Where did you find the giant elk head that hangs in the Chamber of Commerce building?
Legend says it was found at the mouth of the Elk River by Abram Wadsworth, the first white settler in Antrim County. It was refurbished in 1986 and has been at the Chamber of Commerce ever since. The head is massive – 61 inches span between its antlers, unofficially the fifth largest in the world. A local taxidermist estimates the animal stood 5½-to-6 feet tall at the shoulder. He can't verify the origin of the head, but says it’s most likely from the pre-Civil War era.
Why is there a giant swan outside?
In 1966, Chamber President Clare Canfield asked a resident to design a float to carry Miss Elk Rapids in the Cherry Festival and Harbor Days parades. Local Rotary Club members pitched in and created the giant swan. In the early 1970s, the swan – name Talula – was moved to its current location next to the Chamber of Commerce building. Students in the shop class at Elk Rapids High School now maintain it. The swan measures approximately 15 feet tall and weighs several hundred pounds. Please come over and take a picture with Talula!
Where is downtown Elk Rapids?
US-31 divides Elk Rapids into two sections – the east side and the west side. There are several streets that will take you to the east side of Elk Rapids, but River Street (0.2 miles north of the Chamber of Commerce building) will take you directly downtown.
Don't see an answer to your question? Contact us at info@elkrapidschamber.org or 231-264-8202.