A small town dreams big, with very big things

Conor Knighton visits Casey, Illinois, home to the World's Largest Rocking Chair, World's Largest Golf Tee, World's Largest Pitchfork, and World's Largest Wind Chime, among many other over-sized objects. It's a collection that has helped the tiny town halfway between St. Louis and Indianapolis loom large on the map of world records. (This story was originally broadcast August 20, 2017.)
#bigthings #caseyillinois #worldslargest
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[@xelamercedes]

I love this story. Almost 50 years ago I was in a van with other "hippies" on our way to CA from IN and the van broke down in Casey. We were there two days for repairs and enjoyed ourselves immensely. The people were so friendly, the food was good. A complete stranger put us up at his house for two nights for no charge. I'm Black and didn't see a single other Black person the whole time but gosh I had a good time. I've since begun collecting miniatures. Seeing this story makes me want to go back to Casey with my little things. Good for you, Casey! And thanks for the memories CBS.

[@kyxxit3664]

Thanks for sharing such a nice experience.

[@camofrog]

You were brave and lucky!

[@el7jake]

Nice!!

[@lorrie2878]

Wonderful comment!

[@wownewstome6123]

Thank you for sharing that story.

[@mikeandjuliecarson5067]

That man saved his town! Bravo!!!

[@stevekile1919]

I only live 30 miles from Casey and get there often. I drive a school bus for another district and our various sports teams compete often with the Casey/Westfield Warriors. Wonderful & friendly little town.

[@citrine65]

The people seemed nice.

[@saxonray4071]

What a wonderful story and a wonderful man..

[@BrooklynBaby-1]

Wonderful people is exactly what I miss…. They’re dying off in this country 😔

[@el7jake]

@@BrooklynBaby-1 No, they're still there. They just don't get the press that the whack-jobs do.

[@Carolina-ux1sz]

What a fabulous story😊. So lovely to see this little town flourishing in tougher times 😊😊

[@chrisfinch8637]

The moment you see how large these objects are, down in Casey, you then think you’re one of the kids in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”.

[@AntoinettePeterson]

I live in Illinois and never heard of this town. Definitely going to put it on my list of places to visit when traveling through the state.

[@ryders_mom]

Just stopped in Casey a few weeks ago on our long move to Florida. GREAT little town that's clean and has a good vibe!

[@b.visconti1765]

Don't Forget The Big Man With The Big Heart Who Showed Big Love For His Little Town..We Give Big Thanks To You!😘

[@patriciaschuster1371]

Thank you for this wonderful video!

[@dianamateo5443]

Great way to bring people in. I think my favorite is the mailbox. Makes me want to visit Casey.

[@lorrie2878]

So fun! A nice break from the news.

[@HappyLife693]

Very clever. Good for him to do what he can for his community.

[@crystalcooper1358]

Oh my goodness now I wanna go see these things. I'm going to swing in that bird cage. Fun.

[@joanneweiss3864]

He's brilliant! This is genius in creativity & planning, wish I still travelled, would love to do the Midwest!

[@SheriLatulip]

I visited it is a great town, friendly people. Take the trip.

[@levinawalsh2015]

Love this!! Just fabulous. Love from Ireland ☘👏👏👏.

[@accutronitisthe2nd95]

This is the kind of story we need right now! Thanks...

[@kellymccall3491]

The mailbox is incredibly clever! Great job! Makes us want to detour- your hook caught it

[@dla1964]

Where my parents are from, and my grandparents. This brings back so many memories, every childhood 4th of July was spent in Casey, driving from Colorado.

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Thank you for sharing the town of Casey, Illinois. Your reporting made me laugh!! LOL!! The big chair is big!!!! Wow!!! I love that "big pencil". Too cute....

[@damiangrzywacz6739]

I am man from Poland. I bring family to American village for holiday.

[@TheNameisPlissken1981]

Nice story.

[@debbiecali5987]

Will have to go visit . ♥️

[@genevadouvier2473]

Was just there yesterday (April 9,2024) They also have giant knitting needles, crochet hook, taco, Chevy key, piggy bank, mouse trap, golf club, and working giant teeter totter too!

[@terpen7375]

Cool story! So refreshing considering everything else going on.

[@Abby-yc7tt]

Great story!! TY

[@gracie2298]

How absolutely creative & fun. People traveling see this episode now know a great place to stop on their journey. Wouldn’t have hurt to give a shout out to the local eatery. Foodies are always looking for their next epicurean feast!

[@debrahelmlinger6256]

Thanks, needed this segment this morning🤗

[@brianhumphrey6791]

Casey is an awesome place to visit. We’ve been there several times!!!

