Fremont Troll - "Troll Collector" - Seattle, WA - Zippy the Pinhead Locations on Waymarking.com

The Fremont Troll is a unique piece of public art located under the north end of the Aurora Bridge in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. The 15 foot high, 2 ton concrete troll clutches a real Volkswagon Beetle and is a favorite photo-op spot for tourists and locals alike. Recently it was featured in the movie "10 Things I Hate About You" which was filmed in Seattle.

The following text is from Wikipedia's page on the troll:

The piece was the winner of a competition sponsored by the Fremont Arts Council in 1990, and was built the same year. The Troll was sculpted by four local artists: Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter and Ross Whitehead. He is interactive—visitors are encouraged to clamber on him or try to poke out his one good eye (a hubcap). The Troll is 5.5 m high, weighs two tons (1814 kg), and is made of steel rebar, wire and ferroconcrete. The artists have chosen to exercise their copyright to control commercial use of Troll images, however, postcards, beer, and other products approved by the artists are commercially available and use is free to non profit organizations.

In 1998, Silas Garfield Cool, a mentally ill individual, shot and killed Mark McLaughlin, a Metro bus driver, as he was driving his bus over the Aurora Bridge, causing the bus to crash through the railing onto an apartment building some 12 meters below, directly across the street from the Troll. Cool fatally shot himself in the head after firing on McLaughlin. [1] Herman Liebelt, 69, died as a result of the accident and 32 other passengers were injured. The Troll became an impromptu memorial site for the victims of the crash; mourners left flowers, notes, and mementos at its base. And, for a time, the Troll sported a single (paper) tear below his left eye.

On Halloween, neighborhood residents hold a "Troll-a-ween" party at the site, leading to a samba driven parade and, on some occasions, Troll-a-gogo dancing.

Roadside America has an article on their Website about him.

Date the strip ran: 12/30/2008 Strip Name: Troll Collector Location of item featured in the strip: Fremont Bridge, Fremont neighborhood of Seattle Link to the Strip: [Web Link]

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