Did You Indulge?

We enjoyed a favorite treat yesterday, not for the first time on our recent road trip to RI.

Many long-time readers of this blog already know that this favorite is ice cream.

We're very huge fans who never really need a reason to enjoy this cold treat. 

Does anyone?

Actually, it was to celebrate the day. In case you missed it, Sunday, July 21, was the 40th anniversary of National Ice Cream Day in the U.S. That's reason enough to celebrate.

In July 1984, under Presidential Proclamation 5219, President Ronald Reagan named July as National Ice Cream Month and designated the third Sunday in July as National Ice Cream Day and this year that third Sunday was yesterday. 

True, the proclamation only indicated a single 1984 day and year, but since then July ice cream month has become widely publicized by ice cream makers and sellers. So now, ice cream fans, like us celebrate more often, not just in July. 

We're not alone. The average American eats some 20 pounds of ice cream each year. Sunday is the most popular day to enjoy it. Vanilla is the most popular flavor worldwide (a surprise), followed by chocolate. California leads the U.S. in ice cream eating with over 4,200 ice cream shops. Minnesota folks eat the least. Statistically, men eat less ice cream than women; folks aged 55 and over consume the most.

Eskimo King in Bristol, RI

The origin of ice cream isn't really known, but according to popular urban legends, ice cream was invented by the ancient Chinese, brought to Italy by Marco Polo, then to France by Catherine de Medici, then by Thomas Jefferson to America. There's no proof supporting any of these legends. 

It's known that George Washington served ice cream and, in 1784, had a mechanical ice cream maker at his Mount Vernon estate. That's thought to be the same year that Jefferson developed a taste for ice cream when serving as a diplomat in Paris. Later, as president, he served ice cream in the executive mansion and wrote out a recipe for vanilla ice cream.

By the late 19th century, the U.S. had a lot of ice cream innovations. In 1874, the first ice cream soda was mixed by a Philadelphia pharmacist. The ice cream sundae dates to 1881, several Midwestern towns claim to be home to its creation. Historians suggest that ice cream sundae originated as a workaround for Blue Laws that prohibited the sale of ice cream sodas on Sunday.  Strange as it seems, religious groups opposed what they called “sucking sodas” and felt it should be banned on the Sabbath. 

Ice Cream sign in Warren, RI

Edible ice cream cups were patented in the 1880s. Milkshakes promoted as a health drink (why not?) became popular. The waffle cone was introduced at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Dairy Queen and the Carvel company claim to have developed the first soft-serve ice cream in the mid-1930s. Frozen yogurt, was introduced in the 1970s.

In 1920, ice cream's popularity soared after Congress passed the 18th amendment outlawing the sale, manufacture, and transport of alcoholic beverages. American breweries like Anheuser-Busch and Yuengling partially switched to ice cream and soda production to survive. In 1926, Clarence Vogt, a refrigeration engineer and inventor in Louisville, KY, created the first commercially successful continuous process freezer, the Vogt Instant Freezer. Ingredients would be poured in at one end and ice cream came out the other end, which eventually lead to mass marketing of ice cream.

If anyone needs a reason to celebrate ice cream, how about hot weather as a really good one? Most everyone has had some in recent weeks. But then, ice cream is good in cooler weather too.

Go ahead and indulge, even if you missed the anniversary date. It's never too late, besides we won't tell anyone 😋🍦.

The Eskimo King fiberglass statue shows a grinning boy holding an ice cream cone. These statues were originally produced for A&W Root Beer by International Fiberglass and known as the Teen Burger statue. The design was modified by the manufacturer to its present form with overalls and a lip-licking tongue. Years ago, Eskimo King held a contest to name its statue and the winning name was "Manny Flavors." The company's motto is "Where Ice Cream Rules."

Straddling Two Countries

The Haskell Library and Opera House

At first glance, It looks like any other Victorian-style building from the early 20th century, complete with stained-glass windows, a grandiose facade and a slate roof. But, appearances aside, this isn't just a grand old building. Here, the border between two countries bisects the building, leaving library users and theatre-goers in one country or the other.

Amazingly, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House (Bibliothèque et salle d’opéra Haskell) is a historic building that's located equally in the small cities of Derby Line, Vermont, U.S. and Stanstead, Quebec, Canada. At the time it was built, people in this rural region moved freely, between these borders, not so anymore.

