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Helmut

Thomas Dambo’s giant wooden troll Helmut holding a young tree in a dark wooden tub, standing on a lawn in Clinton, Iowa, with a small visitor in front of him
Artwork FileClinton, Iowa, USA

Helmut

SeenNov 2026

Thomas Dambo · Clinton, Iowa, United States

Photo: Thomas Dambo, as published on Street Art Utopia; resized from the SAU archive.

Helmut is one of the giant trolls in Thomas Dambo’s The Tree Thieves in Clinton, Iowa, built from reclaimed wood together with the community. He stands near the Sawmill Museum, hugging a tub with a living tree. Source Source Source Checked

Seen Nov 2026: a troll-hunt account published by KRNA on 9 November 2026 says Helmut stands a short distance from the Sawmill Museum; the visit date is not given. Earlier, Quad Cities Business showed him on display on 16 June 2026. Dated reporting, not a fresh on-site check. Source Source Reported

💡 4 things to know

  1. A troll familyDambo’s project page tells the story of three troll brothers, Warren, Helmut and Marwin, who woke to find their forest cut down and came to Clinton to take the trees back. Source Checked
  2. Reclaimed woodThe trolls are built from reclaimed wood, a link to the town’s sawmill past in Dambo’s story. Source Checked
  3. Built with the townEastern Iowa Community Colleges describes the volunteer build of the trolls in Clinton. Source Reported
  4. Where to find himEastern Iowa Community Colleges says Helmut stands near the Sawmill Museum; Grow Clinton gives the museum grounds as 2231 Grant Street. Source Source Checked

📍 Where it is

Sawmill Museum, 2231 Grant Street · Clinton, Iowa, United States Source Source Checked

Open in Maps

Map pin is approximate; use the named site or address to locate the subject.

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 202629 Apr

    Unveiling set for 1 May · Iowa Public Radio

  2. 20264 May

    Trolls arrive, Helmut named · Prairie Rivers RC&D

  3. 202613 May

    College news on the troll build

  4. 202612 Jun

    In the Sawmill Museum green space · column

  5. 202616 Jun

    On display · Quad Cities Business

  6. 20269 Nov

    Troll-hunt visit names Helmut by the museum · KRNA

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.

✅ The facts

Artist
Thomas Dambo Source Checked
Project
The Tree Thieves Source Checked
Year
2026 Source Checked
Material
Reclaimed wood Source Checked
Place
Near the Sawmill Museum, 2231 Grant Street, Clinton; in the green space on the museum grounds, per a June 2026 column Source Source Source Checked
Unveiling date
Scheduled for 1 May 2026, according to Iowa Public Radio (29 April 2026) Source Reported
Status
On display in June 2026; a troll-hunt account published on 9 November 2026 reports him a short distance from the Sawmill Museum (visit date not given) Source Source Source Reported

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Photo: Thomas Dambo, as published on Street Art Utopia; resized from the SAU archive.

Last checked: 13 November 2026 · How we verify art

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