ALTON — Forty years ago today, on July 29, 1985, the site for the Robert Pershing Wadlow Statue in Upper Alton was officially staked out, marking the beginning of a community effort to honor the world’s tallest man.
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The statue was completed and dedicated during a two-day celebration on Oct. 19-20, 1985.
Steve Tassinari, co-chair of the Robert Wadlow Statue project, with the late Ron Vanata, recalled how his childhood fascination with Wadlow grew into a mission to bring renewed spirit to the Alton community.
“I became interested in Wadlow as a boy, like many of the other Alton area boys,” Tassinari said.
Tassinari and many other boys used to visit the Wadlow grave and put themselves next to the graveside and imagine how tall Robert actually was in the end. He was 8-feet-11.1 inches tall at the time of his death. He remains the world's tallest man in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Tassinari's interest was rekindled in the 1980s when he demonstrated Wadlow’s nearly 9-foot extraordinary height by holding a yardstick over his head to his children.
At the time of the Robert Wadlow Statue project, Tassinari was a sales executive with Xerox Co. in St. Louis. Alongside Veranda, a vice president of marketing for 7-Up, he co-chaired the campaign to fund and execute the statue project. The statue commission met every Friday for three years in the 1980s, navigating uncharted territory without established rules to complete the treasured project. The final fundraising cost of the statue was $73,000.
Ned Giberson, an Alton native, sculpted the statue. The statue quickly became one of Alton’s biggest tourist attractions, drawing visitors from other states and countries. It has greatly contributed to Alton's community identity over the past four decades.
The statue dedication event, known as Wadlowfest in October 1985, featured a special telegram from then-President Ronald Reagan, which was read at the ceremony.
Tassinari, now in his 80s and still a resident in the area, fondly remembers the experience as both nerve-wracking and rewarding.
“I can’t believe I did it," Tassinari said of his statue commission co-chair efforts back in the 1980s. "It is something I never dreamed of doing. I was scared to death. My kids almost thought Robert was like their brother at the time because he played so much of a prominent role in our family.”
Tassinari credited the support of others, including Dale Neudecker of Alton, who offered vast encouragement throughout the project, and also Joan Sheppard, who was heavily involved then in Alton civic efforts, along with the Alton-Godfrey Rotary and many other organizations, for their assistance.
The project was marked by a sense of community pride rather than personal glory. “I didn't do it for praise or glory,” Tassinari said. “I am, though, today, proud of myself for the efforts.”
The Robert Wadlow Statue remains a fixture in Alton, attracting visitors year-round. Tassinari often pays a visit to the statue and, most of the time, doesn't mention anything about his role in the statue's creation. He just sits back and watches families enjoy the statue. He especially enjoys seeing families at the statue.
“The number one thing [people] want to see is the Robert Wadlow statue,” Tassinari said. "Despite the passage of time and changes in the community, the statue continues to symbolize the legacy of Robert Wadlow, who reached a final height of 8 feet 11.1 inches before his death at age 22."
Robert Wadlow’s remarkable growth is documented through his youth: he was 5 feet 4 inches at age 5, 6 feet at 8, 6 feet 11 inches at 12, 8 feet at 17, and 8 feet 7 inches at 20. His final measured height was 8 feet 11.1 inches. His towering stature remains a point of fascination and local pride decades after the statue’s dedication.
The Robert Wadlow statue has become a fixture in Alton and the Upper Alton community, drawing visitors from across the United States and around the world, according to Alton Mayor Dave Goins.
Mayor Goins described the statue as a “wonderful tourist attraction” and noted its popularity among visitors who often take photographs next to the monument.
The statue’s presence in Alton serves both as a tribute to Wadlow’s unique place in world history.
Robert Wadlow Height Marks
Age 5 – 5 feet 4 inches
Age 8 – 6 feet
Age 12 – 6 feet 11 inches
Age 17 – 8 feet
Age 20 – 8 feet 7 inches
Age 22 – 8 feet 11.1 inches, final height
WATCH VIDEO BELOW: Explore the RiverBend: Robert Wadlow
