Is Garfield a Hoosier? Comic strip cat has a long history in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — From comic strips to the silver screen, Garfield is a character that most Americans are undoubtedly familiar with.

First debuting in newspapers in 1978, the orange cartoon feline has appeared in everything from TV series to feature-length films.

Despite Garfield’s popularity and renown, the character had humble beginnings. Hoosier native Jim Davis is credited with creating the character 46 years ago.

According to his Indiana Historical Society biography, Davis was born in Marion in 1945. He grew up on a farm that housed cows, and among other animals, cats.

He went on to enroll at Ball State University, where he majored in art and business. After college, Davis got his start in comics, serving as cartoonist Tom Ryan’s assistant.

When Davis first created Garfield, the character appeared in just 41 newspapers across the country. Garfield is now featured in more than 2,600 print newspapers worldwide, per the IHS.

Davis went on to create Paws Inc., a company designed to manage Garfield’s success in movies, comics, merchandise and TV shows.

Davis’ home state celebrates his and his most famous character’s success in a unique way. The Garfield Trail weaves throughout much of Grant County and features 14 Garfield statues.

All 14 statues are named, and here’s where you can find them:

1. Paws for Thought Garfield — Community Foundation of Grant County (Marion)
2. The Cool Cat — Fairmount Historical Museum (Fairmount)
3. Gone Fishin’ Garfield — Matthews Town Hall (Matthews)
4. Scream for Ice Cream — Ivanhoe’s Restaurant (Upland)
5. A Worldly Cat — Van Buren Public Library (Van Buren)
6. Glassblower Garfield — Mill Township Public Library (Gas City)
7. British Soldier Garfield — Payne’s Restaurant (Gas City)
8. Firefighter Garfield — Jonesboro City Hall (Jonesboro)
9. Dr. Garfield — Marion General Hospital (Marion)
10. Fit for Life Garfield — The Gardens Matter Park (Marion)
11. Bookworm Garfield — Marion Public Library and Museum (Marion)
12. Duffer Garfield — Arbor Trace Golf Club (Marion)
13. College Bound Garfield — Sweetser Switch Trail Depot (Sweester)
14. Speedking Garfield — Swayzee Alumni Park (Swayzee)

There is also a Garfield statue trail in Muncie. That trail features 15 statues, which can be found at the following locations:

• Muncie Visitors Bureau
• City Hall/Mayor’s Office
• American Red Cross of Muncie
• Cornerstone Center for the Arts
• Muncie Children’s Museum
• Unity Way of Muncie
• The Orchard Shop at Minnetrista
• Animal Rescue Fund
• BSU Alumni Center
• Motivate Our Minds
• Ball State Bookstore
• Delaware County Building
• The Mailroom
• The Imaging Center
• The Clubhouse

Garfield’s fame in Indiana nearly extended beyond statues in the 1990s. According to a 2018 story by the Indianapolis Star , there was once a plan for a Garfield-themed amusement park in Hendricks County.

A 65-acre Garfield-themed area was proposed to fit inside the 530-acre amusement park that was planned. IndyStar reported that a bankruptcy agreement finalized in 2004 allowed another entity to purchase the property and plan to use the land for something other than a theme park.

Defunctland, a YouTube Channel that focuses on defunct theme parks and attractions, did an extensive video covering the Hendricks County theme park and Garfield’s history in American amusement parks in general.

Two live-action Garfield movies with Bill Murray voicing the titular character are currently available for streaming on Disney+. An animated Garfield movie starring Chris Pratt as the comedic cat is set to release on May 24.

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