Since the first Garfield comic strip made its debut in 1978, cartoonist Jim Davis has drawn the attention of his cat-loving fans not only to the cute capers of a cantankerous kitty, but also to his home state of Indiana. Grant County, which includes Davis’s hometown of Fairmount, shows its pride in Davis and the pop culture icon he created through a series of 11 statues which greet travelers along the aptly named Garfield Trail.
The Grant County Visitors Bureau offers a downloadable Garfield Trail map and brochure so tourists can find each town’s tribute to the orange tabby who has captured the hearts of generations of cat lovers.
Garfield in Fairmount, Indiana
Equally known for being the hometown of a Rebel Without a Cause and the cartoonist who created a Rebel with Paws, Fairmount pays tribute to its ties to both James Dean and Jim Davis at the Fairmount Historical Museum. The venue displays various Garfield memorabilia, and the Cool Cat statue that welcomes visitors comically combines the town’s two famous figures.
Garfield Statue in Van Buren, Indiana
From Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat to T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, literature-loving fans of felines can embark on a journey into a world created by an author’s imagination simply by turning the pages of a book. A Worldy Cat greets bibliophiles at the Van Buren Public Library at 115 S 1st Street in Van Buren. A recreational reader who likes to curl up with a good book as well as on a good book, Garfield holds a globe on one hand and a bag of popcorn in the other (a nod to the town’s title as Popcorn Capital of the World) as he stands on a stack of reading material.
Garfield Statue in Upland, Indiana
Garfield may have gained fame for his love of lasagna, but outside Ivanhoe’s Restaurant at 979 S Main Street in the town of Upland a statue of the feline foodie celebrates his human friends’ love of sweet treats.
Garfield Statue in Matthew, Indiana
Known by fans for ‘fishing’ from a goldfish bowl, Fisherman Garfield proudly shows people entering Matthews Town Hall his catch of the day.
Garfield Statues in Marion, Indiana
Fans of felines will find themselves on a fairway to heaven when they visit the Arbor Trace Golf Club in Marion. Duffer Garfield has the distinction of being the only statue on the Garfield Trail which was carved from wood rather than made of fiberglass.
Promenade along a paw print-laden pavement to reach the Paws for Thought Garfield, which stands behind the Community Foundation of Grant County in Marion. (Housed behind a locked gate on the foundation’s grounds, the office offers access to the public weekdays from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
It’s been said that laughter is the best medicine, and outside Indiana General Hospital in Marion the Medical Professional Garfield statue happily gives patients and visitors a giggle.
Garfield Statue in Jonesboro, Indiana
The 1,756 citizens who call Jonesboro home celebrated the town’s history as the home of Grant County’s first official fire department by erecting Firefighter Garfield outside of Jonesboro City Hall.
Garfield Statue in Swayzee, Indiana
The Swayzee Speed Kings basketball team have a purr-manent fan in everyone’s favorite feline, who proudly cheers on the home team from his spot at Swayzee Alumni Park.
Garfield in Gas City, Indiana
While you can no doubt read about Gas City’s history inside the Gas City-Mall Township Public Library, outside the venue Gas Boom Garfield marks the town’s past in both natural gas and glass-blowing.
Garfield Statue in Sweetser, Indiana
If you are loco about locomotives, move your caboose along the three-mile Sweetser Switch Trail and Depot, where you will find your favorite cartoon kitty on the caboose of a retired railcar. Along with the Rails to Trails statue, which depicts Garfield as a college-bound cat, sightseers in Sweetser will also see Garfield’s grin on the tiny town’s parking meters.
Bonus for Traveling Garfield Fans
Although not a part of the Grant County Garfield Trail due to its location, admirers of Jim Davis’ kitty creation who travel to Indianapolis can visit the Indiana Farmers Coliseum, which is home not only to the IUPUI Jaguars, but also statues of Garfield and his doggedly devoted pal, Odie.
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