Derby Line is the still rural Vermont town on the U.S. side of the border. Stanstead, Quebec, the small town on the Canadian side also has American roots and, according to its website, it was founded by pioneers from New England in the 1790s and once a haven for smugglers and bootleggers. As the town grew,  it became the first Canadian stop for the stagecoach that ran from Boston to Quebec City.

At the U.S. border in Derby Line, VT

How did we come across this place?

We were on a road trip to Derby Line, VT, last week to complete our application for Global Entry at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office. This program allows expedited clearance upon arrival in the U.S. from travel abroad. We're (hopefully) planning to travel abroad at least once before year-end.  

The trip from Nashua, NH, to VT was 3 hours each way. We stayed overnight in the area. We had read about the Haskell library and knew that we wanted to visit it.

While the ornate stone two-story Queen Anne Revival-style building that houses the library and an opera house has two addresses, Canadian and American, there's only one entrance and it's on the U.S. side of the border, which is where we were too..

Americans can freely enter by the front door in the U.S. Canadians cross the border in front of the library, stay on the sidewalk and enter via the front door too. They return to Canada via the same route and cannot walk anywhere else in town. And, Americans cannot cross over the sidewalk into Canada. I admit to having crossed the line.

Passports aren’t required since this isn't a formal border crossing, but the library tells visitors to expect their movements to be monitored and carry an ID, just in case.The photo at the left shows how close the border is. This crosswalk is adjacent to the Haskell library. 

Canadians can freely access the library and must return back by the same route when they leave. Family reunions or cross-border visits are not allowed inside, banned after relatives, who were allowed to be in the U.S. or Canada, not both, began arriving for get togethers. The day we visited, a Canadian police vehicle was parked on the Canadian side monitoring the border line. A library volunteer we spoke to told us the border was monitored daily; however the patrol car wasn't there when we left. We had our passports with us, but they were not needed.

Martha Haskells & son Horace Stewart

The building's construction combines elements of the Queen Anne, Georgian and classical revival styles, typical of public libraries of that time. It was conceived and financed by Martha Stewart Haskell, a wealthy Canadian citizen, and her son Horace Stewart Haskell in memory of Stewart's parents, Catherine and Horace Stewart, and late husband Carlos Haskell, an American sawmill owner. 

According to available information, the Haskells purposely chose to build on the border so that Canadians and Americans would have equal access to the library and opera house when border restrictions were more fluid. 

Two large portraits of the Haskells are displayed in the entrance hall. As accounts go, Martha Haskell’s goal was to cheat the border. Accordingly, for years, Canadians and Americans would cross into each others’ countries to attend school, church and marry. Times have changed since then.

Construction began in 1901 and the opera house opened in 1904 as a profit-producing venture that would support the free public library which opened in 1905. 

It's easy to know which country you're in by the very unusual international border, this  black tape line that divides it down the middle. This dividing line was not accidental. It was added to designate the exact border line after a fire decades ago set off a fight between insurance companies over which had to pay for damages.

Patrick has one foot in two countries

We stepped across the tape on the floor and crossed from the U.S. into Canada. This atrium was the center but the circulation desk wasn't here years ago. It was originally positioned to block access to the stacks where the books were located. Small flags of both countries are provided so visitors have a photo opp with a foot in each country as Patrick did above. 

A wooden book used years ago

Years ago, library visitors didn't have free access to books because at the time (1904), books were more valuable and harder to come by. Library users would tell the librarian what they wanted or would give a wooden block of wood with the title — as shown in the above photo — then the book would be brought out. The circulation desk (shown in a photo below) was originally positioned to block access to the stacks where the books were located.

The Haskell library stacks are mostly the original shelves

Today, the library stacks can be freely accessed by library patrons and visitors alike. The library's collection numbers over 20,000 books, mostly in English and French with some Spanish titles as well. Most of this collection is located in Canada. 

The Opera House seating

Unfortunately, the opera house was closed to visitors on the day of our visit, so we didn't see the opera house interiors, this time.

Available photos showed a magnificent venue with a domed ceiling, original mahogany wooden seats and a balcony. The seats closer to the stage are pricier, wider, and have an armrest. We learned that cushions can be rented for the hard wooden seats, regular attendees bring their own.

The stage screens were done by an artist from southern Vermont hired by Horace Haskell. The one that's used most often is a Venice scene which includes a steamboat,  in the back of the scene as Haskell liked steamboats.

