Vidalia in Toombs County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Paul Anderson
1932~1994
World's Strongest Man
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2009
1. Paul Anderson Marker
On October 17, 1995, Paul's birthday, a historical marker provided by the State of Georgia was unveiled at the Paul Anderson Youth Home in Vidalia.
Paul Anderson was born October 17, 1932 in Toccoa and attended Furman University where he began lifting weights. In 1955 he traveled as a goodwill ambassador from the United States to the Soviet Union and there his lifting surpassed many world records. Later that year he won the World Championships. He brought home the gold medal from the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. To date, he was the last American to win a gold medal in the super heavyweight division. On June 12, 1957, he lifted a total of 6,270 pound in a backlift, which was listed in the Guiness Book of World Records as the greatest weight lifted by a human being. Paul Anderson married Glenda Garland in 1959 and the Andersons established The Paul Anderson Youth Home in 1961. The Youth Home is a Christian rehabilitation facility for young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one who otherwise might be confined to penal institutions. Paul Anderson became a professional to raise funds through demonstrations and speaking engagements to support the Youth Home. Over 2,000 young men benefited from the home and the unselfish devotion of Georgia's beloved Paul Anderson before his death August 15, 1994.
Erected 1995 by Georgia Historic Marker. (Marker Number 138-2.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is
this page online
Location. 32° 14.071′ N, 82° 24.364′ W. Marker is in Vidalia, Georgia, in Toombs County. Marker is on McIntosh Street (State Highway 297) near Tommie Drive, on the right when traveling north. At Boy's Home north of Vidalia. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1603 McIntosh Street, Vidalia GA 30474, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Minenwerfer (approx. 1.2 miles away); Erected by Works Progress Administration (approx. 1.3 miles away); McMillan Burial Ground (approx. 1.3 miles away); To Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (approx. 1.4 miles away); Unknown Confederate Graves (approx. 1.4 miles away); Peterson-Wilbanks House (approx. 1˝ miles away); Home of the Vidalia Sweet Onion (approx. 3.3 miles away); Toombs County (approx. 5.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Vidalia.
Regarding Paul Anderson. Paul Anderson was known as the "World's Strongest Man." He is listed in the
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2009
2. Paul Anderson Marker, looking north along McIntosh St (Ga 297)
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.
Also see . . .
1. Paul Anderson. Wikipedia entry:
Russian heavyweight Yury Vlasov beat Paul Anderson's records set at the 1956 Olympics. A short time later, not to be outdone by the Russian and to verify his position as World's Strongest Man, Anderson lifted the same weight as the Russian three times in quick succession demonstrating unbelievable strength. (Submitted on April 22, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
2. Paul Anderson. New Georgia Encyclopedia website entry:
The Russians called him chudo prirody, "a wonder of nature," and Anderson quickly became a cold war symbol of America's massive strength and superiority. (Submitted on April 23, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2009
3. Paul Anderson Youth Home, as seen from near the Historical Marker
Photographed By Mike Stroud, April 19, 2009
4. Paul Anderson Youth Home , as mentioned on Marker
Photographed By New Georgia Encyclopedia
5. Paul Anderson Marker
"a wonder of nature,"
Photographed By Atlanta History Center
6. Paul Anderson
Credits. This page was last revised on November 22, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 22, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 3,512 times since then and 15 times this year. Last updated on September 3, 2012, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 22, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 5. submitted on April 23, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 6. submitted on April 22, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
