The Big Chair – Thomasville’s Oversized Icon
Thomasville, North Carolina, proudly calls itself Chair City, and honestly? The World’s Largest Duncan Phyfe Chair makes that nickname totally legit. This 30-foot giant isn’t just sitting around looking pretty (well, it is doing that too) – it’s a genuine tribute to the town’s furniture-making roots.
Trust me, when you roll into Thomasville and see this massive chair towering over downtown, you’ll know you’ve found something special. It’s been welcoming visitors since 1950, though the story goes way back further than that.
This Chair Has Seen Some Things
So here’s the deal with Thomasville’s big chair – it’s actually the second one they’ve built. The first version went up in 1922, standing 13 feet tall and made entirely of wood. Pretty impressive for the 1920s, right? But North Carolina weather is no joke, and by 1936, that original chair had basically given up the ghost.
Enter Thomasville Furniture Industries in 1950. These folks weren’t messing around – they rebuilt the chair using steel and concrete, doubling its height to 30 feet. Smart move, because this version has been standing strong for over 70 years now. The Duncan Phyfe style they chose is all about those elegant curved legs and fancy details that furniture nerds go crazy for.
The chair sits on this granite pedestal that makes it look even more impressive, especially when you’re trying to get that perfect Instagram shot with the whole thing in frame.
Wait, A President Stood on This Thing?
Here’s my favorite bit of chair trivia: in 1960, future President Lyndon B. Johnson actually climbed up on the World’s Largest Duncan Phyfe Chair to give a campaign speech. Can you imagine? A vice-presidential candidate using a giant roadside chair as his podium? That’s peak American politics right there.
And LBJ wasn’t the only one – over the years, governors, mayors, and beauty queens have all made appearances at this spot. There’s something about a 30-foot chair that just screams “important speech location,” apparently.
Planning Your Giant Chair Visit
You’ll find the World’s Largest Duncan Phyfe Chair right in downtown Thomasville at Salem Street and Randolph Street. Can’t miss it – it’s literally a giant chair. The whole downtown area is pretty walkable, and there are plenty of furniture shops and antique stores if you want to make a whole furniture-themed day of it.
Pro tip for photographers: golden hour lighting makes this chair look absolutely incredible. The shadows get all dramatic, and you’ll get some seriously cool shots. Just don’t try to climb on it – they’re not cool with that anymore (probably learned their lesson after the whole president-climbing-on-it incident).
Why This Chair Matters (Beyond Being Really, Really Big)
Look, I love a good oversized roadside attraction, but this chair represents something bigger than just “let’s build a giant thing to get people to stop.” It’s from that golden era of American road trips when towns competed to build the most eye-catching landmarks to lure travelers off the highway.
And it worked! People have been making detours to see this chair for decades. Even now, with social media giving it a whole new life, folks are still pulling over to snap photos and share their “I found a giant chair in North Carolina” stories.
The fact that Thomasville has rebuilt and maintained this thing through multiple generations shows they really get what makes their town special. Not every community would commit to keeping a 30-foot chair around for 70+ years.
The World’s Largest Duncan Phyfe Chair is just one of many oversized furniture landmarks across the country. If you’re a fan of giant chairs, you won’t want to miss the World’s Largest Chest of Drawers, standing proudly in High Point, NC, with its whimsical oversized socks peeking out.
And if rocking chairs are more your style, the World’s Second Largest Rocking Chair in Cuba, Missouri, is a must-see. Originally built to claim the Guinness World Record, this 42-foot-tall chair once held the title of the largest rocker before being surpassed in 2015. Though it no longer rocks, it remains a beloved roadside attraction along historic Route 66.
Want to see more oversized furniture across the country? Check out our Unique Roadside Attractions page, where we highlight must-see landmarks from coast to coast!