Big John grew from an idea sparked by the creativity and enthusiasm of Helper citizens, the mayor, and the city council, who decided in February 1964 that the city needed a civic attraction. On February 27, 1964, the first meeting to form a museum was held and Councilman Al Veltri was appointed chairman, and by March 12, 1964, the Western Mining Museum was underway. The city learned that International Fiberglass in Venice, California, made large fiberglass figures for promotional purposes, and the company, originally a fiberglass boat builder, had begun making tall advertising figures in 1963. An order was placed, creating Helper’s largest resident as Paul Bunyan was transformed into a miner. The 18-foot miner was named Big John after the song “Big Bad John,” following the earlier fame of “16 Tons.” Big John became a proud symbol of the mining industry, a memorial to those who had given their lives in local mines since the late 1890s, and a foundation of civic pride and strong work ethics in a unified community. Its stand was built from rails, spikes, and plates gathered from the Castle Gate Mine Tram Way.