The Garbage Goat
The Garbage Goat in 2025.
In January of 1974, the Spokane City Council approved plans for a “Goat Grotto” to be placed as part of Expo ‘74 and the eventual Riverfront Park. The vision was for a “figure in the form of a goat, which would electronically say ‘feed me.’”(1) As explained by City Manager F. Sylvin Fulwiler, “It encourages youngsters to scamper around the park, looking for debris, just to hear the goat say something.”
The original idea for the project came in late 1973, from Parks Director William S. Fearn, who “recently ran across the idea while on a trip to the East Coast.”(2) He brought the proposal to the Women’s Council of Spokane Board of Realtors for fundraising support and was met with enthusiasm.
Details of the project’s progress in early 1974 appear to have been overlooked in the excitement of the fair’s opening. The next news of the Goat Grotto was at the end of April, when the completed sculpture was revealed.(3) The goat was created by Sister Paula Mary Turnbull, described as “Fort Wright College art department chairman,” and was “commissioned by the Women’s Council of Spokane Board of Realtors in cooperation with the City Park Department.”
The original concept suggested that the goat in the grotto would be made of concrete.
The goat sculpture contained a 4.5 inch pipe that ran from his mouth to a hidden trash collection compartment behind him. Trash fed into his mouth would be suctioned away by a vacuum fan. According to Sister Paula, “Billy is made of welded steel. I used arc welding and gas welding. Pieces of the goat were cut from core 10 or what we call weathering steel. It will form a coating of rust to be protective and thus not need continued maintenance or painting. I used recyclable springs for his horns. For his eyes, I cut the ends off railroad spikes. His legs are old pipe.”(4) While the original concept depicted the goat standing in a structure with two sides and a roof, the finished sculpture was open to the air and the goat was surrounded by columnar basalt. These rock formations were popular at Expo ‘74 because they were distinctive for the Spokane area, were all-natural, and naturally tended to form the hexagons that were echoed throughout the design of Expo ‘74. Visitors enchanted by the goat itself may not immediately notice that one column directly behind the goat is made of welded steel rather than basalt.
Today’s Garbage Goat fans may be surprised to learn that the sculpture originally had a voice that was provided through a “hidden recorder.” Although the precise words of the message don’t seem to have been written down anywhere, sources from the time said that the goat “constantly solicits food” and “invites children to deposit their trash.”(4,5) The message concluded with, “and have a good time at the fair in Spokane!”(6)
Some goat aficionados objected to the statue’s depiction of goats as “garbage mouths” that would eat anything. According to the Spokesman-Review, Expo received more than fifty letters about the statue’s promotion of this inaccurate stereotype.(7) As one dairy goat farmer lamented, “Every year we exhibit expensive, well-bred dairy goats at fairs and shows - and every year we bring home sick animals because the spectators, adults and children alike, have fed them all manner of trash. How can we protect our goats from this unless we constantly educate the public to the fact that a goat should be properly fed like any other creature?”(8) The fair added signage around the grotto that emphasized the proper diet for actual goats, promoted their fine qualities, and lauded them as “a most economical, truly ecological animal.”
The goat looks and functions much the same today as it was in 1974, although the voice recording has not been heard or mentioned in many years. It has been admired and fed by countless visitors to Riverfront Park. In 2014, the goat’s 40th birthday was celebrated with a party in the park.(9) Sister Paula, 93 years old at the time, was in attendance with about 75 other celebrants. The goat itself was decorated with a lei and party hat, and was fed a piece of birthday cake via its signature trash-consuming method.
After Expo ‘74, the Looff Carousel was returned to Riverfront Park in the former Bavarian Beer Garden building, close to the goat. When the carousel was moved to a new building in 2018, it changed its ring toss target from a clown to an image of the Garbage Goat holding a bucket in its mouth.(10)
Other than the occasional trash jam in the tube, the goat still works just as well today as it did in 1974. However, aspiring goat-feeders should note that the push-button that activates the goat’s internal suction is typically deactivated over the cold-weather months, as snow and ice can make it unsafe for park employees to service the goat.
