| Garbage Goat | |
|---|---|
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| Artist | Paula Mary Turnbull |
| Year | 1974 |
| Medium | Corten steel |
| Subject | Billy goat |
| Weight | about 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Location | Riverfront Park Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
| 47°39′37.8″N 117°25′11.1″W / 47.660500°N 117.419750°W | |
The Garbage Goat is a metal sculpture in Spokane, Washington's Riverfront Park. It was created by Paula Mary Turnbull, a local artist known as the "welding nun", for Expo '74, the city's 1974 world's fair. The sculpture was designed with an internal vacuum mechanism allowing the goat to "eat" trash held close to its mouth. It is also known as the Garbage-Eating Goat; the sculpture does not have a known official name, though Turnbull originally referred to the goat as "Billy".[1]
The Garbage Goat has become an iconic part of Spokane culture and one of its most popular tourist attractions. It has inspired a cult following, a "secret goat culture" in the city, and a series of goat-themed businesses. The debut of the Garbage Goat at Expo '74 was met with protests from dairy goat farmers, who objected to the sculpture as perpetuating the stereotype that goats are reputed to eat anything.