"Downtown" Roadside Art

Roadside art isn't always found along back roads or highways. We found quite a colorful collection in various states during our recent cross country road trip. (A few of these sights were posted about during our road trip.)

In Madison, WI, Bucky on Parade was a free public art event that featured 85 life-size Bucky Badger statues on display from mid-May through mid-September. Bucky is the University of Wisconsin mascot and the university commissioned 64 artists to design unique interpretations of the iconic mascot with 15 statues placed on the campus, each decorated on a different theme.

In Mount Horeb, WI, just off US 151, we spotted hand-carved trolls that line the "Trollway" (Main St.) in a city that bills itself as the "Troll Capital of the World." As to why there are trolls everywhere, the reason is that in Norwegian folklore trolls protect the crop and make the crops more prosperous. So the trolls are in and around the town for that reason.

Bennington, VT had a few colorful moose. In 2005, artists were commissioned to paint life-sized fiberglass moose statues for "Moosefest." At a 2009 event, more painted moose were designed and auctioned off to charities. It’s been several years since the festivals, and many statues are now on private properties, but some can still be seen around town.visitors can still see painted moose around Bennington.

Colorful shorebirds were flocking in LaCrosse, WI, as “Herons of La Crosse” statues from the non-profit Pump House public art project were on display downtown.

Originally displayed in 2008, these 6-foot-tall sculptures are an original work of art. The heron project was first organized in 2004 when area businesses, organizations and families sponsored individual herons, which were decorated by regional artists in quite unique ways. Many herons had been in storage and were restored for the public display.

Many things are bigger in the West, including these boots in Elko, NV, that were on display at the Cowboy Gear Museum and the Western Folklife Center, directly across the street from one another. The boot on the right bears the words Elko, NV. I'll stay right here, Bing Crosby. Crosby became smitten with Western life after starring in a 1936 B&W cowboy musical. Crosby made Nevada his "home" between records, concerts, movies, and radio performances and from 1944 to 1958, he owned seven cattle ranches in Elko, NV.

Those boots were small when compared to the world's largest boot in the flagship store of the Red Wing Boot Company on Main Street in Red Wing, MN. In 2005, the company celebrated its 100th anniversary by crafting a 16-foot replica of its classic 877 work boot using the same design and materials. The boot took 4,000 hours to design and was made over 13 months. 

These two giants have nothing in common, except that both in the same town, LaCrosse, WI. "Hiawatha" is a 25-foot-tall, 20-ton cement Indian statue in Riverside Park where the Mississippi, LaCrosse and Black Rivers meet. Gambrinus has been named the "King of Beer" and hoists a goblet of beer. This 15-foot, 1-ton statue is keeping guard over the "World's Largest 6 Pack" that's right across the street.

We enjoyed seeing these "in-town" attractions. Best of all, unlike some other attractions, there was no admission charge.