The 411 in the 417
See some of the interesting places around Springfield
The Giant Fork- Address: 2215 W. Chesterfield St. Springfield, MO 65807. The Fork also known as Fork Etiquette is 35 ft. tall and weighs an impressive 11 tons of stainless steel. The sculpture was created in the 1990s to sit in front of then Churchill’s Coffee, but sadly the coffee shop went out of business and couldn’t afford to move or destroy the sculpture.
Although the fork is 35 ft. tall it is surprisingly hard to find unless you know where to look, which is behind the Black Sheep cafe in Chesterfield Village.
Pythian Castle- Address: 1451 E Pythian St, Springfield, MO 65802. Pythian Castle is very nice to look at and has a lot of history behind it. The castle was built in 1913 by the Knights of Pythia for the German and Italian prisoners of war to be sent for medical treatment. It also is the last standing castle from before World War II. The Knights of Pythia are the reason it is called Pythian Castle seeing as they designed and built.
Ms. Gilmore’s- Address: 211 E. Commercial St., Springfield, MO 65803. Ms. Gilmore’s is a cute cafe where you can get a nice cup of tea and the biggest piece of cake you have ever seen. The building itself is a little crowded with both antiques and customers, but the food is worth the visit. From sandwiches and soup to desserts this cafe has it all. The cafe is most known for its desserts which range from lemon bars to macroons.
The Defeat of Bigfoot- Address: 330 N Jefferson Ave. Springfield, MO 65806. The sculpture is most commonly known as The Foot, which is a giant bronze sculpture that is shaped like a foot. It was built by James Hall III and it weighs over 500 pounds. The sculpture was created as an answer to the age old question of “Where is Bigfoot?”
In conclusion these are some of the coolest spots to visit around Springfield. From a giant fork to a castle Springfield has it all.