Herkermer - Ken's Muffler & Brake - Dallas, TX
N 32° 48.959 W 096° 47.312
14S E 707035 N 3633053
Half Wit, who goes by the name of "Herkermer," standing in front of Ken's Muffler & Brake, 4212 North Central Expressway, Dallas, TX.
Waymark Code: WMG1B5
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/01/2013
Views: 7
Our friend is very good condition, mounted on a pole, with a rotating sign, holding a muffler that bears a "State Inspection" sign on it. His right hand is palm up, his left hand is palm down. He wears black boots, blue trousers with patches, a yellow shirt with red trim, and a straw hat.
Herkermer was featured in the January/February 2013 issue of AAA's Texas Journey magazine, along with other Muffler Men in Amarillo, Gainesville, San Antonio, and Boerne. (
visit link)
"He's a giant country bumpkin with a goofy grin, a big straw hat, and a whole lot of charm. Folks at Ken's Muffler & Brake shop, where this 18-foot-tall Happy Half Wit model has been residing for 37 years, call their statue Herkermer.
'Not sure where we came up with that name because he has the face of Alfred E. Neuman from
Mad magazine, but that's what we've been calling him since we got him,' says Kenneth Kirkpatrick, president of Ken's Muffler & Brake. Kirkpatrick purchased Herkermer from International Fiberglass for about $1,000.
Kirkpatrick has another Half Wit giant, but it has lain in a field in Cleburne for several years since the closure of one of his other muffler shops.
'When our building sold, we had to put him somewhere,' Kirkpatrick says. 'Although, we did stand him up against a pole last year for the 80th birthday of our founder, my uncle Ken Johnson.'"