Boll Weevil Monument

Whenever I move to/​visit a new place, the first things I do are: find the best local coffee/​craft beer, try the local cuisine, and check out the local history. I know nothing about Enterprise and wanted to learn something, so I looked at the
website to see what’s around and decided that I wanted to see the Boll Weevil Monument.
I’m not sure what to say about it really. I parked, wandered for a bit, and actually walked in circles around the monument for probably about 15 minutes. Why, you ask? Well, partly because I wasn’t paying attention but mostly because I was looking UP for something quite larger, instead of directly in front of my face. I certainly wasn’t expecting it to be in the middle of an intersection, beneath a traffic light, with no truly safe way to get a good look at it. It is downtown Enterprise and there is probably not enough traffic to actually make it unsafe, but I prefer not to have to worry about being hit by a car.
I can appreciate its historical significance, I just wish there was more to learn from actually visiting it. A monument is a reminder of the past and does not necessarily mean something huge as in size, more as in importance. If you can keep this in mind, and maybe read up on Enterprise’s history a bit before you go check it out, then you may be a little more satisfied with your experience than I was.

OBVIOUSLY the previous reviews of this monument have been by those who do not understand the historical significance of the monument and lack the intellectual capacity for such. I am reminded that I should not argue with them… as my father used to tell me, «Son, never argue with an idiot; he’ll drag you down to his level and defeat you with experience.» Therefore… I suggest you ignore those reviews that do nothing but belittle the experience.
First — the boll weevil made its way into Texas in the early 1900’s. By the 1920’s it had already invaded ALL of the cotton growing areas in the USA — all the way up to Virginia. It totally devestated the crops in southern Alabama between 1914 and 1917. By 1919, when the monument was erected, Coffee Country (Enterprise) was heavy into peanuts.
Ignorant historians (and revisionist historians) will try to make you think that the Boll Weevil Monument was erected because the people of Enterprise would not erect a statute to George Washington Carver because he has an African-​American. Again — this is a revisionist historian point of view. I doubt the people of Enterprise were very interested in what was happening in Tuskegee while they were starving. And I SERIOUSLY doubt Carver showed up with peanuts in hand showing the people of Enterprise how to plant them…
This historical inspiration of the Boll Weevil has been mentioned in many publications over the years. John Maxwell has written about this monument – as well as many other inspirational speakers and writers.
Bottom line — if you DO NOT understand the historical significance of this monument, too bad. One day, maybe you will grow a brain and it will dawn on you! =)

First thing– they call it a «Monument». When I hear the word «Monument» — I think HUGE, GIANT!
We found this «monument» on accident driving through downtown and honestly we burst out laughing. What a joke. This monument is no bigger than a 4 year old child standing on a 2 foot tall box. Whats the point.
Don’t waste your time trying to find this thing, unless you really need a giggle.

Something to see if you’re around but it’s about the least interesting monument I’ve ever seen.

Ive seen better statues on people’s private property and second everything Zachary said below. Don’t go out of your way for this.

Yes… they have a statue dedicated to an agricultural pest. This statue depicts a lovely woman holding a large boll weevil triumphantly over her head. She and her buggy friend are located right smack in the middle of a busy intersection in downtown Enterprise, so if you want a closer look, make sure you’re paying attention to avoid getting hit by a car.

This monument stands as a prime example of southern prejudice and backwards thinking. I would be embarrassed to call myself a resident of a town with a monument to an insect. First a little background information… In the early 1920’s the boll weevil spread from Mexico, through Texas and eventually into the entire cotton growing region of the south. This event pretty much spelled disaster for their economy since the insect feeds on cotton buds and flowers, and at the time there were no pesticides available. Around this time, George Washington Carver was researching and promoting alternative crops to cotton, and agricultural practices such as crop rotation. He was able to teach sharecroppers how they could grow peanuts and sweet potatoes as a source of their own food and as a means to make a living, thereby rescuing the southern economy. Apparently unwilling to erect a monument to an African American, the town of Enterprise erects a monument to the boll weevil instead. The plaque reads, «In profound appreciation of the Boll Weevil and what it has done as the herald of prosperity, this monument is erected by the citizens of Enterprise «. No surprise that the monument was frequently the target of vandals and practical jokers. One such group managed to damage the statue beyond repair, and a replica stands in its place now. In an effort to curb the practice of flight school students putting women’s underwear on, and taking pictures of themselves doing lewd things with the monument, the town had to install security cameras to monitor the statue ²⁴⁄₇. I love the Army…