
• King Blozo (2017, Municipal Building)
• Nana (2018, Manor at Craig Farm)
• Popeye's Pups (2019, Chester Firehouse)
• Sherlock & Segar (2019, Baskerville Hall)
• Toar (2020, St. Nicholas Landmark).
