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Luke's Roadside Attractions
Huge Beings
Dinney
Off Interstate 10, 5800 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, California
Dinney and her companion Rex are twice life-size dinosaurs fashioned out of concrete. They are the work of Claude Bell, who built figures for Knott's Berry Farm. Bell began construction on Dinney in 1964, and ultimately took 12 years, spent $250,000 and used 125 tons of concrete to complete the 150-foot long, 45-foot high dinosaur. Dinney is the largest dinosaur statue in the world. Bell, a visionary contributor to roadside Americana, grew up in Margate, New Jersey, home of Lucy the Elephant, which many postulate was an influence on his later creative urges. He died at age 91 in 1988.
Dinney, an apatosaurus (aka brontosaurus), has always been popular with travelers along I-10, but she became a destination after PeeWee Herman visited her and Rex in the 1985 film PeeWee's Big Adventure.
Dinney is currently a store selling curios, a mob scene of pre-adolescents clamoring for dinosaurs and other toys. Unfortunately for students of roadside Americana, out of the hundreds of dinosaur items for sale, only three -- two postcards and a smashed penny -- are specific to Dinney and Rex. Those of you hoping for float pens, fridge magnets or key chains are out of luck!
Dinney and Rex have seen better days. As of late July 2003, they were for sale. The balcony on the back of Dinney (see top photo) is now used exclusively for storage, and the windows are boarded up (although the gift shop inside is active as ever). The Denny's out front along Seminole, owned by the same family, is boarded up as well.
Photographs © Luke W. Cole
Links
Frank Wu reflects on Dinney
1960s roadside dinosaurs, including Dinney
Other roadside dinosaurs
Roadside America's take on the Cabazon duo
The Big Waste of Space Photologue on Dinney
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