Rhode Island
Mr. Potato Head Statues

    In the year 2000, the state of Rhode Island (the home of Hasbro) named Mr. Potato Head as its official "family travel" ambassador. As part of a tourism promotion to show children what a fun place Rhode Island is to visit, dozens of 6-foot tall fiberglass Mr. Potato Head statues were decorated by various artists to be displayed around the state.
    The themed statues were met with a mixture of opinions at the original unveiling. Some people loved them, others thought they were ugly. But since the campaign/art project was always meant to be temporary, the negatives were ignored and the statues made their way to various locations around the state.
    The actual count of Potato Head statues varies depending on who you ask. Some claim there were 37, but most say it was more like 45.
I have actually been able to confirmed 47. Below is the complete list of statues as well as their original display locations.
 
 


Butterfly Queen
 Original Location:
Warwick Mall food court
 Meet & Potatoes
 Original Location:
Newport Marriot Hotel
 Mr. Potato Head Lightbulb
 Original Location:
Narragansett Electric
Providence



Common Tater
 Original Location:
at the Fleet Skating Rink
Golfer
 Original Location:
Lindhbrook Golf Course
Hopkinton
Artist: Solace Loven
 Incubator Tater
 Original Location:
Roger Williams Park Zoo
Providence



Edgar Allen Poe-tato
 Original Location:
in front of Providence Warwick
Convention  & Visitor's Bureau
Artist: Kathleen Weber
 Friar Potato
 Original Location:
Near St Francis Church
Providence
 Print Charming
 Original Location:
outside the offices of
the Providence Journal



 

Blackstone Pilgram
 Original Location:
Blackstone Valley
Visitor's Center
 Couch Potato
 Original Location:
the Children's Museum
Providence
 Cloud Nine
 Original Location:
airport Hampton Inn
Warwick


Cash Potato
 Original Location:
in front of Citizen's Plaza
Providence
Artist: Brent Bachelder
  Bishop Potato
 Original Location:
North Main Street
Episcopal Church
Providence
 Video Tater
 Original Location:
East Side Market Place
Blockbuster Video
Providence



Shore Thing
 Original Location:
 T.F. Green Airport
Warwick
Artist: Suellen Rizzo
Baking Potato
 Original Location:
in the Providence Arcade mall
 Mr. Energy
 Original Location:
at the Providence Energy building


Red Hot Potato
 Original Location:
"Day-O-Lite" building
Warwick
 Colonel Hedley Russet
 Original Location:
In the foyer of the State House
Providence
 Wanna Be Surfer Dude
 Original Location:
route 108 & Woodruff Road Narragansett


Sargeant Spud
 Original Location:
Quonsett Commerce Park
Warwick
 Italian Chef
 Original Location:
Angelo's Restuarant
Providence
 Veno Di-Vine
 Original Location:
T.F. Green Airport
Warwick
Artist: Adam Pelletier


Thrifty Potato
 Original Location:
Post road Thrify Car rental
Warwick
 Betty Elephant
 Original Location:
Manton Free Public Library
Providence
 Tourist Tater
 Original Location:
Warwick City Hall
Artist: Kathy Szarko



Sparkle Spud
 Original Location:
at the Fleet Skating Rink
Providence
 Spud Light
 Original Location:
Beacon Mutual Insurance
Warwick
 Sweet Pea-tato
 Original Location:
Sweet Peas Villiage
Warwick



Original Mr. Potato Head
 Original Location:
Hasbro Headquarters
Providence
 Original Mrs. Potato Head
 Original Location:
Hasbro Headquarters
Providence
 Surfer Spud
 Original Location:
 I-95 Visitor's Center
Richmond
Artist: Antonia Putman



Light From Within
 Original Location:
In the window of the Biltmore
Artist: William Culbertson
 Pizza Potato
 Original Location:
near Caserta Pizza
Providence
 Slumber Spud
 Original Location:
entrance of the "Courtyard" Marriot
Providence



Sun Baked
 Original Location:
Fred Vinson Beach Pavillion
Block Island Ferry
 Hospitality Spud
 Original Location:
Gateway Center
Newport
 Spud Of Steel
 Original Location:
In the foyer of
Rhode Island Convention Center



Fred Fisherman
(aka Salty Spud)
 Original Location:
South County Tourism
Council Building
 Eric The Head
 Original Location:
Bowen's Wharf
Newport
 Uncle Sam
 Original Location:
Various



Spudley Doo Right
 Original Location:
Newport Yachting Center
 Independent Potato
 Original Location:
on the side of the Providence Marriot
Artists: Linda Dewing & John Frank
 Rotunda Head
 Original Location:
In the front of the Westin Hotel
Artist: Kathy Szarko



Red E. Banker
 Original Location:
On Weybosset St in Providence
 Independent Potato
 Original Location:
Narragansett Park Dr Dunkin Donuts

What Ever Became Of Them?
Since their debut in 2000, most of the Potato Head statues have been removed. Many have been auctioned to private collections and scattered in the style of most community mass art projects. Sadly some of the Potato Heads were vandalized.
    -Print Charming located outside the offices of the Providence Journal was kidnapped. He later turned up on the
                Brown University campus covered with protest leaflets.
    -"Meet" and Potatoes was auctioned on eBay for $2,750. I believe it went over seas.
    -Betty the Elephant was relocated to the lawn outside Glocester City Hall
    -One of the statues is reportedly in the Roger Williams Park playground
    -Pizza Potato is still at Caserta Pizza
    -There was one reportedly in the Rhode Island building at the Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Massachusetts
    -Original Mr. Potato Head still stands at the Hasbro offices in Pawtucket, RI.
    -The Tourist Tater was surrounded in controversy from the beginning. Amid many claims that it appeared racist, it was                      removed after only a few weeks on display.