The Giant Grasshopper That Stalks a Street in Manistee County

Taking a walk around dusk in the town of Kaleva in Manistee County could cause a jolt if you are not familiar with the area.

Strolling down the walkway along Walta Street, you’ll see a giant pair of creepy bug eyes staring at you from the edge of the woods. Once you get your eyes to focus, you realize these are the eyes of a monster grasshopper, waiting by the woods.....maybe to grab some unsuspecting walker as a tasty snack?

Nope. This creature is just one of the sculptures found on the Kaleva Centennial Sculpture Walkway, created by students of Brethren High School in 1999 as part of the celebration of Kaleva's Centennial. The official name of the grasshopper is the St. Urho Day Sculpture – nicknamed the “Farmer’s Nightmare” - and made from recycled items. The idea for the sculpture came from the legend of St. Urho chasing the grasshoppers out of Finland in order to save their grape crop.

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Aside from the giant grasshopper, there are a few other interesting things you’ll come across on the walkway.

There’s a sculpture honoring former mayor Robert Rengo, in the shape of the airplane he flew in China during World War II.

The Sculpture Tree contains 130 silvery metal leaves, thirteen feet high and eight feet wide.

Then there’s the Vainamoinen Ship. Based on a character from Finnish Mythology, the ship is made from over 2,660 wire coat hangers. According to Kaleva’s web page, “Vainamoinen had a powerful, magical singing voice. When he was defeated, his powerful singing created a metal ship to carry him away.”

You’ll also see:
1) A Finnish Quilt that celebrates Finland’s freedom from Russia
2) Artwork that consists of three painted panels of Finnish patterns and symbols
3) Kalevala Mosaics, based on the Finnish epic poem, the Kalevala

Travel to Kaleva sometime and take a stroll down the walkway at dusk or dark...but keep the giant grasshopper a secret so you can give your travel partner a scare...