Just before the pandemic hit last year, literally the weekend before everything started to shut down, I flew from LA to Memphis to meet up with my sister who drove from Nashville to pick me up for a quick sibling road trip to our hometown of West Monroe, La. She pulled up to the curb at the airport, I threw my bags in the back of the SUV, and we were quickly on the highway heading further down south aiming for the familiar swampy lands of Northeast Louisiana.
We cruised Interstate 61, which has noticeably less traffic than what I’m used to in LA, crossed the state line into Mississippi, and rolled through the small town of Leland. Signs touting this quite town we were simply passing through as the “Birthplace of Kermit the Frog” popped up along the sleepy highway. What?! Henson and Kermit are from here? We had no idea.
Then we saw a sign for a Jim Henson “early years” museum at the Chamber of Commerce that we had just passed. The wheels all but screeched as my sister stepped on the brakes, and turned the car around. We absolutely had to go. As so many Gen-xers, we were raised on the Muppets, their movies and television shows, including Sesame Street. So, a brief pit stop to the museum honoring Henson’s and Kermit’s hometown was absolutely in order.
It’s a small unassuming building. One story, lined with weathered wooden panels giving it a purposeful “cabin in the swamp” look, with a sign of Kermit grinning and waving next to the entrance doors.
We walked in, and the first thing your eyes see, directly in the center of the entrance, is a swamp diorama of the museum’s “star”; an original Kermit the Frog puppet sitting on a log playing the banjo. This is clearly a reference to the The Muppet Movies’ opening scene and song, “The Rainbow Connection”. Arguably the most famous Muppet song of all time. Take a listen below!
The whole museum is only 2 rooms, but it was like being immersed into the whole world’s childhood-past. Photos of Henson through life, along with info blurbs about his boyhood in Leland and ascension to the infamous master puppeteer he came to be line the upper part of the walls.
The front room has a couple of Muppet memorabilia displays aside from the Kermit. One features puppets that had been created for a project that got scrapped, but the Jim Henson Company saved those creations and donated them to the museum in Leland.
There is also a human size Kermit for guests to pose with. Yup! I got in there for the photo op with the world’s most famous frog.
The 2nd room is almost like a child’s playroom. Both Muppets and Sesame Street toys and stuffed animals crowded the shelves and the small, short play tables along with books. The Muppet Movie played on the television looping the opening swamp scene for ambiance. As my sister and I combed through the items, we found several books we shared as kids including the Grover classic about overcoming fears, “There’s a Monster at the End of This Book.” A personal childhood favorite.
One of my favorite items on display is the framed “signed” photo of Big Bird with one of his yellow feathers attached. Big Bird is a beloved character from Sesame Street, and was one of my favorites when I was a kid. So when I met the puppeteer, Caroll Spinney, at a convention several years ago while working on Spongebob Squarepants, it was an honor to get to talk with him. I don’t remember much of our short conversation other than briefly discussing the evolution of children’s programming, and how Nickelodeon really made it more of a global enterprise, as opposed to public access PBS, which is what Sesame Street is featured on (this took place long before the HBO deal).
However, I do remember the conversation ending, thanking him for his time while shaking his hand. He gave me a “half hug” mid-handshake, and said “Nice to meet you Nathan” in Big Bird’s voice. At that moment, all of my life experiences, years of aging and adulthood melted away, leaving 4 year old me standing there. a little stunned. “Big Bird” knew my name. (Living in LA, and working in the entertainment industry, celebrity interactions come often. I’ve certainly got a few stories, but this by far is one of my favorite personal “celebrity” moments.) I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a lump in my throat. I gave Mr. Spinney a slight nod of acknowledgement and walked away so that I could put my “adult armor” back on and continue mingling with coworkers.
It was getting late, and we wanted to make it to West Monroe before sunset, so we decided to leave, but not before signing the registry of course, as well as donate some money to help them keep the lights on for future nostalgic nerdy travelers who were surprised to find out they were passing through the hometown of one Kermit the Frog.
As we exited the front doors of he museum, it was like stepping back into adulthood, and real life, leaving the memories and nostalgia in their proper place for safe keeping. However, the moment we hopped back on the Interstate, I couldn’t help but hum one of the best road trip songs of all time, “Movin’ Right Along”. Click below for an awesome road jam!
