There’s a Big Green Dragon on a Tennessee Roadside, But Why?

We've all heard the old saying, "Size matters." In this country, that is absolutely correct. Travel select roads and highways throughout America and you might encounter a giant bottle of ketchup, fork, frying pan, or spool of thread.

"Big" gets our attention and it always will. And it's been getting it for several decades now, thanks to the explosion of car culture after the advent of the Interstate Highway System. Suddenly, everyone was on the move and quick thinkers were devising ways to slow them down and get them to spend their money. I'd say a giant roadside ketchup bottle WOULD do the trick.

And so would a great big green dragon that folks in Tennessee and other passersby have been ogling for the last 30 years. Americana at its finest. Now, why on Earth would there be a big green dragon on a Tennessee roadside? Well, it's because it once accompanied a fireworks outlet that is no longer there.

Had there been a big green dragon on Interstates 65, 40, or 24 when I was a kid, I would have seen it. Returning from vacations, we used to stop in Tennessee to purchase fireworks you couldn't buy in Kentucky at the time.

But you'll find this dragon on Interstate 75, and you'll also find that it's very good shape. A couple of years ago, the owner of Thunder Mountain Fireworks and the artist behind the dragon decided he needed an upgrade.

The fireworks may no longer be there, but the dragon seems to be a permanent fixture. So the next time you're on I-75 between Knoxville and the Kentucky state line, slow down and enjoy the view--the mountains, the trees, the dragon.