Daughter Of The Moon Returns
by Nancy Richardson, The Journal-News
After nearly a year's absence, Nokomis, Daughter of the Moon, has returned to a place of honor in the town
bearing her name.
The wooden carving, now visible from Illinois Route 16 between the Dairy Queen and Stiehl-Dawson
Funeral Home, is not the sculpture previously situated on the south side of the funeral home parking area.
This beautiful depiction is a new and improved, and hopefully longer-lasting, model, according to funeral
director Marty Dawson.
Nokomis residents, school children and visitors to the town were enthralled with the 12-foot-tall sculpture
crafted in 2000 by wood carver Paul Hoffman of Mt. Pulaski.
Hoffman used chainsaws and a power chisel to create the Indian woman out of the trunk of a hackberry tree
next to the home of Dottie Dawson. The carving depicted Nokomis, grandmother of Hiawatha from Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Song of Hiawatha."
It was a wonderful addition to the town, but four months after completion, a fungus began growing under the
sealant of the statue.
Although Dawson was conscientious about applying sealant each year, the fungus continued to grow. He
and friends attempted to scrape the fungus off through the sealant to no avail.
After five years, the root system of the local attraction began rotting away. Disappointed but determined,
Dawson had the figure cut down in one piece and stored it at B & B Truck Caps over the winter.
Dawson consulted with friends familiar with wood and attempted to repair the rot damage, but he was
unsuccessful. Eventually, the carving was cut in half with hopes of removing the bad areas.
The only section left standing of the old hackberry tree-turned-landmark was the sealed stump.
Dawson traveled to Batesville, IN, for a business trip in May 2006. He had been researching wood carvers
online to find someone that might be able to help with the "Nokomis" situation.
The orginal artist, Hoffman, was unable to assist as the Indian statue was his last work. He died of cancer
about ten months after its completion.
Dawson found Weberding's Carving Shop, a second-generation woodworking firm, that just happened to
be located in Batesville. He stopped by during his trip and explained the situation.
Weberdings were anxious to tackle the job. Andrew Dawson, Marty and Debi's son, was enlisted to drive,
in two trips, the sections of the original carving to Batesville.
It didn't take long for Tim Weberding to call Dawson with bad news. The tree was so spongy and rotting in
several spots that it could not be saved.
They suggested creating a look-a-like out of sections of basswood. This would avoid the moisture problem
the hackberry presented. Weberding said it would take two years for a tree to dry correctly.
His plan for the new statue was using 16 quarter pieces of basswood, approximately four square inches in
size. He would kiln dry it to 12 percent moisture, which is the national standard moisture content for furniture.
Dawson took the plan to his family for their opinion. They all felt the first statue of Nokomis was such a
success and an important method of teaching part of the town's history that erecting a new model was
essential.
Dottie Dawson, the family matriarch, told her son, "You don't have any choice. We have to have another
one."
Weberdings got the go-ahead in June 2006 and began the process of bringing Nokomis back to Nokomis.
As work progressed, the carvers would email pictures for the family approval. Dawson did a final
pre-staining check of the carving and proclaimed their work fabulous.
He made six trips to Indiana when the project was finished. Not only did he have to bring back the new
statue, he had to retrieve the old one as well. Weberdings kept it in the shop as a model for their assignment.
The impressive wooden sculpture now kneels on a large boulder from Nokomis Quarry under the protection
of a shingled awning built by Mother Hubbard's Construction of Nokomis.
Nokomis residents Phil Bailey, Roger Cole and Mike O'Malley assisted in placement of the 400 pound
basswood carving.
Photo-cell lights brighten the area at night so that passers-by on Route 16 can see her with ease.
This version will need recoating every two years, a chore Dawson is happy to take on. "With the first statue,
we just wanted to give something back to the community that has been so good to us over the years. We
were humbled by the reception it received, and our hope is that the new offering will be enjoyed just as
much."
As for the once-majestic, now decaying first Nokomis sculpture, she will reside in a local farmer's garage
until repairs can no longer sustain her.
