History
It was built in 1991 by the Young Electric Sign Company of Salt Lake City, Utah for Willis Herron, a local businessman who spent $700,000 to build the thermometer next to his "Bun Boy" restaurant (later replaced by a Bob's Big Boy restaurant). Soon after completion, it was damaged in high winds, then rebuilt. Herron sold the attraction and restaurant to another local businessman, Larry Dabour, who sold it in 2005. In September 2012, the current owner, Matt Pike, said that the light bill had reached $8,000 per month, and that he had turned off the thermometer due to the bad economy. As of January 2013, the thermometer and accompanying empty gift shop were listed for sale.
Read more about this topic: World's Tallest Thermometer
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“In nature, all is useful, all is beautiful. It is therefore beautiful, because it is alive, moving, reproductive; it is therefore useful, because it is symmetrical and fair. Beauty will not come at the call of a legislature, nor will it repeat in England or America its history in Greece. It will come, as always, unannounced, and spring up between the feet of brave and earnest men.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“I assure you that in our next class we will concern ourselves solely with the history of Egypt, and not with the more lurid and non-curricular subject of living mummies.”
—Griffin Jay, and Reginald LeBorg. Prof. Norman (Frank Reicher)
“The history of this country was made largely by people who wanted to be left alone. Those who could not thrive when left to themselves never felt at ease in America.”
—Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)