Public Art Gets Personal: Bob the Turkey

Nov 1, 2024 | Portfolio, Woodstock

In the heart of Woodstock stands a statue of a bird with a story that transcends its metal form. Crafted from thick-gauge steel, the sculpture affectionately known as Bob the Turkey is a symbol of community and history: a monument to a figure that captured the town’s heart and imagination.

Let’s Talk Turkey
Who exactly is Bob? First spotted in 2011, the original Bob was a wild turkey that wandered the streets of Woodstock. The community’s deep affection for Bob grew as he strutted through town, especially around the Serenade neighborhood located off Main Street. Eventually his self-assured swagger earned him the nickname of Mayor of Woodstock. 

Bob wasn’t just a fleeting figure in our city’s history. He had more than two thousand followers on Facebook, a significant following at the time. In January 2012 Bob unfortunately fell victim to a hit-and-run accident, and the community mourned the passing of the public figure they’d grown to love. Longtime resident Diane Geeslin recalls, “When he passed, it was devastating for many people, especially the kids who looked for him while they rode to and from school. He was a character for sure.” 

Memorializing Bob
Determined to honor Bob’s memory, Diane, a local artist and advocate for the arts in Woodstock, took it upon herself to ensure that the community would remember the beloved turkey. “It wasn’t just, ‘Hey, I want a sculpture made.’ I had to present it to the city council, and I worked with the artist to make it happen,” she explains. 

Bruce Weinzetl, a professional metalworker from Acworth, connected with Diane through her contacts at Blue Frog Imports. Local businesses in Woodstock, Holly Springs, and Marietta donated all the scrap metal Bruce used to craft the sixty-pound, life-sized bird. He used a refrigerant tank for the body and anointed it with more than seven hundred individual feathers. The project was a labor of love for both Diane and Bruce, who said he was proud the city commissioned him to create a sculpture of Bob.

Once Bob the Turkey was complete, the next challenge involved finding its perfect location. Diane met with Woodstock City Manager Jeff Moon, and together they explored Main Street searching for the ideal spot. 

“At first they wanted to put the statue of Bob in a park, but I said, ‘No, I want it where people can see it,’” Diane recalls. Thanks to her perseverance and community support, Bob found his home in a prominent spot at the corner of Main and Oak streets in front of Reel Restaurant. “Thank goodness we have a great city manager open to the arts, even back then,” she shares. “Public art at that time was not even talked about, so Bob was the first sculpture in downtown Woodstock.”

Diane takes care of Bob the Turkey annually. “I spray it once a year to prohibit further rusting,” she explains.

Honoring Bruce, The Junkman Artist
Bob’s creator, Bruce Weinzetl, was a heavy-equipment operator and welder by trade. As an artist he turned pieces of scrap metal into works of art that adorn many local restaurants, homes, and of course, downtown Woodstock. His work earned him the nickname The Junkman Artist. 

On Bruce’s passing in 2021, Diane visited local florist Brenda’s House of Flowers and had a bright ribbon made with the artist’s name on it, and she placed it around the neck of Bob the Turkey. “Bruce’s family said to me [that Bob the Turkey] was the proudest thing he did. It meant a lot to him. There’s a lot [of Bruce] in Bob.”

Bob’s Burial Site
The new City of Woodstock sign on Main Street displaced the brick that originally marked Bob’s burial site near the corner of the Serenade neighborhood, so later this month the city will place a new brick at the site.

Diane’s advocacy for public art continues, encouraging the city to spread sculptures and artwork beyond the downtown area. “We do need more art in Woodstock,” she says passionately. “It’s not just about me. It’s about love, passion, and perseverance to make something happen. I would love to see more art as our city grows.”

Propped up on large stones and surrounded by an arrangement of colorful flowers, Bob the Turkey stands at attention in downtown Woodstock. The statue is part of the regularly scheduled Weird Woodstock Walking Tours that Woodstock Tourism Manager Kyle Bennett conducts.

The legend of Bob, the turkey-turned-statue, lives on in Woodstock, reminding future generations of the importance of community, the arts, and the stories that bind them together.

This article was originally featured in the November/December 2024 issue of Enjoy Cherokee Magazine. Read it online here or find hard copies throughout the county at various locations.

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