The Boll Weevil Monument is a striking landmark located at 101 Main St, Enterprise, AL 36330. Citizens of Enterprise built it in 1919 to celebrate their appreciation for the boll weevil and its tremendous impact on the area's agriculture and economy. Now the monument stands proudly in downtown Enterprise and provides a perfect spot to take photos of this insect. Interested in learning more? Read on!
When the Boll Weevil first arrived in the Wiregrass Area in 1915, it destroyed the cotton crop in the area. Farmers then began planting peanuts, which were largely unharmed by the pest. This diversification of crops led to new prosperity for the farmers. The town of Enterprise decided to commemorate the Boll Weevil by erecting a monument that is dedicated to the infamous insect.
The original statue of the Boll Weevil was damaged by two teenagers in 1998. The statue is now on display at the Depot Museum. The original monument was destroyed by two bored teenagers. The new monument honors the nuisance insect. When boll weevils invaded Enterprise, Alabama's cotton crop was destroyed, and residents had to switch crops to avoid economic disaster. The statue of the boll weevil in statue form is 50 pounds; in normal life, it is just a tiny pinkie fingernail.
The monument was the only one of its kind dedicated to the boll weevil. It commemorates a major event in the history of the South, leading to the diversification of crops and a more prosperous economy. Its rebirth has even resulted in a monument in downtown Enterprise. As the only monument to honor a specific insect in the world, this one stands as a symbol of resilience. Without the boll weevil, the city of Enterprise wouldn't exist today!
During the early 1920s, Enterprise, Alabama began construction on its new main street. Residents were tired of answering the same question and decided to place a statue honoring the insect. A travelling salesman from Montgomery mentioned the idea to a newspaper editor, and the publication decided to write up the story. The monument was built and dedicated on December 11, 1919. The statue now sits at the corner of Main and College streets in the heart of the town's business district.
Initially, the boll weevil was a Mexican pest that had recently arrived in the United States. It decimated the cotton crop throughout the South, forcing many farmers to switch to alternative crops. Coffee County, however, rebounded from this devastating disease in 1917 by establishing the largest peanut harvest in the United States. The monument commemorates this significant event in the history of coffee farming.
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