Chester...

Chester is a small city or shoud i say town...which is an hour's drive frm where i live. Its the birth town of Popeye...the sailor man!! its a really cute city. We have a lotta funny named cities too around carbondale......we have ANNA, HERRIN, ENERGY!((YEAH! ITS A CITY ON THE WAY TO HERRIN)YEAH...we have energy ,illinios.......ok now back to chester...Popeye is frm chester, whether u agree or not!! The creator of Popeye, Elzie Segar is frm the city of Chester and also he based most of his characters in his comic strip based on the folks of that town. read this particular article frm the website


Popeye, according to tradition, was inspired by Chesterite Frank "Rocky" Feigel. Louis Segar, a relative of Elzie, once described Rocky as "a raw-boned Polish boy, a real scrapper and protector of children." Rocky was employed at a local tavern, worked at odd jobs, smoked a pipe and seemed to occasionally love a good fight. It was his muscular physique that earned him his nickname. Rocky died in 1947 two days after being moved from his home to a nursing home. His grave is in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Chester and is marked with a tombstone that tells of his being the inspiration for the cartoon character.

Olive Oyl, Popeye’s sweetie, was also patterned after a Chesterite, Mrs. Dara Paskel, many local people believe. Mrs. Paskel wore her hair in a bun, walked with a slight hop, and wore high topped black shoes.

Wimpy came from the likeness of Segar’s first employer, Mr. Schuchert. Windy Bill, as he was affectionately called, was known for the tales he often told to entertain his friends and for his love of hamburgers from Wiebusch’s saloon.

Swee’ Pea, Popeye’s adopted little kid, is believed to have been inspired by his children, Marie and Tom.

Popeye’s vital statistics are: Weight, 158 lbs.; height, 5 foot 6 inches; hair, red; neck, 8 inches; chest, 30 inches normal, 60 inches expanded; thigh, 7 inches; calf, 20 inches; spinach capacity, 36 tons.

Popeye always was a fighter. In 1936, he figured he had been shot 120 times and stabbed 922 times. He will not say how he lost his right eye, only that it was in "the mos’ arful battle of me whole life." And Popeye does not have a last name. He’s just Popeye. As he says, "I yam what I yam."


As soon as you enter, the city..there's a board that reads....Welcome to Chester....the town of Popeye....They have a 6 ft. Statue of Popeye by the Mississippi River, believe me its a beautiful view. The bridge just after the statue is kewl...we also visited the site of the Fort Kaskaskia...the view of the mississippi is also beautiful frm there. the drive upto this fort is enticing.
to read more on, popeye...do a google search...well i know i knw...u dont have the time...look it up at wikipedia...many interesting things there. Am also lookin forward to visiting Metropolis..the Superman city...that too is in Illinois and is an hour's drive frm here. wow..i live close to sooper heroes...now what does tht make me..ok..lets not get into that...

chk out more fotos at flickr