Sporting a 20 gallon cowboy hat and standing just over 7 feet tall, Mr. Idaho Potato made his debut appearance in February of 1983 at the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Convention held in Anaheim, CA. Print versions of a potato caricature had existed since 1952. Mr. Idaho Potato, standing here next to his friend Minnie Mouse, was designed and created by Linda Harper, a New York artist with Dudley Anderson and Yutzy, hired to do design work as part of a national public relations program for the Idaho Potato Commission.

Sources

Idaho Potato Commission Report, 1983, no. 2, page 3.