Giant Wooden Trolls Found In Minnesota
“Trolls in D.L.” is a creative project that blends art, nature, recycling and puzzle solving, requiring mental and physical activity. These gigantic trolls won’t be found under bridges. Leif, the 36-ft. troll, is the tallest of five giant trolls made of recycled wood and other items hidden on public land around Detroit Lakes, Minn.
According to volunteers with Project 412, a nonprofit group dedicated to cultural and economic development who coordinated the project, there are plenty of places to “hide” them in the lush forests around 412 lakes in a 50-mile radius.
The adventure begins with Alexa, a Detroit Lakes City Park troll, and a giant wooden book with clues to find a “Golden Rabbit.” The website, www.project412mn.org/trolls-dl, provides information on where to find the trolls.
The giant sculptures are the brainchild of Thomas Dambo, a Danish artist who created trolls in several countries as part of his recycling message, which includes his book “Trash, Trolls & Treasure Hunts.” A Project 412 member saw his work in Breckenridge, Colo., and recognized the attention it brought to the area. The group decided to go big with the idea.
“Thomas says it’s his most ambitious project because it has the most sculptures in a concentrated area and has the largest troll,” says Amy Stoller Stearns, Project 412’s executive director. After coming to Detroit Lakes with his wife in 2023 to find suitable locations, Dambo and his crew built the heads, hands and feet of the trolls in Denmark.
The rest of the bodies were built onsite with lumber sawed from trees cut from a nearby highway project, pallets, and other waste wood gathered around Detroit Lakes. The Golden Rabbit was inspired by a visit to the city’s waste facility. Dambo found broken yellow plastic boxes that had held parts at BTD, a local metalwork manufacturing company. About 2,000 were salvaged, disassembled, and power-washed by Sentencing to Service workers before Dambo and his team returned in 2024.
“We had over 300 volunteers to help build the trolls,” Stoller Stearns says, including people from other states who heard about the project. Under Dambo’s direction, his crew and volunteers also pieced the yellow plastic pieces to create the rabbit and made 800 birdhouses and three “portals” in local communities that are part of the clues in the treasure hunt.
The storyline is about “cooking up an elixir for a better life” by being good to the planet. The clues are challenging for people who enjoy puzzles. For those more interested in hiking on trails and seeing the trolls, general locations can be found at a link at www.visitdetroitlakes.com/explore/discover-trolls-in-detroit-lakes.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Project 412, 806 Summit Ave., Detroit Lakes, Minn. 56501 (ph 218-844-4221, ext. 122; hello@project412mn.org; www.project412mn.org).
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Giant Wooden Trolls Found In Minnesota AG WORLD “Trolls in D L ” is a creative project that blends art nature recycling and puzzle solving requiring mental and physical activity These gigantic trolls won’t be found under bridges Leif the 36-ft troll is the tallest of five giant trolls made of recycled wood and other items hidden on public land around Detroit Lakes Minn According to volunteers with Project 412 a nonprofit group dedicated to cultural and economic development who coordinated the project there are plenty of places to “hide” them in the lush forests around 412 lakes in a 50-mile radius The adventure begins with Alexa a Detroit Lakes City Park troll and a giant wooden book with clues to find a “Golden Rabbit ” The website www project412mn org/trolls-dl provides information on where to find the trolls The giant sculptures are the brainchild of Thomas Dambo a Danish artist who created trolls in several countries as part of his recycling message which includes his book “Trash Trolls & Treasure Hunts ” A Project 412 member saw his work in Breckenridge Colo and recognized the attention it brought to the area The group decided to go big with the idea “Thomas says it’s his most ambitious project because it has the most sculptures in a concentrated area and has the largest troll ” says Amy Stoller Stearns Project 412’s executive director After coming to Detroit Lakes with his wife in 2023 to find suitable locations Dambo and his crew built the heads hands and feet of the trolls in Denmark The rest of the bodies were built onsite with lumber sawed from trees cut from a nearby highway project pallets and other waste wood gathered around Detroit Lakes The Golden Rabbit was inspired by a visit to the city’s waste facility Dambo found broken yellow plastic boxes that had held parts at BTD a local metalwork manufacturing company About 2 000 were salvaged disassembled and power-washed by Sentencing to Service workers before Dambo and his team returned in 2024 “We had over 300 volunteers to help build the trolls ” Stoller Stearns says including people from other states who heard about the project Under Dambo’s direction his crew and volunteers also pieced the yellow plastic pieces to create the rabbit and made 800 birdhouses and three “portals” in local communities that are part of the clues in the treasure hunt The storyline is about “cooking up an elixir for a better life” by being good to the planet The clues are challenging for people who enjoy puzzles For those more interested in hiking on trails and seeing the trolls general locations can be found at a link at www visitdetroitlakes com/explore/discover-trolls-in-detroit-lakes Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Project 412 806 Summit Ave Detroit Lakes Minn 56501 ph 218-844-4221 ext 122; hello@project412mn org; www project412mn org
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