Road report and review of tributes and exhibits about the World's Tallest Man. - Alton, Illinois

Robert Wadlow: World's Biggest Man

Children still love to stand in the shadow of the Gentle Giant. Alton, Illinois.

Since size is the prize, it's only right that several towns bank on the man who towered head-and-shoulders above all others. His name was Robert Wadlow, and he stood 8' 11" tall -- the BIGGEST man who ever lived.

Robert Pershing Wadlow was born in Alton in 1918, a normal-size baby, but soon his perky pituitary gland triggered abnormal growth. At the age of 13, already 7 ft. 4 in., he was proclaimed the world's biggest Boy Scout. And he kept getting bigger.... he eventually topped out at 8 ft. 11.1 inches.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/ILALTwadlow.html

Alton, Illinois - Robert Wadlow - Skeleton Secured, Shoes Dispersed

Thank you for posting information regarding Robert Wadlow, the Alton Giant. My mother was one of his childhood friends and graduated with him from Alton High School. My brother, John, is now in possession of her high school yearbooks...You ought to see the pictures of him with the 'normal' sized classmates. They are amazing. At any rate, about your comment regarding his skeleton, I have to tell you that he was buried in Alton. Many people who knew him in attendance at the funeral and the gravesite can attest to this fact. He was buried in a piano crate instead of a normal coffin. As for finding one of his shoes, I am not at all surprised. Mr Wadlow was a part of the public relations campaign advertising for Red Goose Shoes. (This is from my childhood memory so I may not have the name of the shoestore absolutely correct.) All those shoestores had one of his 'huge' shoes on display. I personally remember this from my childhood. Don't want to burst your bubble, but there were a lot of those shoes out there so being in possession is just NOT a big deal. Thanks for listening to me. [Estelle Schmoeller, 05/06/2001]