About
The Big Chair is a 30-foot steel-and-concrete replica of a Duncan Phyfe armchair standing between Thomasville's two main downtown streets. Erected in 1951 to honor the city's furniture industry, it is the symbol of the "Chair City" and its most photographed landmark, decorated with tulips in spring and a Santa hat at Christmas.
The original Big Chair was built in September 1922 by the Thomasville Chair Company from lumber and Swiss steer hide, using the materials needed for 100 ordinary chairs; it stood 16 feet 6 inches tall. After years of weather exposure it was scrapped in 1936. Interest in a replacement grew after the local chamber of commerce formed in 1948, and the cornerstone of the current chair was laid on January 9, 1951. It has a steel skeleton covered in wire mesh and a half-inch layer of cement and granite, painted to look like wood.
The chair drew national attention in 1960 when vice-presidential candidate Lyndon B. Johnson greeted supporters from it during a campaign whistle-stop. It is a contributing object in the Thomasville Downtown Historic District, listed on the National Register in 2005.
The plaque
"THE CHAIR" OF THOMASVILLE. The chair is an exemplar and inspiration for future generations to emulate and perpetuate the achievements of our time-honored furniture designers and craftsmen... The original chair was the creation of the famous American designer Duncan Phyfe. Erected 1950. Thomas Johnson - Del. James Harvey - Sculp.
Details
- Address
- 6 W Main St, Thomasville, NC, Thomasville, NC
- Town
- Thomasville
- Original chair
- 1922 (removed 1936)
- Current chair cornerstone
- January 9, 1951
- Height
- 30 feet (including base)
- Style
- Replica of a Duncan Phyfe armchair
- Materials
- Steel frame, wire mesh, cement and granite
- Plaque
- "The Chair" of Thomasville, "Erected 1950" (state records give the cornerstone date as January 9, 1951)
- Drawn by
- Thomas Johnson ("del.", per the plaque)
- Sculpted by
- James Harvey ("sculp.", per the plaque)
- Visiting
- Outdoor landmark in downtown Thomasville, viewable at any time.
Sources
Spot something out of date? Email neighbors@davidsoncountyinsights.com.