Destroyed Trees in Park Carved into Beautiful Works of Art

Natural Disaster Turns into Creative Opportunity, Artful Attraction in Amboy, Illinois

By Chris Dunmire

See also: Take a Photo Tour of the Chainsaw Tree Carvings

I can only imagine the devastation residents of Amboy, Illinois, felt the day after a violent storm ripped through their town cutting into dozens upon dozens of the areas treasured 100-year-old-plus oak trees. These stately trees, many located in the town's Green River City Park were deeply rooted in nature and in the town's own celebratory history going back to the mid-1800s.

As I write from the same Midwestern belt known for its seasonal tornadoes — about 60 miles north of Amboy — the National Weather Service Center of Chicago is interrupting a local radio station with a warning announcement about impending severe storms 'capable of producing destructive winds that can damage trees and power lines and quarter-size hail' and the immediate need to take shelter indoors away from windows. The wind outside is fierce right now. Such is probably the type of storm that hit Amboy in 1999.

Mourning the loss of these sacred trees was surely a dark time for Amboy residents, but it's what happened next — how the people chose to respond to the tragedy that makes my heart soar. It's an inspiring example of creating from chaos, of allowing the light of possibility to shine through the darkness of defeat.

Pat Brady, contributor to Amboy Illinois: First 150 Years 1854–2004, a history book compiled with news articles and personal anecdotes from long-time residents writes:

“On June 1, 1999, disaster struck the park when it was hit by a violent thunderstorm which left parts of the city and the Green River City Park virtually destroyed. Between 50 and 60 trees were destroyed and another 50-60 were severely damaged.

“The city was devastated by the loss of so many of its venerable oak trees. It took weeks to clean up the damage, but some of the trees were saved by the insight of a local man, George Kaleel. Kaleel suggested hiring Marie and Bob Boyer, former residents of Amboy, who were known for their chainsaw work. The Boyers came in with their chainsaws and made beautiful works of art out of many of the damaged trees. […] The park now contains dozens of beautifully carved works of art and has become quite a tourist attraction.”

In addition to the Boyers, I found inscriptions of sculptor names on the base of carving #2: J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House (pictured below). At the time of this writing (June 2011), I have not confirmed if these sculptors (George N. Kapota, Don Morris, and Antelmo Martinez) were artists working with the Boyer team. Sadly, I've also learned that Marie Boyer died of cancer in 2010. Her obit states:

“Marie Denise Boyer, 59, of Whitewater, Wis., formerly of Amboy, died July 7, 2010, after a battle with cancer. [...] She was best known for the chainsaw carvings she created in Amboy City Park. She and her husband also contributed a wood carving to the Home Improvement television show and contributed to Country Magazine. She also worked with Pat Spielman, the author of many woodworking books.”

In my introduction to this 31 Sculptures: Amboy City Park exhibit, I mentioned how important it is for me to be part of preserving the legacy of these outdoor wooden works of art, and their creators, as time and elements will take their toll.

In doing so, I've created a slide show and browsing gallery where you can view the fronts of all 31 carved statues by groups of five as they stood in May 2011. For further reference, print my free guide to the carving locations for driving and walking tours.

It's time for me to take shelter from the storm. Stay tuned because next I'll share close-up of a few of my favorite carvings along with more observations I have about the town of Amboy. •

© 2011 Chris Dunmire. All rights reserved.