Statue Erected For Twilight Zone Creator in Upstate New York

Add this Upstate New York city to your Halloween attraction list for the season! A new statue honoring the Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling was erected this week!

Visit the Rod Serling Statue This Halloween

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between Science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call "The Twilight Zone."

`The Twilight Zone' was the brainchild of Rod Serling, who  It's a strange mix of horror, science-fiction, drama, comedy and superstition. Serling introduced each episode, and many of the black and white episodes concluded with a surprise ending. Episodes of The Twilight Zone delved into various genres including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, supernatural drama, black comedy, and psychological thriller, frequently concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist. Serling was normally able to add some kind of moral to the story. A popular and critical success, it introduced many Americans to common science fiction and fantasy tropes.

Just north of the Hudson Valley in Binghamton now stands a statue of one of it's most famous residents, Rod Serling. The statue was unveiled this passed Monday, September 16th. Serling was an Emmy Award-winning American screenwriter and television producer best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his anthology television series The Twilight Zone. He served as host and wrote more than 80 episodes of the original show's 150-plus episode run. Serling was active in Politics, both on and off the screen, and helped form television industry standards.

Serling was born in Syracuse, New York in 1924, and passed away in Rochester at the age of 50 in 1975. If you were to ask Rod where he was from, he would tell you, "Everybody has to have a hometown. Binghamton's mine." Serling's family moved to Binghamton in 1926, where he spent most of his youth, including graduating from Binghamton High School.

The statue can be found in Recreation Park in Binghamton, said to be Serling's favorite park. The Rod Serling Memorial Foundation Board organized the construction of the bronze statue and gifted it to the city of Binghamton.The statue was created by Statues.com, based out of Utah. The Foundation’s board was closely involved in every step of its design and creation. Anne Serling visited the facility during the process to see and approve the likeness of her father in person. The statue portrays Rod Serling standing in front of a crooked door. On the doorframe, it reads, "You unlock this door with the key of imagination." The statue is available to visit now in Binghamton!

The Rod Serling Archive

While you're in Binghamton, you should also visit The Rod Serling Archive! The Rod Serling Archive is one of only a handful of Rod Serling exhibits in existence. You can view rare and one-of-a-kind pieces, original wire images, TV and film props, memorabilia and personal items. The museum can be found at 127-129 Main St. Binghamton, NY 13905

FALL HOURS OF OPERATION

• Thursday - Saturday: 11 am - 5 pm
  Group & walk-in public tours are available.
• Tuesday & Wednesday: 11 am - 5 pm
  Group tours with an appointment only.
  • *No public walk-in tours.