Later in his life, but before his motorcycle stunt career really took off, Evel Knievel sold insurance for the Combined Insurance Company of America. The museum has the original ribbon he received for winning the Northern Rocky Mountain Ski Association Class A Men’s Ski Jumping Championship in 1959.
#SIGNED EVEL KNIEVEL PINBALL MACHINE PROFESSIONAL#
The name stuck, but Bob changed the spelling to “Evel” to appear less sinister than “Evil.”Īs a young man, Evel Knievel participated in local professional rodeos and ski jumping events. He was jailed under his given name, Robert Knievel.īut when the jailer came around to check on inmates one evening, he noted that a man named William Knofel who was known around town as the rhyming name “Awful Knofel” was jailed along with Bob who he nicknamed “Evil Knievel.” He was later fired and got in trouble after a police chase on his motorcycle in 1956. The museum displays detail how he got his moniker of “Evel Knievel.” It turns out that little Bob Knievel dropped out of high school in Butte, Montana after his sophomore year in 1954 to work in the copper mines. There’s also a cute drawing Knievel did of the Man “O” War horse for his mother with a note attached about his injured arm. Little did his family know then what life had in store for this little daredevil! Bobby Knievel at 3 years old on a tricycle One of the earliest images is of him riding a tricycle at age 3. The museum tells the history of Knievel’s life, starting with his early life in Butte, Montana. The statue was made for Evel as a tribute to his 14 bus jump at Kings Island in 1975. Evel Knievel and Harley-Davidson signĪs you enter the museum, you will see a statue of Evel Knievel that was formerly housed in a liquor store in Butte, Montana. Historic Harley-Davidson building in TopekaĪ sign advertises the Harley-Davidson building and the Evel Knievel museum. There is a large parking lot behind the building in which we were able to park our 27 foot Airstream without any problems, so if you’re traveling in an RV, park in the back of the building and you shouldn’t have any difficulties. It is located adjacent to the Historic Harley-Davidson building in Topeka.
The museum is very well designed, with two floors of displays, details of Knievel’s many jumps, and interactive displays, including a virtual reality stunt jump.
It’s great to see homage being paid to an American icon and I’m sure his family members appreciate the level of detail and high quality displays at the museum. Planned layout of the Las Vegas Evel Knievel Museum that was never developedĪccording to the staff with whom we spoke, several of Evel’s family members have enjoyed visiting the museum. The Evel Knievel museum in Topeka has the originally planned layout of the Las Vegas museum on display. Knievel himself is actually from Butte, Montana, but these three Knievel fans have developed a beautiful museum for all people to enjoy the legacy that Knievel offers.Īpparently there was once an Evel Knievel museum planned for Las Vegas, but it never came to fruition. It is founded by three big Evel Knievel fans who had collected much Knievel memorabilia over the years. The Evel Knievel museum is fairly new, having opened in 2017. But everyone was mesmerized and had to see what his next act would be. This all added to the allure of the daredevil motorcycle rider, who may or may not land each jump. He made most of the jumps, but not all, having wrecked in many horrible crashes seen live on television throughout his career. He attempted over 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps throughout his career, including jumping over police cars, buses, semi-trucks, and and even rivers throughout his motorcycle jumping career. He was the ultimate showman and entertainer, wearing flashy white sequin outfits (not be confused with Elvis Presley!), complete with a white cape. For those who may not know, Evel Knievel was an American motorcycle stunt rider throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and even 1980s.
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