"Fremont wavers whimsically somewhere in time between the 50’s, 60’s and the 23rd century."

After our trip to see Lenin last week, we returned briefly to Fremont today, to find the "Center Of The Universe" sign (thanks Tom!). A bonus was the Fremont Rocket. So here it is, and below are four of the nearby sights. (click the number to read about them)

  

1. The Fremont Troll
The Troll lurks under the Aurora Bridge in Fremont. You can't tell in this picture, but in his left hand he is crushing a real Volkswagen.

He was constructed in 1991, weighing 2 tons and standing 18 feet tall. He is often the center of festivities at Hallowe'en, sporting a nose ring made out of a bicycle wheel, and a huge spider crawling over his shoulder.
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2. The Rocket
The Fremont Rocket was made using a 1950s rocket which was found at a surplus shop in the area known as Belltown.

The Rocket was erected in 1994. Apparently, it oozes clouds of steam regularly - too bad we missed that.

We'll have to go back ;-)
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3. Trolleyman
These five commuters have been waiting since 1978 for a trolley which never came. The statue is a memorial to the old trolley line which used to run between Seattle and Everett to the north. The dog's face (not visible in my picture) is modelled after someone with whom the sculptor was having a dispute.

The statue is called Waiting For The Interurban.
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4. Lenin
Torn down during the revolution in 1989 in Slovakia, this statue of Lenin was brought to Seattle by Lewis Carpenter. After Carpenter died in 1994, the statue briefly presided over Fremont's famous Sunday Flea Market. Lenin's stay was brief because flooding caused serious erosion under the pavement supporting his large weight.

Now Lenin stands atop a sturdy, concrete pedestal nearby. His purpose is to remind folks that art outlives politics.
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