Fremont Troll

Photo by:  Vicki Phebus

From left:  Cherri, my sister Vicki and our friend JoAnn.

Volkswagen is on right.  Note hubcab for eye on Troll.

Fremont is a neighborhood of Seattle just north of Queen Anne.  The Fremont Troll lives under the George Washington Memorial Bridge which is known locally as the Aurora Bridge.  It is a huge statue located at N 36^th St at Troll Avenue under Aurora Avenue which crosses the Lake Union Ship Canal. 

 
Based on the Scandinavian fairytale Three Billy Goats Gruff, the idea of a troll living under a bridge was sculpted by four artists, Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter, and Ross Whitehead for a competition sponsored by the Fremont Arts Council in 1990. The goal, in part, was to clean up the area under the bridge which was becoming a dumping ground and haven for drug dealers. 
The Troll is 18 ft. high, weighs 6,000 13,000 lbs. and is made of steel rebar, wire, and concrete.  It is clutching an actual Volkswagen Beetle with a California license plate.  It’s one good eye is a hubcap.

Having moved from California to Washington 20 years ago, I remember the perceived prejudice about Californians coming up here and buying up all the cheap real estate, inflating housing prices.  Although I never personally felt like an interloper, I guess the troll was getting even!