Mighty Joe
Back in the day, Mighty Joe was named "George" and he stood 25 feet above a South Jersey go-kart track. Many knew him from even earlier times, when he towered over the beachfront boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ as "Kongo-Pongo" and "Magilla."
Larry Valenzano noticed "George" driving on Hwy 47 to and from his Wildwood beach house. The gorilla, allways reminded him of his son.The younger Valenzano, Joe, was a former body builder nicknamed "Mighty Joe" who died of a brain tumor in 1999. Larry, heartbroken, renamed his gas station "Mighty Joe's" in his son's honor. Then he bought the big gorilla to serve as a memorial to his son, and a Mascot to the Grill and Deli.
The 25-foot gorilla holds a sign that reads: “Hello, my name is Mighty Joe. My job is to look up to heaven from time to time and say, ‘Hey, Joe, We Will Always Love You.’” It's a beautiful tribute.
This is a great site to see, not only for the memorial but also for the great food.
This is a great site to see, not only for the memorial but also for the great food.
Mighty Joe's Gas, Grill & Deli is located at 1231 US Highway 206, Shamong, NJ.
