The giant globes shown in these pages are organized for the most part alphabetically by state.
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The Globe was originally a Shriner's storage building in Tampa, FL. It was blown across the state during Hurricane Hugo. The present owner, a Shriner himself, brought it here. He says he wants to fix it up and put a cowboy hat on top. These photos are from 2007. By 2013, the globe had been repainted. The door is now missing. [map]
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Waterman Globe
Mobile, AL |
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The Waterman Globe was installed from 1948-1973 in the Waterman Building in downtown Mobile. The Waterman Building was the headquarters for the Waterman Steamship Corporation. The rotating globe is 12 feet in diameter and made of aluminum. The countries are represented as they were in the 1940s. In the 1970s, the globe was cut into 300 pieces and put in storage. Restoration work on the globe began in 1996. In 1999, it was installed at Mitchell Center at the University of South Alabama. For more, see this website.
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Globe
Globe, AZ |
Globe [gone]
Phoenix, AZ |
Globe [gone]
Tucson, AZ |
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This Globe in Globe serves as a welcome sign to downtown. It was painted around 2021. [map]
The Globe in Phoenix was located at the entrance to the Phoenix Zoo. This photo is from 2012. It was demolished later that year.
The Globe in Tucson was a temporary installation. I assume it was originally used as an advertisement for an internet company. I think it was for sale at a flea market which was on this lot in 2012. It's gone now.
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Los Angeles
Times Globe
Los Angeles, CA |
RKO Globe
Los Angeles, CA |
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The revolving, aluminum Los Angeles Times Globe is about five feet in diameter. It was built around 1935 and is installed on a bronze pedestal. The lobby also features murals by Hugo Ballin.
This RKO Globe occupies a corner of the former RKO movie studios building. In keeping with the RKO logo, there was once a radio tower on top of this globe originally. The building, which I believe is from 1921, is now occupied by Paramount Pictures. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]
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Globe
San Francisco, CA |
King of Kings Fountain
Glendale, CA |
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This bronze and stainless steel figure and Globe sculpture in San Francisco is entitled "Urge." It was created by Chico MacMurtrie and installed in 1999. The figure is interactive: when someone sits on a bench nearby, the figure slowly squats. When the person stands up, so does the figure. For more, see this website. [map]
The globe in the King of Kings Fountain, aka the Fountain of Faith Memorial, is located at the Faith Center Church. The Church was built around 1955. The globe has a lit "eternal flame" on top and the words "King of Kings" in Greek. It was restored in 2012. The water was not turned on when these photos were taken in 2023. For more, see this website. [map]
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Globe Fountain
Universal City, CA |
Succulent Globe [gone]
Castroville, CA |
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The Globe Fountain in Universal City is located at Universal Studios. The globe revolves. There is another globe at the Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. [map]
This Succulent Globe was 14 feet tall and revolved. There were more than 30,000 succulent plants inserted through wire mesh to create the face of the globe. It was built by Robin Stockwell in 2013 and exhibited at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show. The globe was later moved to the Succulent Gardens. The globe was dismantled in 2014.
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Sundial Globe
Sebastopol, CA |
Globe
Long Beach, CA |
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This concrete Sundial Globe in Sebastopol is installed in front of Park Side Elementary School. It is about two feet in diameter. It was installed in 1936 when the school was built. [map]
This Globe in Long Beach is made of bronze and is just over eight feet in diameter. It was built by Great American Bronze Works. It is a replica of the sculpture that has been missing since at least 2004. The sculpture was installed around 2009 in the median of a traffic circle in Douglas Park. It was commissioned by the Boeing Company as a tribute to the Donald Douglas aircraft plant which was demolished around 2005. The Douglas plant was replaced with a park and new commercial development. [map]
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La Verne Business Park
La Verne, CA |
Globe
Upland, CA |
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The globe at the La Verne Business Park was built in 2005 and installed here for Tofasco. It is 20 feet wide and entitled "Ironwork Globe." It was designed by Penwal Industries and built overseas. It is part of a no-longer operating fountain. [map]
This Globe in Upland is installed on the roof of the Planet Car Wash which opened in 2023. It flashes in different colors at night. [map]
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Globe
Fort Lauderdale, FL |
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This revolving Globe in Fort Lauderdale was installed around 2015 in the Plaza del Mar strip mall. [map]
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Spaceship Earth [gone]
Kennesaw, GA |
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This Spaceship Earth sculpture was created by Eino, a Finnish-American artist, and installed in 2006. It was 15 feet in diameter and decorated with Brazilian blue quartzite and bronze pieces. The bronze figure represented environmentalist David Brower. In 2007, it collapsed and was reassembled. In 2023, it was found to be unsafe and permanently dismantled.
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The Globe was built in 1956-1957 by the Savannah Gas Company as a 100,000-gallon natural gas storage tank. It was painted as a globe by the company a couple years later. The globe measures 60 feet in diameter. It was in use until the 1970s. It deteriorated until it was purchased and repainted in 2000. The new look featured simulated satellite photography with a hurricane heading for Savannah. In 2005, the globe was sold to the Savannah Mortgage Co. for $450,000. The cottage next door to the globe housed their office. They added their own lettering to the globe. The mailbox was meant to represent the moon. In 2020, the property was sold. These photos are from 2021. In 2022, the buildings were demolished and the moon mailbox removed. A Parker's Kitchen, a Starbucks and Chick-fil-A were built on the property and the globe was restored. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]
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Tips & Updates. If you have suggestions about places that I haven't covered, historical info, or updates about places/things that have been remodeled or removed, I'd love to hear from you: roadarch@outlook.com.
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