Hodag Hunt

Yesterday Katie and I went to town armed with cameras, in search of the Hodags on Parade. I had already seen 4 of them from a distance as I was driving around Rhinelander, but we needed to find the fifth and take pictures of them all. We dropped Katie's car off to get the muffler fixed and set out in the beautiful morning on foot to bag us some Hodags.
The first one we encountered is called "In Memory of Those Who Served." This is my favorite, of course, because it's honoring the troops. Painted by nine students in a Rhinelander High School art class, it is done in camouflage on a base designed like the American flag. The POW/MIA flag is on the back of the "log", with the words "You will never be forgotten." Awesome! This one is located across from the public parking lot behind M & I bank.
Next we turned left on Brown St. to head up to the end and see the one Hodag I hadn't yet been by. (Window shopping on the way, I saw something in a frame shop that I wanted for a gift and went in to get it. It was a perfect Christmas present for someone Fred works with. I need to spend more time checking out the downtown shops here!!) The second sculpture was titled "Nightmare on Brown Street." It shows various "monsters" that might appear in our nightmares--like Freddy Krueger and snakes! Katie had her picture taken with this one.
We retraced our steps and headed for Stevens St. and the remaining three Hodags. In front of the public library we found "Creatures of the Northwoods." This one has detailed pictures of several critters you'll see here in the North--eagles, bears, deer, badgers, loons, raccoons, skunks, foxes--and of course, a hodag! I took pictures of all the detailing (which can be found on Facebook)
Next to McDonald's is the "Lumberjack Hodag". He is wearing a plaid flannel shirt and represents the logging industry that boomed here years ago. This one was my least favorite as it lacked detail or specifics about its subject. (Oooo, now I'm an art critic!)
Finally we came to "All Roads Lead to Rhinelander" across from People's State Bank. This one has the U.S. on one side with symbols of various cities and arrows pointing in the direction of Rhinelander. The Golden Gate Bridge, Space Needle, Mt. Rushmore, the White House, and Statue of Liberty are just some of the small details depicted. The other side shows the Rhinelander area and its various townships in detail.
Finally we drove out to the Chamber of Commerce building to see the BIG hodag, the "Mother Ship" as Katie called it. She sprawled across the hodag's feet like a playboy centerfold for a picture--then we saw the sign that says "Please do not climb on the hodag." Oops.
We haven't lived here that long, but I'm already a Hodag fan and proud to be represented by such a unique and legendary creature. The cards I send out to soldiers for the Halloween card swap through anysoldier.com are going to have Hodags on them--with a picture of the Parade's military Hodag inside. I know they're supposed to be ugly and scary, but after awhile they grow on you. They sort of remind me of Shrek!