Whopper Hoppers

Giant grasshoppers were popular subjects for tall-tale postcards, particularly in the Great Plains during the 1930s where grasshoppers were a common pest.

The top photo shows a scene captured by an unknown photographer near Mitchell, South Dakota. Three men struggle to subdue "the largest grasshopper in existence." The "whopper hopper" appears to be a wooden model.

The bottom image was created by Frank D. "Pop" Conard of Garden City, Kansas. He was considered to be the master of the 'whopper hopper' genre of postcards. In this image by Conard, a farmer hauls out a particularly large hopper specimen.
Links and References
• Rubin, C.E. & Williams, M. (1990). Larger Than Life: The American Tall-Tale Postcard, 1905-1915. Abbeville Press.
Photo Categories: Staged Scene, Models and Cutouts, Animals, Very Large Animals, Humor, Tall-Tale Postcards, 1920-1939

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