Funky Fremont is perhaps one of the better known communities in the northwest area of Seattle. Famous for the huge troll, stoned faced statues whose outfits change regularly and a hip arts community.

Fremont is the self-proclaimed Center of the Universe, its own Republic. It created an outdoor Saturday cinema, a "Pagan Hootenanny" called Trolloween, a zany Solstice Parade and Miracle on 34th Street, and a putt-putt golf charity for the Northwest AIDS Foundation, to name just a few community gatherings.

The Fremont troll has been lurking under the north end of the Aurora bridge since 1990. He was sculpted by four Seattle area artists -- Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter and Ross Whitehead -- for the Fremont Arts Council. The head-and-shoulders sculpture is 18-ft. tall.The shaggy haired troll glares southward with his shiny metal eye -- a hubcap? In his left hand, he crushes an old style Volkswagen beetle (which originally contained a time capsule of Elvis memorabilia; removed after the car was vandalized and the California license plate was stolen). There are plenty of places to pose, and interaction with the troll is encouraged.

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