[@Just.G]

Thank You for doing this segment, next time I drive to KC, from Upstate NY I'm stopping in Casey! Very cool!

[@mililaniman]

I would love to visit Casey to look at all these big attractions.

[@shoshannafachima1306]

Beautiful and whimsical+magical

[@littleman1l.549]

Nice story & would love to visit there one day.... And it all started with a big idea.... Love all the big items.... Those wind chimes are just great! 😊💜

[@ediebaxter6194]

Awesome story. I loved big rocking chair and mail box.

[@hummersd]

Great segment, Conor and Sunday Morning!

[@HOHLfmly]

They should have a stamp given at each one ion a map of the city

[@maryannsulic1174]

I've visited there several times. Stood inside the mailbox. Neat place.

[@triciag3311]

We were going to Indiana (from St. Louis) this past weekend and saw the sign for these world's largest things in Casey, IL, and I wanted to stop so bad but I couldn't convince the husband! I'm so mad! This looks awesome. I must go back that way and see this stuff! This is on my bucket list now!

[@Crazygirlgoodvibes]

It was on my bucket list, I made it, have been back several times time and it keeps growing!!! 🥰 the big things and there’s an arcade, gem shops, mini golf and so much fun stuff popping up there!!!!

[@emiliobello2538]

Amazing

[@janetpattison8474]

This is great. 🥰 Now I want to see the biggest rocking chair in the world. ❤️💕❤️ And I love that mailbox. 💕💕💕At some point these items need to be in a movie about a giant.

[@crawnyxx]

Add a "slide" on some of those staples and you will get an additional increase!

[@9liveslisa]

Very clever idea!

[@margieerwin5798]

Way to go, Casey!

[@tomatlanta2665]

We adore Conor ❤

[@ryanamari2233]

I need 17 more pencils for my students who lose them …

[@marysmith9361]

So cool, I like the painting on the building "Kroger, self serve".

[@HawthorneHillNaturePreserve]

Ingenious

[@madhabitz]

Fabulous :)

[@1Doug2002]

I worked at WCBH when Casey was the location of the transmitter. Is there still a radio station there? The town was always friendly, the people were wonderful, and I loved the time I spent there. So glad to see the way the town has responded to the challenges that so many small towns face. Mr.Bolin, I wish I would have met you, I might still be there!

[@SilhSe]

Honey, I shrunk the kids !! 👩‍🔬⚗

[@FBandSpin]

Awesome

[@davidlong1786]

I need a mailbox that size to keep my post man from leaving packages too large to fit inside on top of it or lying beside it on the ground. No kidding I got a computer motherboard sent all the way from China and it made it unscathed only to find it balanced on top of my mailbox where a slight breeze could have toppled it off. 🤨

[@citrine65]

They seem like nice people.

[@bthsr7113]

Do they have a giant rubber band ball confining a living battery with a trickster personality? Or a light bulb with several of them?

[@thyslop1737]

Smart dude.

[@ollie1464]

Cool story. I grew up in downtown California and California and there was a furniture store called Posey's patio furniture store. They had a huge rocking chair like the one in this story in front of their store store.Cool story. I grew in Downey California and there was a furniture store called Posey's patio furniture store. They had a huge rocking chair like the one in this story in front of their store store.

[@rubychew6535]

The city council needs to bring in businesses that are close to bedroom communities where people can commute, for example, Nissan or Toyota that pay well.

[@KXBroeke]

We visited Casey to witness the 2024 total solar eclipse. Pretty great little town, worth a visit.

[@wonderwhat4]

Road Trip!!!

[@jeffersonsmith2728]

This story was originally broadcast August 20, 2017

[@SheriLatulip]

I was there in 2017

[@technicolordreamer]

This reminds me of an episode of the t.v. show "Boy Meets World." Eric and Cory stopped in a little town just like this one that had an attraction of the world's largest yogurt cup.

[@dancingqueen0728]

“We have road rage now” Ah, the trade off for being a tourist town 😉

[@joannejohnson7006]

Isn’t this great 😊

[@joseluisgduran2909]

@tracysmith I love seeing you hosting. Been a fan since Channel1. The clearest choice for the gig full time (once Ms. Jane Paully (love her so much) is ready to pass the honor of host on) I mean it's not even a discussion... if you want it, you got it Ms. Smith the house down.

[@steveconn]

Clark Griswold found the world's largest ball of mud.

[@sooz9433]

Necessity... Mother... Invention... ✨️💞💞💞💞

[@saltytroopa6578]

Need a giant gearshift, steering wheel, battery cell, water tap, etc

[@CollinCordery]

An American Hero. God Bless Casey, IL.