As in the library, the theatre is crossed by an international border. Most of the 400-seats are in the U.S. and the show is performed on a stage in Canada. 

Haskell Opera House balcony, Internet source

The opera house includes an arch that provides a clear view of the performance, decorative cherubs and wall murals are typical of early 20th century theatre decor. Performers here have included vaudeville, jazz, blues, rock, music and dance performers, many have left their signatures on dressing room walls.

"Benny"

This is the only moose we saw on our road trip despite the numerous Moose Crossing road signs. It's nicknamed Benny and is displayed in the library near the main desk. As with the flags near the entry way, it's a popular photo "opp."

The story goes that the huge moose was shot in new Brunswick, Canada, by a man named Hunt and that it didn't fit into the front door into his house. Many suspect that his wife refused entry and so it was donated to the library.

The clock in the photo below is original to the 1904 library opening. According to the library volunteer, who provided much information during our visit, it wasn't working for years until a patron repaired it and now it runs perfectly, she added, as long as a staff member remembers to wind it..

The original clock and main library desk

Over the years, some of the library rooms have changed uses. The children's room was the once the men's reading room, where men would recline with their newspapers, books, pipes, and cigars near the room's fireplace. Each room features a different locally-sourced wood, perhaps in tribute to Martha Haskell's sawmill owner husband. There are also several fireplaces, no longer in use except for decorative purposes.

The building has been classified a historic site in both countries. In the U.S., it was registered in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1976 and has been included in Ripley's Believe It or Not. In 1985, the building was designated a National Historic Site in Canada and has been a provincial heritage site since 1977. Being on the international border, gives the Haskell library a unique distinction of being the only NRHP registered landmark above the 45th parallel.

If you're entering from the U.S., there's limited parking at the library in a small adjacent lot. You can see American and Canadian border crossings shown on granite markers. 

An illegal border crossing can be quite costly

If you plan to visit The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, its address is 93 Caswell Ave., Derby Line, VT or 1 Church St. Stanstead, Quebec depending on where you're traveling from. 

FYI in reply to comment: Yes, as with many places, the Haskell Library was closed for a couple years when the pandemic cancelled everything. Initially, it closed for a week, then a month and then 2 years. During the shutdown, money was raised to install insulated windows in the opera house. Before this was done, winter performances couldn't be scheduled as the facility was too cold, the season now includes winter performances. As to a query as to which country owns the building, I couldn't find a definitive answer, perhaps it's owned by both countries

Did anyone say that Spring was here? It certainly was not Mother Nature who has sprung a late April Fools' Day weather event here in New England with a nor'easter. This was the 7 a.m. view outside from our apartment windows today. 

Finally, here's a shout-out to my brother on his birthday today. He's celebrating in our home state of NJ, where the weather is just as miserable but only rainy.

He's officially a senior citizen, just like ourselves. This posted before photo shows him celebrating a much earlier birthday. I hope he enjoys a 🎂 cake today as well !

We're thankful to be celebrating after all these years.

🎉 Happy Birthday 🎈

Where the Ponies Are

These are corralled in a farm field on a country road in Lincoln, MA, where you might expect to see live horses roaming. Instead, the horses in this field were never alive except in the childish imaginations of their former owners and visitors. 

Ponyhenge is the name of this whimsical New England collection that started sometime in 2010 and is both nostalgic and melancholic. While there's a lot of theories on its origin, no one knows the exact answer. The herd has increased annually and the corral field has become a New England roadside novelty that's been written about many times. Children's horses are in many different styles and materials from classic brown rocking horses on a spring bases to colorful ones in ivory, black, pink and blue. Some include the names of a former owner or family, some include a message. There's even some few non-ponies.

We saddled up drove here a couple of months ago after visiting the American Heritage Museum in nearby Hudson, MA. This was after, I had listened to a podcast about this novelty attraction and, since we were in the area, we went looking for it. The day we stopped, there were a couple of families with young children who were riding the ponies.

The word henge describes a prehistoric monument made up of a circle of stone or wooden uprights. The term first appeared in the mid-18th century and comes from the word Stonehenge, derived from Middle English words for stone and a version of the word hinge. 

How it was applied to this roadside collection is a mystery as the only thing both have in common is that their origin is unknown. This collection of ponies has also been called the Rocking Horse Graveyard, and unlike the British one, it often changes both in number and formation. Yet, the how and why remains unknown to all, locals and visitors alike.

