Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue

The Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue is a sculpture made from chicken wire, aluminum foil and polyurethane in Plains, Georgia. It reaches a height of about 13 feet and shows an oversized peanut with the smiling face of the 39th president.

The Democratic Party of Indiana created this figure in 1976 for the campaign and then sent it to Georgia. It found its permanent place in Plains, where Carter grew up and was later elected governor.

The name refers to Jimmy Carter, a former peanut farmer from Plains who later reached the highest office in the nation. The community displays this sculpture proudly in front of their historic train depot, which now serves as a visitor center.

The sculpture stands freely accessible beside Highway 45 in the town center and can be photographed anytime. On the same grounds there are information panels about Carter's life and political career.

The artist drew inspiration from a campaign cartoon that showed Carter as a smiling peanut. The construction from household materials was originally meant to last only a few weeks but has remained for decades.

Inception: 1976

Creator: Indiana Democratic Party

Made from material: chicken wire, aluminium foil, polyurethane

Website: https://nps.gov/places/smiling-peanut.htm

GPS coordinates: 32.04175,-84.39228

Latest update: December 20, 2025 15:36