Clinton Invites Volunteers to Build Giant Troll Sculptures

Clinton, Iowa is turning salvaged wood from its industrial past into whimsical giants, and the whole community is invited to help build them.

The Sawmill Museum is recruiting volunteers throughout April to construct three large-scale troll sculptures designed by internationally known artist Thomas Dambo. The Danish artist specializes in creating towering figures from recycled materials, and now Clinton residents get hands-on experience bringing his vision to life.

The project uses lumber that tells Clinton's own story. More than 800 board feet came from salvaged logs at Valley Oaks Golf Course, milled locally by Retired With Wood. Additional reclaimed wood arrived from the old Eagle Point Park Lodge, including planks stamped with "Joyce," a nod to the historic Joyce Lumber Company that once operated in the area.

"The trolls know Clinton's story. They witnessed it, or so the story goes," said Andy Green, director of the Sawmill Museum. "With volunteering with the troll construction, the community has a chance to help tell it."

That story runs deep. In the 19th century, Clinton stood as one of America's leading lumber processing centers. Logs floated down the Mississippi River from Wisconsin and Minnesota forests to Clinton's sawmills, where they powered the local economy and shaped the region's identity.

The Ripple Effect

This project does more than honor history. It reimagines how communities can breathe new life into materials destined for landfills while creating gathering spaces that draw visitors and spark conversation.

Three build sites will operate from after Easter through May 1, with the finished sculptures unveiled in May. Volunteers of all skill levels can sign up online to help assemble wooden structures, work alongside project leaders, and contribute to general construction tasks.

The trolls will stand as permanent installations at multiple sites throughout Clinton, turning the city into an unexpected destination for public art lovers. Each sculpture reinforces Dambo's signature themes of sustainability and environmental awareness, reminding visitors that yesterday's waste can become tomorrow's wonder.

Clinton is proving that small cities can dream big, one reclaimed board at a time.