Finally, a day off with no chores. No groceries to shop for, no laundry to do. Just a day to go out and have some fun. The weather could have been better, the forecast called for on and off showers and cloudy skies, but that wasn’t going to deter us! After visiting one of our favorite websites, Atlas Obscura, we knew we had to take the 30 minute drive to Sparta, Wisconsin and visit FAST Corporation. FAST stands for Fiberglass Animals, Shapes and Trademarks.
We’ve all seen larger than life advertising or roadside attractions, you know, that 20′ tall strawberry at the fruit stand or the giant cow standing in front of the farm. If you are like me, you’ve probably never given a second thought to where did it come from or who made it? But, chances are, it came from FAST Corp.
When we pulled into the parking lot, I didn’t know where to look first. Acres of fiberglass molds and finished products beckoned me. As we walked around, familiar characters stared back at us under dreary skies…
Some items where purely decorative, while others were more functional. It’s easy to picture this hippo water fountain at the zoo, just across from the lion bench where tired parents watch as the kiddos get a drink…
In my mind, I can hear the squeals of delight as the kiddies come down the water slide…
As we walked passed the cows…
The familiar shape Hard Rock Cafe guitars caught our attention…
FAST Corporation has kept every fiberglass mold they have ever created. After being used, they are taken out back and put in the “graveyard”. Acres and acres of molds await the day they may be called for again. Who knows when someone might need a giant bear…
Or an elephant…
How about an ice cream cone…
What if Chevy needs another boulder?
Here are some of the other neat molds we saw…
Behind one of the shops, there was a sculpture of 2 boys rough housing, I think this will be used to create the mold. It looked like it was carved out of some type of dense foam…
There were also finished products, waiting to be shipped…
If you are ever in Sparta, Wisconsin and find yourself on County Road Q, stop in and visit FAST Corporation! It’s a pretty neat place!
The Wandering RVer 
WOW. This would be great to see. Have fun.
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Thanks Meda, we are!
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Oh, COOL! I love how you come up with these unique places to visit. This place looks amazing and I’m glad you had a well-deserved day off to enjoy. Just a few short days…..
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I love Atlas Obscura! I know, I’m counting the days!!!!
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Too much fun!
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It was really neat!
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How fun! Atlas Obscura is such a great resource. We discovered the world’s tallest treehouse in Crossville, TN via Atlas Obscura. We had been going to Cumberland Mtn state park in Crossville for years and never knew that crazy treehouse was 15 minutes away. Sadly but understandably the treehouse is now closed to the public due to fire code violations. It is an incredible place that brought out the kid in everyone.
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Atlas Obscura is the first website we check when we are going to a new place. We have found so many neat places because of it!
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This is so cool! Roadside sculptures like these are fun places to visit, but it never occurred to me that they would all be manufactured by the same company. It reminds me of the company in New Orleans who builds all the floats for the parades. Such an impressive operation.
Also, we love Atlas Obscura. We have found some of the most unique and fun places on there! I’m surprised more travel bloggers don’t mention it. It’s a fantastic resource to find what’s right down the road.
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Atlas Obscura is one of the first websites we visit when heading to a new place. You just never know what you’ll find. Thanks for coming along!
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Looks like a fun place to visit.
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It was a neat find for sure!
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How fascinating is that/ What a good tip to use Atlas Obscura to find those truly unusual spots. I would love to explore the graveyard. One big treasure hunt for the oddest thing to be found.
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We love Atlas Obsura! So many neat things/places to explore!
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