The fun never stops at the Manitou Springs Heritage Center and Museum. In July, the museum will present the Pikes Peak Peanut Pusher — Live from Barr Trail and its exhibit, “The Pikes Peak Peanut Pusher.”
During its recorded history, Pikes Peak has inspired tests of courage and willpower. And now, Colorado Springs resident Bob Salem will attempt to push a peanut up Barr Trail to the summit of America’s Mountain.
The feat has been accomplished only three times during Manitou Springs’ 150-year history. The live event, scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 9, will begin at the Barr Trail trailhead (near the corner of 540 Ruxton Ave.) and feature entertainment with the Thursday Drum Circle.
Meet the Peanut Pusher and cheer him on to the top of Pikes Peak. Due to limited parking at the trailhead, please consider parking in downtown Manitou Springs and take Manitou Incline Shuttle No. 33 to the event.
The first Peanut Pusher, Bill Williams of Texas, accepted a $50 bet in 1929 that he would not be able to push a peanut to the top of Pikes Peak using only his nose. On May 19, he started what would become an ordeal and a national sensation at the base of the mountain on the Pikes Peak Highway.
Despite all of his challenges, including an injured knee, Williams made it to the top of Pikes Peak on June 10. He had traveled 22 miles on his hands and knees up the dirt road over a total of 21 days.
One source claims he had worn out 21 pairs of gloves and used 184 peanuts. Another source says he wore out 12 pairs of gloves and three pairs of shoes and used 150 peanuts; yet another states he wore out 170 pairs of pants.
Ulysses Baxter, a 21-year-old rockabilly singer from Oklahoma City, had recorded “Mother, Congratulate Your Son” and “Beautiful Woman” by the time he pushed a peanut up Pikes Peak via Barr Trail in 1963.
Baxter thought he was the first person to think up the crazy stunt; however, he learned one mile from the summit that Williams had beaten him to it more than 30 years earlier. Discouraged at the news, Baxter resolved to complete what he had started.
He completed his eight-day ordeal on Wednesday, July 17, and the Peanut Push boosted his career. Baxter sang for a while at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas.
He also appeared on several popular TV shows, such as “I’ve got a Secret” in December 1963 and a March 1964 episode of “The Steve Allen Playhouse” where Baxter, Allen and actor Cliff Arquette (Charley Weaver) used their noses to push peanuts down Hollywood’s Vine Street.
In August 1976, Tom Miller, an 18-year old University of Colorado student from Palmer Lake, took four days, 23 hours, 47 minutes, and three seconds to push a peanut up the Pikes Peak Highway using his nose.
Miller beat both Williams and Baxter’s records. There is not much documentation about the validity of this most recent push and nobody has made the attempt to do it again — until now.
Michael Maio,
Manitou Springs Heritage Center and Museum