[@arbo_ii]

All the license plate numbers 😳

[@intheshell35ify]

I know Casey Illinois. That guy is fighting an uphill battle.

[@atenrok]

I can't believe one can sit at the edge of that chair and there's no guardrail or an attendant to yell at you... This almost doesn't feel like US... 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@deborahstrickland4624]

Reading the comments I guess I'm the only person who is not fond of items being super-sized.....getting near them would give me heart palpitations and horrible anxiety.

[@graffic13]

"My uncle's world's largest ball of twine, ball of twine in Bundy Minnesota. Makes makes me proud proud to be an American. I think I misunderstood the assignment...... "

[@yayaelvis3270]

Very cool! They should paint some art on those old brick storefronts. There must be more than one artist there ❤

[@manuelbello5806]

Like in Downsizing

[@ellaroberts1812]

What do you think they should build next!?

[@el7jake]

How about the largest ever US flag? Or a giant Casey, IL license plate?

[@antar5801]

I can still remember when Lil Wayne, Monique K Cheeks and I had a wonderful time

[@ladydeerheart1]

All the towns in southern Illinois are all in sad shape. It's really scary.

[@citrine65]

Why, because industry was lost to foreign countries?

[@lemmykilmister873]

😄👍🏻

[@stafonvoncamron]

Gimmicks still work.

[@bobbg9041]

So whats the Big Idea, worlds largest steak. Worlds largest hamburger Worlds largest crafts event someplace people from all over can come set up tents to sell home crafted items thats pretty big in your state ive been to a few. Worlds largest carnival Worlds smallest ferrous wheel. Dont forget tiny things are cool to some people. With the traffic the towns getting i don't see why shops haven't opened back up. T SHIRTS items made in your town. Woodworking store, candel maker, glass blower metal shop, welder, stained glass store, fabric center. Items usually ment for craft persons. You have a whole row of empty store fronts. Worlds largest rifle that works. Custom bike manufacturer. So many stores could open back up drawing from close by farms and ranches. This country is full of things like worlds largest ball of twine. You stop off strech your legs and just visit usually a gift shop But people stop they don't spend a lot Unless you've got something small they value, after all most people have enough junk in the car as it is And store fronts are cheep to rent, let's not make it worlds biggest rent payments. Small town American is dying. Why someone closed thee

[@JeffDearman]

How about the worlds largest Beer can.....for a brewery or pub.

[@MegaFuncrusher]

It's a fun idea, but also most of these things are covered with religious imagery and bible versus. So it's not just to get attention for the town. It's also to prosthelytize, which turned me off a little when I visited.

[@JOEYZReAcTiOnMYHOSPICEJOURNEY]

You tricked me! I thought you were on your way with life flight to hospital! Your a stinker lol. That looked fun! Your friend Joey

[@silkwoodart]

If you put the red flag up on the huge mailbox will armed Postal Workers send the people inside the giant mailbox to their final destination? (Dark Humor)

[@thelugoffgamecock792]

Lol, "they packed up and moved to larger cities.... " Translated, those plants moved to Mexico. The media has no shame in them

[@choosepeace2393]

Have we sent so much manufacturing away? May we buy USA made!

[@adusabubeker2611]

THANKS MOUMITA RAHMAN SON OF FATHER MY SPOUSE I LOVE YOU

[@librarynan4610]

The reporter failed to say that the factories move to larger towns in China.

[@teresaferrer4748]

Giant covid mask

[@lewstone5430]

United States culture, no quotation marks.

[@hollitheexaltedempress6957]

After watch your film about Mayberry, "small town" is a code word for a place that systematically practices discrimination against people who are not "white," yet their officials are in denial that the town practices and supports those discriminatory beliefs. That fantasy of being a city that practices equal opportunity is why those towns are struggling. There is no Mayberry., But there is a New York. The town does not have to grow to become a metropolis but they should sit at the table with the leaders from larger cities and decide how to include people they have never experienced. The new policies of a "small town," should not be aimed at criminalizing people and controlling people at levels that they would not like to experience being "white." I sincerely hope that the u.s. gets a clue about these facts.

[@suziecreamcheese211]

No where did it say POC were not welcome, KAREN. Oh and you forgot to mention that you live on land stolen from Native Americans. Lmao.

[@aditideepakmishra4580]

First

[@Extinctanimals22]

Negative 75th.

[@citrine65]

You're special.

[@katzgar]

its really all about the WIFI

[@gusgus8134]

Maybe try for the worlds largest brain.

[@suziecreamcheese211]

I think he has that.

[@annhett]

I just visited casey. I was offended by all of the bible verses.