Chester in Randolph County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Bluto
Photographed by Jason Voigt, November 30, 2020
1. Bluto Marker
Popeye's 1st Screen Villain - 1933
Bluto's Comic Strip Debut - 1932
Erected 2008 by City of Chester.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1932.
Location. 37° 54.875′ N, 89° 49.281′ W. Marker is in Chester, Illinois, in Randolph County. It is at the intersection of Swanwick Street and West Holmes Street (Illinois Route 3), on the right when traveling west on Swanwick Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1230 Swanwick St, Chester IL 62233, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Illinois Little Egypt. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of
this page online
Regarding Bluto. The City of Chester has celebrated one of its most famous residents, E.C. Segar (creator of Popeye comic strip), for many years. In 1977, a park by the Mississippi River was dedicated and named after Segar. That same year, a statue of Popeye was placed there. Every year since 2006 (as of 2020), there have been Popeye character statues erected around town at various places. All of those typically have the donors' names on the base, as well as the city leaders of that year. Most of the statues have historical text on them.
Also see . . .
1. Bluto on Wikipedia. Bluto has been the main antagonist in most of the Popeye series, especially in the cartoons. Internationally, he is known as
Photographed by Jason Voigt, November 30, 2020
2. Bluto Marker
Back of the statue, where the historical text is at the base
2. Popeye and Friends Character Trail. Official website for the program that pays tribute to all Popeye characters since 2006. (Submitted on December 3, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
Additional keywords. cartoon character
Photographed by Jason Voigt, November 30, 2020
3. Bluto Marker
Marker is at the intersection of Holmes and Stanwick Streets
Photographed by Jason Voigt, November 30, 2020
4. Bluto Marker
Front of statue (with holiday wreath around neck)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 3, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 340 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 3, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