Owners of the farmland (James Pingeon and his wife Elizabeth Graver) live next door and have said in various accounts that the collection began when a headless horseman prop was left there after Halloween. Another story is that, years ago, children started a lemonade stand, then abandoned it leaving behind a couple of toy horses. Yet another tale claims that a left over a Christmas display horse was then put out to pasture there. 

It's also uncertain where the subsequent herd additions have come from as Ponyhenge is a collaboration of many unknown donors. According to some accounts, there's been as many as 50 in the field. We counted over three dozen plastic and wooden models with rusted springs and peeling paint, many saddled up with wood or plastic handles just awaiting young riders.

According to some accounts, the herd is sometimes rearranged into a new formation. No one seems to know how or by whom. Reportedly. at Kentucky Derby time, the horses have been moved into lines awaiting a starting shot. They've also adorned with lights at holiday time. 

Despite its popularity, there's no vandalism apparent, only the ravages of time and the elements. Rather than take away, people increase the collection. The horses are cared for by no one and everyone. It seems that visitors come to remember a bit of childhood memory or to share it with their children. 

The collection was close to the road, easy to spot and arranged in a circular pattern on our visit. While on privately owned land, it's open to all visitors all the time; these ponies are not fenced in. Children can and do ride them; some cry when parents signal it's time to leave (we witnessed this firsthand). The land owners maintain the grounds and keep the grassy area cut. Rocks placed near the road keep motorists from driving directly onto the field. There's no specified parking area, but enough space to pull over on the rural roadway. 

Some folks might consider this site creepy, others unusual. It's someplace where there’s nothing to do except look, remember and, if you're young enough, to ride some not-so-wild horses.

NH Punkin Chunkin

This site caught our attention in rural Greenfield, NH

Admittedly, it’s not what we expected to see on a fall drive in rural Greenfield, NH, recently. It looked like rusting turrets and an assortment of equipment. Of course, we had to stop. 

This drawbridge was in the small on-site pond

The question then became, what was this place at one time? Perhaps it was an abandoned construction site, but then what was that drawbridge all about? (We never did find that.)

Yankee Siege Main Gate

Curious, we pulled off the roadway and saw these giant gates. Despite their deteriorating state, they were still quite elaborate and decorative. These front and rear views show that there’s a door at the base of each tower. According to an article, there are steel rungs inside to climb to the top of the turret (which we didn't try).

We wandered around the site exploring and taking photos. The name Yankee Siege was but spelled out in chain links on the entrance gates. The gates didn't close off the area and could be simply be walked around to enter a large field filled with all manner of dilapidated equipment and other items.

What exactly was Yankee Siege? 

Once home we checked online and learned that the site had such a short history. For several years in the early 2000s, its main attraction was the Yankee Siege trebuchet, a replica medieval style war machine, which used a swinging arm to hurl stones or other items. In this case it was pumpkins and other things. In simplest terms, it resembled an oversize catapult, but wasn't exactly the same. That's because catapults get their power by tension from springs or ropes. Whereas, trebuchets fling their cargo based on the forces of gravity.

Trebuchets are thought to have originated in China and were further refined in the Mid-East and Europe. From 1300-1500, the trebuchet was the ultimate military siege weapon. It would be built just outside a castle to be seized, positioned out of range of the bow and arrow. Trebuchets could hurl 250 lb. rocks at the castle wall trying to repeatedly hit the same spot on the wall, causing the thick walls to collapse. The invention of the cannon, around 1500, signaled the end of its reign.

What’s the backstory in this NH field?

Steven Seigars, a dentist, and his wife, Kathy, ran The Yankee Farmer, a nursery and farm stand in Greenfield, NH, in what might be described as the middle of nowhere. The story goes that, after watching a program on medieval trebuchets, Seigars decided that building one would attract more roadside business. Being inexperienced in building an oversize weapon of warfare wasn’t an obstacle as friends and family, including welders, machinists, and construction contractors, helped build an elaborate firing range and theme park across from the farm stand. Most things were made of metal. A hefty anchor chain was used to make the medieval-looking chain fence; each link weighed in at over 80 pounds. Construction took more than 2 years. The site opened to the public in 2004. 

Former Yankee Siege concession stand. Greenfield, NH

The tower above was a former concession stand. There were also remains of what looked like a granite seating area. That granite bench in the second photo was not only hard, but cold too.