This interactive sculpture has become a beloved icon of the park and the city. However, one recent alteration makes it hard for many people to enjoy the Garbage Goat. When the park remodeled the area to build the new carousel building, it replaced the asphalt ramp to the goat with a set of handrail-less stairs.(11) This access barrier is particularly sad in light of the fact that Expo ‘74 was designed as a wheelchair-accessible world’s fair, demonstrating an impressive commitment to accessibility more than 15 years before the Americans With Disabilities Act was passed in 1990. People in wheelchairs, with walkers and canes, babies in strollers, and many others were able to reach the Garbage Goat for many years thanks to the consideration of the original builders. While the original ramp may not have worked with the changes to this part of the park, rebuilding the goat grotto to be less accessible today than it was in 1974 is frankly indefensible and should be addressed by the Parks Department as soon as possible.
Below, left: Garbage Goat with ramp in 2018. Below, right: Garbage Goat with steps in 2025.
The Garbage Goat is much beloved as a symbol, mascot, and inside joke for residents of Spokane today. It is free, interactive, fun, and is just scary enough for very small kids that it can serve as a rite of passage. Sister Paula designed the goat to be a bit spiky so that children wouldn’t climb on top of it, but they’ve always climbed it anyway. Its humble materials and homely appearance make it far more approachable than other sculptures downtown, and it turns the civic responsibility of trash disposal into something playful and rewarding.
The goat’s down-to-earth qualities also suit it well to the Spokane vibe. It does a very important but rather humble job that’s inherently a little bit funny. (I’m writing this while sipping from a goat-themed thermos that proclaims “Spokane, WA - Proudly Sucking Since 1974.”) It is better-known by far than any other Expo ‘74 sculptures remaining in the park, and it surely ranks among the lilac, the clock tower, and the U.S. pavilion as one of the most iconic symbols of Spokane. There’s just something about this scrappy, rusty little garbage-sucking goat that speaks to the Spokane soul.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spokane Regional Health District urged Spokanites to socially distance by staying “at least one Garbage Goat away from others.”
Garbage Goat merchandise is easy to find in Spokane, especially at stores like the nearby Boo Radley’s, Atticus Coffee and Gifts, From Here, or at Vintage Print and Neon, which has immortalized the goat on a wide variety of clothing, accessories, and even in miniature form with “straw-sucking action.” There is also the Iron Goat Brewing Co., which offers such options as the “Goatmeal Stout,” the “Headbutt IPA,” and the “Goatoberfest.” Below are a few of the many items that feature the Garbage Goat. (Links go to the stores where you can purchase them. I do not receive any commission, just passing along the Garbage Goat love.)
References
“‘Goat Grotto’ O.K.’d for park location.” (January 22, 1974.) Spokesman-Review, p. 7. Newspapers.com link.
Roberts, Jack. (November 11, 1973.) “Trash can unique.” Spokesman-Review, p. 1.
“Goat got her?” (April 27, 1974.) Spokane Chronicle, p. 7. Newspapers.com link.
Powers, Dorothy R. (June 3, 1974.) “Women realtors, nun devise goat.” Spokesman-Review, p. 7. Newspapers.com link.
“Doin’ her bit.” (May 18, 1974.) Spokane Chronicle, p. 24. Newspapers.com link.
Sellen, A. A. (July 29, 1974.) Letters from readers. Spokane Chronicle, p. 4. Newspapers.com link.
“Goat Grotto causes flap.” (May 13, 1974.) Spokesman-Review, p. 1. Newspapers.com link.
Hollister, John R. (July 24, 1974.) Letters from readers. Spokane Chronicle, p. 4. Newspapers.com link.
Turner, Paul. (June 22, 2014.) “Still a kid at heart.” Spokesman-Review, p. b1-b2. Newspapers.com link.
Hill, Kip. (May 4, 2018.) “Time to saddle up.” Spokesman-Review, p. a1, a5. Newspapers.com link.
Gorton, Larry. (February 15, 2024.) “Garbage goat is inaccessible.” [Letter to the editor.] Spokesman-Review, p. c3. Newspapers.com link.
