NC To Unveil Historical Marker for Andre the Giant in Richmond Co.

North Carolina will dedicate a state highway historical marker for Andre the Giant on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. near his old place in Ellerbe. The marker gets positioned at the intersection of N.C. 73 and Old N.C. 220 in Richmond County.

André René Roussimoff, known across the globe as Andre the Giant, purchased nine acres near Ellerbe on Aug. 22, 1978. Over the next ten years, he expanded his land to a 194-acre ranch along Big Mountain Creek.

The marker will read: "ANDRE THE GIANT, 1946-1993. Actor and professional wrestler. Was born Andre Roussimoff. Known for role in The Princess Bride in 1987. Lived nearby."

Born in France in 1946, Roussimoff gained fame as a professional wrestler before starring as Fezzik in the 1987 Rob Reiner film The Princess Bride. He stood 6-foot-7 by his teenage years because of acromegaly, a rare hormonal condition that caused his body to grow without stopping.

Wrestler Edouard Carpentier encouraged Roussimoff to come to North America. He built a career under various ring names before becoming known as Andre the Giant.

"Roussimoff began wrestling in North Carolina by 1974. He performed in Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Rocky Mount, and smaller towns. During these years he came to appreciate the quiet landscapes and close-knit communities that reminded him of the countryside where he grew up," according to the North Carolia Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, per the Charlotte Observer.

His ranch sat 75 miles southeast of Charlotte. It became his refuge from fame. Local residents remember him as a private and kind neighbor who took part in civic efforts, including opposing a proposed radioactive waste site in Richmond County.

Roussimoff died in France in 1993 while attending his father's funeral. His ashes were scattered at his North Carolina ranch, according to Biography.com.

The Rankin Museum of American Heritage in Ellerbe maintains a permanent exhibit dedicated to his life. The collection includes items from his career. Among them: size 26 lace-up wrestling boots.

The N.C. Highway Historical Marker Program is a collaboration between the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.