Granite seating area at Yankee Siege (perhaps a photo opp?)

The Yankee Siege trebuchet didn’t hurl rocks, but pumpkins available from the farm that Seigars operated. According to online sources, the popular attraction drew large crowds during the peak autumn season to see pumpkins being chucked as well as furniture and appliances, including a refrigerator and a piano. The sale of pumpkins not used as ammunition also increased. 

Yankee Siege Trebuchet, Greenfield, NH

This was a massive weapon that stood nearly 60 feet high and weighed in at 26 tons. It sat on four 10-foot wheels that weighed over 2,500 pounds each. Its counterweight could be filled with 10 tons of rocks and could hurl a 300-pound projectile a quarter-mile or over. It was built of oak, steel, and materials bought from Mid-City Steel, a MA warehouse of used steel and metal parts. It was reportedly fast and quiet for its size. Seigars built two trebuchets, Yankee Siege I and Yankee Siege II.

Spiked mace at Yankee Siege

Another weapon of destruction on this site is a 14-foot high, 10,000 pound spiked mace. As part of the public show, it would be heisted up by a crane then dropped onto large items, including vehicles. The crane, which is still onsite, can be seen behind it in the photo above.

Yankee Castle was the punkin chunkin target at Yankee Siege 

What's a large gate without a castle? The oil-drum Yankee Castle was built some 600 feet away as a target. But, the trebuchet was hurling pumpkins often over 2,000 feet. Years ago, the drawbridge and path leading up to it were landscaped and lined with pumpkins. The towers had a chamber below, each with a different painted scene. Between pumpkin launches, visitors could explore the castle. Now, everything is overgrown. While there's online videos of others who've visited the site and entered the castle in recent years, we did not attempt access.

Yankee Siege turret with maiden

That's why this second turreted tower was built and manned by a volunteer with a range finder to determine how far the pumpkins were hurled. It came complete with a damsel in the window and a message on the front (Entrapped here she'll stay until time takes her beauty away). A fake door was painted in the front of the tower; a real door in the rear allowed access to the top.

The site closed in 2010. According to an online source, part of the reason was that the team got so good at chunking pumpkins great distances that the site became too small. Despite checking online, no other information was found. The farm stand and pumpkin business is also closed.

In its heyday, the Yankee Siege trebuchet won several Punkin Chunkin world championships and also set world distance records. It now sits idle and rusting. The top half has been removed, but the giant wheeled-base is on display in the field. 

Onsite there's also a collection of various equipment, including a smaller trebuchet and apparently abandoned construction equipment.

Assortment of items at Yankee Siege site

Seigars and his team were catapulting pumpkins for years before learning about the annual Punkin Chunkin competition, a pumpkin hurling contest formerly held in Milton, DE. Taking Yankee Siege apart for the 500-mile trip was a major undertaking that required disassembly and using a tractor-trailer, and other trucks and trailers. It threw a pumpkin further than any trebuchet ever did before setting a world record. In more recent years, the competition has relocated to IL.

The Yankee Siege reportedly is retired due to the high cost of competing. Not only did it need to be taken apart and transported using heavy-duty equipment, but there were team members tp house and feed which led to competition costs in excess of $10,000.

This abandoned roadside attraction was quite the unexpected adventure. To answer a fellow
blogger's question, we did see a No Trespassing sign. That said, there were no enclosures and the area is completely open and unfenced as the photos show. During our 30 minute exploration, we walked around and saw a couple other curiosity seekers who stopped. We left our footprints and took away these photos. 

None of the artifacts showed signs of graffiti, just the ravages of time and the elements, perhaps due to this rural location. We suspect that Yankee Siege still draws much roadside rubbernecking and stops from the curious, like ourselves.

A post next week will include another unexpected and very unique roadside attraction. This one is in MA and not only invites, but attracts visitors of all ages.

Safest Crop in Chester

It's the time of year once again when scarecrows and pumpkin people increase the population of  many New England towns—Some more so than others.

Driving through the town of Chester, NH, is a leisurely drive most days, but since 2010 it's become a fall destination for many people, and this year, ourselves included. 

In a year of social distancing, this is an event which can be done from driving along Routes 102 and 121, but on busy weekends it's harder to slow down to see all these seasonal scarecrows that are anything but “standard.”

