Barbie Beach Georgia founder dies at 76 | How the south metro landmark came to be
TURIN, Ga. - Go ahead, Google "Barbie Beach," and you’ll see what a viral phenomenon the Turin site has become. The woman who created the wacky south metro landmark has passed away at the age of 76.
Fans have been leaving flowers to honor Lynda Quick, whose Barbie Beach along State Road 16 in Coweta County has gained worldwide fame.
It features dozens of naked Barbies and other dolls posed in certain themes on a sandy beach.
Now, Quick’s family says everyone wants to know what’s going to happen to the beach.
Filmmaker Courtney Dixon immortalized the story of Quick and her husband Steve in a documentary that has been played around the world.
"I was just blown away by the creativity, the thought level of the stories behind some of the things that they put in the beach that only they may know but how it translates when you are driving past it," Dixon said.
She agreed that oftentimes their creativity was fueled by a considerable amount of beer.
Her son Ben took FOX 5 Atlanta on a tour of Lynda's final display.
"The last thing mom put out was about all of the construction going on at the roundabout," he pointed out. "So, you got all the Barbies waiting on the construction to get complete. And you got a few over at Mort’s Bar, and they are just like, ‘Whatever, we’re drinking.’"
"One of my favorite stories in the film is them telling about Mort and the level of detail that they tell, that can only come from being buzzed," Dixon said.
Jason Turner is Lynda’s nephew.
"I tell everyone, have you heard of the Barbie Beach? And they say, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ And I say, ‘That’s Turin. That’s my crazy aunt and uncle with the Barbie Beach.’"
The Barbie Beach started in 2006 when Lynda accused the Georgia Department of Transportation of destroying rose bushes she had planted along State Road 16 at their home.
Her family says she got some sand, six naked Barbies from Goodwill and created a roadside protest against the DOT. It also celebrated the U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball team’s gold medal in Turin, Italy.
"If mom was not happy about something. Something was going to happen. There was generally payback," Ben said. "There’s got to be some payback somewhere."
Her "protest" evolved to changing scenes and themes in partnership with her husband.
The Barbie Beach flourished as traffic increased on State Road 16, fueled by new development in Coweta County.
Now, the DOT is building a nearby roundabout with orders not to disturb Barbie Beach.
Steve passed away last year, and the family said Lynda didn’t have the heart to continue with the beach after 18 years.
Courtney Dixon and the Quick family would tell you though, Barbie Beach is not Lynda’s legacy.
She dedicated her life to assisting cancer patients and their families, as well as children with disabilities.
Ben says without his mom and dad, the Barbie Beach cannot continue. But the family has a desire to honor it, remember it and continue to share it.
FOX 5 Atlanta asked the family what their plans were. They said they would make an announcement soon.