The plaque in front of the plane reads:
DEDICATED TO:
ALL FARMERS AND AG-RELATED
BUSINESS FOLKS THAT HAVE LIVED
THRU THE "AGRICULTURAL CRASH"
OF THE 1980'S.
MERVIN & PHYLLIS EASTWOLD
NORWEGIAN IMP. CO.
Norway --- People will no longer have trouble locating the Norwegian
Implement Co.
In fact, they may be doing a double-take when they drive by the company at
the intersection of Norwegian Road and Illinois 71 two miles southwest of
Norway.
At first glance passers-by will think they've spotted a serious airplane
accident. After all, they will be seeing a 1940's-vintage twin-engine Beech
aircraft with it's nose buried in the ground.
But this was no accident. Mervin Eastwold put it there on purpose.
Eastwold owns Norwegian Implement with his wife, Phyllis. They began selling
things such as chainsaws and lawn furniture in addition to farm implements to
survive the recession and people from town began coming out to buy such items.
"People from town had trouble finding us; so I put it (the plane) down at the
corner. Because of structures across the road most folks looked at them and
never saw our sign. Now the funny thing is the plane has become a landmark. "
Eastwold said he went a step further and dedicated the "crash-dive" to
farmers and all ag-related business people who have "lived through the
agricultural Crash of the 80's," which is what the sign says in front of the
aircraft.
The plane was the property of Prairie Lake Lodge and was sold to Eastwold's
brother John, who planned to place it in Bull Shoals lake near the Bull Shoals
boat dock that he own in Bull Shoals Arkansas.
"He had to get permission from the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers, I went down
(to Prairie Lake) and got it, and it's been sitting out back for the last three
to four years waiting for brother John to get permission, which he never did."
"While I was trimming grass around the plane one day I hit the wings which
happened to be the home of several gnarly bees. Not wanting to confront the
little fellas I backed off down the waterway behind the shop where I heard the
screeching of tires down at the corner highway intersection. I glanced back to
see if the bees were still upset then looked back at the highway to see if
everything was OK then back to the plane. That's when I got the idea to
confiscate the plane for rent (that my brother didn't pay me) and move it to the
corner to offset the structures across the road. I just knew that if I did this
that everyone would see my sign. Now folks still don't see the sign and I'm
still frustrated because I'm not selling airplanes I'm selling items listed on
the sign."
If you want to take a look at the farmer's memorial up close, get yourself to central Illinois and then follow the map below. Can't miss it!
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