Nokomis can rest easy knowing that her replacement will kneel in homage to the heavens for many years to
come.
by Nancy Richardson, The Journal-News
After nearly a year's absence, Nokomis, Daughter of the Moon, has returned to a place of honor in the town
bearing her name.
The wooden carving, now visible from Illinois Route 16 between the Dairy Queen and Stiehl-Dawson
Funeral Home, is not the sculpture previously situated on the south side of the funeral home parking area.
This beautiful depiction is a new and improved, and hopefully longer-lasting, model, according to funeral
director Marty Dawson.
Nokomis residents, school children and visitors to the town were enthralled with the 12-foot-tall sculpture
crafted in 2000 by wood carver Paul Hoffman of Mt. Pulaski.
Hoffman used chainsaws and a power chisel to create the Indian woman out of the trunk of a hackberry tree
next to the home of Dottie Dawson. The carving depicted Nokomis, grandmother of Hiawatha from Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Song of Hiawatha."
It was a wonderful addition to the town, but four months after completion, a fungus began growing under the
sealant of the statue.
Although Dawson was conscientious about applying sealant each year, the fungus continued to grow. He
and friends attempted to scrape the fungus off through the sealant to no avail.
After five years, the root system of the local attraction began rotting away. Disappointed but determined,
Dawson had the figure cut down in one piece and stored it at B & B Truck Caps over the winter.
Dawson consulted with friends familiar with wood and attempted to repair the rot damage, but he was
unsuccessful. Eventually, the carving was cut in half with hopes of removing the bad areas.
The only section left standing of the old hackberry tree-turned-landmark was the sealed stump.
Dawson traveled to Batesville, IN, for a business trip in May 2006. He had been researching wood carvers
online to find someone that might be able to help with the "Nokomis" situation.
The orginal artist, Hoffman, was unable to assist as the Indian statue was his last work. He died of cancer
about ten months after its completion.
Dawson found Weberding's Carving Shop, a second-generation woodworking firm, that just happened to
be located in Batesville. He stopped by during his trip and explained the situation.
Weberdings were anxious to tackle the job. Andrew Dawson, Marty and Debi's son, was enlisted to drive,
in two trips, the sections of the original carving to Batesville.
It didn't take long for Tim Weberding to call Dawson with bad news. The tree was so spongy and rotting in
several spots that it could not be saved.
They suggested creating a look-a-like out of sections of basswood. This would avoid the moisture problem
the hackberry presented. Weberding said it would take two years for a tree to dry correctly.
His plan for the new statue was using 16 quarter pieces of basswood, approximately four square inches in
size. He would kiln dry it to 12 percent moisture, which is the national standard moisture content for furniture.
Dawson took the plan to his family for their opinion. They all felt the first statue of Nokomis was such a
success and an important method of teaching part of the town's history that erecting a new model was
essential.
Dottie Dawson, the family matriarch, told her son, "You don't have any choice. We have to have another
one."
Weberdings got the go-ahead in June 2006 and began the process of bringing Nokomis back to Nokomis.
As work progressed, the carvers would email pictures for the family approval. Dawson did a final
pre-staining check of the carving and proclaimed their work fabulous.
He made six trips to Indiana when the project was finished. Not only did he have to bring back the new
statue, he had to retrieve the old one as well. Weberdings kept it in the shop as a model for their assignment.
The impressive wooden sculpture now kneels on a large boulder from Nokomis Quarry under the protection
of a shingled awning built by Mother Hubbard's Construction of Nokomis.
Nokomis residents Phil Bailey, Roger Cole and Mike O'Malley assisted in placement of the 400 pound
basswood carving.
Photo-cell lights brighten the area at night so that passers-by on Route 16 can see her with ease.
This version will need recoating every two years, a chore Dawson is happy to take on. "With the first statue,
we just wanted to give something back to the community that has been so good to us over the years. We
were humbled by the reception it received, and our hope is that the new offering will be enjoyed just as
much."
As for the once-majestic, now decaying first Nokomis sculpture, she will reside in a local farmer's garage
until repairs can no longer sustain her.
Nokomis can rest easy knowing that her replacement will kneel in homage to the heavens for many years to
come.