BELTON, Texas — If you live in Belton, you may have driven past the historic standpipe along Hughes Street.
If you are a Nintendo fan, you may have noticed that the landmark bears a resemblance to the green pipes frequented by a certain famous, red-hatted plumber.
In a post on social media on June 18, the Belton Parks and Recreation Department said the iconic Super Mario Bros. video game was actually inspired by the Belton standpipe.
According to Belton Parks and Rec, legend says that if someone ate one of the mushrooms that grew at the site, they would grow into a giant human capable of leaping over the standpipe, which later became a feature in the video game.
So, are these claims true?
Our sources:
Belton Parks and Recreation, Nintendo and entertainment news outlet IGN.
The verdict:
You probably already guessed this one, but no, the Belton standpipe did not inspire the Super Mario Bros. franchise. There is also no evidence to support that eating the mushrooms nearby will allow you to jump over the landmark.
The post was actually made as a humorous announcement that the standpipe will be the centerpiece of a new park the City has planned.
What we found:
"If you believe that, you also might believe that George Strait has 'some ocean front property in Arizona' for you," Belton Parks and Rec said in the social media post.
Belton Parks and Rec acknowledged the claim was never meant to be taken seriously, but was inspired by a resident who told them the standpipe always reminds them of the iconic Nintendo mascot.
The post was actually an announcement that the standpipe is going to be part of a new park.
Located at 912 Hughes St. in Belton, the park will reportedly feature an open play area, a playground, a pavilion, a butterfly garden, restoration of the standpipe and more.
The department shared renderings of what the park will look like when it is completed, which can be seen below.
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While the standpipe may not transport residents to the Mushroom Kingdom, Belton Parks and Rec has stated the new park "is going to be great!"
Super Mario Bros. debuted in 1985 for the NES, having been created by Shigeru Miyamoto, according to Nintendo's website.
Mario himself actually first debuted in 1981's Donkey Kong arcade game as Jumpman, stated IGN. According to IGN, Mario was first referred to by his now famous name in Donkey Kong Jr., and was reportedly named after the owner of Nintendo's first warehouse, Mario Segali.
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