Big Bird's Feet

Here is an odd thing I noticed when I was looking at some old videos of Sesame Place, the entrance to Big Bird Bridge once had feet:

Image from YouTube

In fact, if you look at this piece of concept art, he was designed with feet AND hands:

Image from YouTube 

The hands were never part of the entrance to Big Bird Bridge, but the feet were built and did exist (in the center, not off to the side like the concept art shows.)

Image from YouTube 

The feet were removed between 1985 and 1986. Most likely it was to create a better traffic flow in the area.

Big Bird Bridge

On the first post on this blog I talked about how a memory of Big Bird Bridge inspired me to start archiving Sesame Place's past.

Here is an overview of the, very simple, attraction:

Image from YouTube 

It was a suspension bridge that you entered through Big Bird's mouth.

Image from YouTube 

The bridge would give you spectacular views of the (then) three acre park.

Images from YouTube 

To give you some perspective: the Big Bird head was located at what was the front of the park in 1980. Today it would be the center of the park.

Take a look at the Google Maps image below of the park today. I inserted the early 1980s image on it and numbered a few corresponding locations. Make sure and note the park entrance in both images:

Images from YouTube & Google Maps

As the park expanded the bridge was removed. The Big Bird head remained (with the mouth closed) as a photo spot until it was replaced with the Sunny Day Carousel in 2008.

Images from YouTube & Flickr