We’ve got some great small towns in Wisconsin, but none are as weirdly wonderful at Mount Horeb, otherwise known as “The Troll Capital of the World.” Wearing its Scandinavian heritage on its sleeve, the tiny town is decorated with life-sized wooden trolls. And with more than 30 trolls scattered throughout Mount Horeb, a visit is like a magical treasure hunt. Take a look:
Located near the western part of Madison, Mount Horeb is a tiny village that’s home to about 7,000 people and…more than 30 trolls.
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce/TripAdvisor
The trolls line Mount Horeb’s Main Street, which has since been dubbed the Trollway.
loc.gov
Carved from tree trunks, usually painted, and depicting a variety of themes, the trolls have all been created by Michael Feeney, a resident woodcarver.
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce/Facebook
Trolls are classic creatures of Scandinavian folklore and Mount Horeb has a rich Norwegian heritage, so their presence seems fitting — but there’s actually more to the story than that.
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce/TripAdvisor
The magical carvings began popping up in Mount Horeb in 1966, with the opening of Open House Imports, a Scandinavian gift shop. The storeowners placed trolls outside the shop in order to attract customers.
Open House Imports/Facebook
With the construction of a four-lane bypass in the 1980s, Mount Horeb business owners became concerned about the possibility of losing customers, so as a solution, troll statues were erected throughout the town.
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce/TripAdvisor
The quirky idea worked and Mount Horeb evolved into a tourist destination.
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce/TripAdvisor
Not all of Mount Horeb’s trolls are carved from wood, though.
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce/TripAdvisor
A costumed mascot, Jorgen, trolls the streets during community events.
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce/TripAdvisor
Another of Mount Horeb’s unconventional trolls can be found at The Grumpy Troll Tavern, which features a wood-carved sign with the face of their grumpy tavern mascot. Aside from troll-searching, the tavern is a great place to grab a bite.
The Grumpy Troll/Facebook
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce/TripAdvisor
loc.gov
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce/Facebook
Open House Imports/Facebook
The Grumpy Troll/Facebook
Watch the video below to learn more about the trolls that call Mount Horeb home.
For more information, call the Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce at (608) 437-5914. You can also visit the Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce website or Facebook page. So, did you know about Mount Horeb? Or its trolls? Ever visited? If so, what’d you think? Tell us in the comments section.
This isn’t the state’s only option for small-town fun. Read about others here.
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Address: Mount Horeb, Mt Horeb, WI 53572, USA