Chester is considered one of the oldest towns in NH. Every October, its population is temporarily increased by up to 1,000 seasonal residents. This quintessential New England village features many stately 18th and 19th century residences. Railroads bypassed the town later in the 19th century, and the lack of new development helped preserve the town’s appearance.

Town residents definitely have a sense of humor and a lot of whimsical creativity as hundreds of scarecrows can be seen throughout the town. Estimates place the current number at close to 1,000 as 100 new kits are sold each year since the project started a decade ago.

The Chester Historical Society (CHS) started the now traditional displays as a fundraiser, selling 60 scarecrows the first year. The project was the brainchild of  member Jackie Brown. Residents purchased the kits and created the very personalized scarecrows. Since then, the scarecrows have become a town tradition.

Each kit includes a painted burlap face and sticks to help the figure stand. No two faces are alike. Only 100 kits are made each year, but the scarecrow population keeps growing as residents add to their collections.

The CHS announces when the scarecrow bodies go on sale, usually the second Saturday in September. No advance orders can be placed and they sell out fast, usually before the end of the month. A purchase/donation is for a painted burlap head and wooden body frame.

Scarecrows are made by CHS members who create the kits at a “Scarecrow Sweatshop,” Some members cut out the scarecrow heads from burlap material, others paint faces, sew heads and then iron them. Jackie's husband, Don Brown, president of the historical society, creates the wooden body structures. The couple is also represented by scarecrows ↓.

Many figures take up seasonal residence along Routes 102 and 121, and many are congregated where three properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places — Chester Village Cemetery, Chester Congregational and Baptist Church, and Stevens Memorial Hall — converge. (The National Register of Historic Places is the U.S. federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for historical significance.) According to an online site, Chester may be the only NH town with listed properties occupying three of four intersecting corners. We were able to park, then safely walk to view a collection of scarecrows in this area, including some of the ones below.

Many residents spend much of the year planning the elaborate creations, each with its own story to tell. It's been reported that many people know what they’re going to do next year, even before the kits are available. Each year, residents change their scarecrow creation, with the exception of the historical figures and town heroes which they are encouraged to retain each year.

No two are alike, all are all responsible for slowing traffic and turning heads. Many figures represent historical and literary personages: George Washington stands guard over a cemetery where Revolutionary War soldiers are buried; Edgar Allen Poe stands with a copy of The Raven by the Chester Village Cemetery with a raven perched on his shoulder. Ben Franklin flies a kite.

Others are simply whimsical. The seasonal residents span decades and represent everything from pop-culture icons, to popular tv shows, classic movies, funny puns, and even horror. The front yard of one residence featured Marilyn Monroe, Little Orphan Annie, and Alfred Einstein

Not only have the scarecrows grown in number and creativity over 10 years, so have the number of Scarecrow Peepers who show up every October as well. It has put Chester, NH, on many fall road trip destinations. One year, the town was featured in an AAA story which drew visitors from many non-New England states.

Sometimes, you can go to a town’s online site and read about residents griping about one thing or another, not so in Chester, NH, in October where the town talk is usually about one thing — scarecrows. It’s happy and people are positive — that’s a very good thing these days.

Scarecrows stay up the entire month of October and go into hibernation after Halloween. By no means did we even come close to seeing all the scarecrows throughout the town’s 26 miles of roadway. We plan to start earlier next year.

 

The concept of scarecrow people isn't new. Many projects can be found throughout the U.S. and abroad too; it's also the name of a reggae band. For aficionados willing to travel (when they can), there’s a very unique scarecrow site along Highway 5 outside of Suomussalmi, Finland, where over 1,000 scarecrow-like figures, The Silent People (Hiljainen kansa) stand in a field. Created by artist Reijo Kela in 1988 these simple wooden bodies are made of bog-like material and straw hair and wear colorful clothing which is changed twice a year. 

The artist has never explained his purpose preferring that viewers come up with their own interpretations. A popular theory is that they represent those lost during a battle that took place during the Winter War of 1939-1940 between Finland and Soviet Russia.

Internet source

Motorists term the sight amusing or scary. The figures are constructed of peat heads covered in straw hair. The cross-shaped wooden bodies are draped with colorful clothing that is collected through donation and changed by the Suomussalmi Youth Workshop which maintains the installation.

 

For now, we plan to continue viewing local scarecrow installations. The downtown scarecrows are back along Main St, Nashua, NH, and will be featured in a future post.