Muffler Man: Cowtown Cowboy
It's Muffler Man Monday—at least for a little while since we saw so many on our recent road trip. They're all so wonderful and unique, so each deserves to be profiled separately. Up next: this lovely cowboy gentleman was our second stop in New Jersey, about 40 min from the Pink Pants-wearing Muffler Man.
This cowboy variety is 22-feet tall, and wears a Stetson hat, holster and pistol. Bought at an auction in the '70s, he has been standing outside of the Cowtown Rodeo and Farmers' Market ever since. In the early 2000's, the cowboy's top half blew off during a windstorm, leaving just the pants standing. He was repaired, and is now reinforced at the waist and looks freshly painted.
One of the first things I noticed about this Muffler Man is that he isn't holding anything in his outstretched hands. A lot of the others I've met are similarly unadorned, but this one seemed to actively be missing something. Turns out I was right—he used to hold a lariat rope, but it was removed after people kept swinging on it (people ruin everything).
Bonus fiberglass attraction! Every cowboy needs a cow, and this red bull (with an udder??) stands nearby the Muffler Man, right in front of the (likely hyperbolic) sign that proclaims that Cowtown is "often imitated, never equaled."
Cowtown Rodeo and Farmers' Market
780 Harding Hwy
Pilesgrove, NJ 08098
Easily Accessible
