By Mary Drew at Pasty Central (Mdrew) on Thursday, April 27, 2023 - 07:32 am:
Nancy Haun finds the most interesting items to photograph and share. She snapped the first three photos here today of “Harlow’s Wooden Man” that has been standing in Marquette since 1875. The fourth photo from Views of the Past.com gives you a good perspective on how tall this wooden man is, he stands 15 feet high.
Below is the story of Harlow’s Wooden Man, courtesy of Marquette Regional History Center:
In the spring of 1875, during a walk behind his house, Amos Harlow, one of Marquette’s founding fathers, noticed a great cedar tree. He observed that it resembled a man, so much so that he was inspired to cut the tree down, move it to his back yard, invert it and add a few embellishments.
Limbs (pun intended) from the original tree were cut and fastened to the Wooden Man’s body at what was to become the shoulders. Two fungi attached to the head became ears. His coat of cedar bark received a collar and cuffs made from birch bark. To cover his balding head, a large hemp rope was untwined and attached to his head. A straw-type hat also made of cedar bark completed the ensemble. No self respecting gentleman of the day would go for a walk in the woods without a cane, so an appropriately sized branch was found for him to hold in his right hand. (Somewhere along the way, he lost his cane and his straw-type hat was replaced with what you see in Nancy’s photos).
This one hundred forty eight year old man still stands tall (15 feet). Harlow’s Wooden Man remains a tribute to all the hearty pioneers who have come to this area. This symbol of our heritage was chosen as the title of the Marquette County History Museum’s quarterly publication in 1965.
The Harlow’s Wooden Man Publication is produced quarterly with information including news about the Museum, historical articles and photographs and upcoming events. Members receive the journal free of charge.
Harlow’s Wooden Man is on private property, which is fenced, but you can view him through the fence as Nancy did. She said he’s behind the Auto Parts Store on Spring Street, by the Cathedral. Walk behind the parts store, they are used to people coming to visit!
Today’s video continues the creativity, with Michigan Rocks and his entry in the Makers Challenge 2023. Rob says each year Theo Kellison challenges a group of rockhounds to make something out of their rocks. This year, Rob decided to make butterflies out of rocks that he found. Sit back and enjoy his lesson on creating stone butterflies.
