The Quirkiest Town In Nebraska That You’ll Absolutely Love
By Delana Lefevers|Published May 07, 2017
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Delana Lefevers
Author
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
Every little Nebraska town has its own unique personality, and they’re all delightful in their own ways. This one town, however, has a claim to fame that’s so unusual you won’t find anything else like it in the state.
The village of Taylor, located in Loup County right smack in the middle of Nebraska, is a scenic little place. It is not, however, a booming metropolis.
It never has been, actually - at its peak, the population was only around 400. But that number has been steadily declining for decades, and those who know and love this little gem want everyone else to know how great it is.
In the early 2000s, local artist Marah Sandoz hatched a unique idea to get visitors to stop in little Taylor. She would bolster the village's population herself.
Sandoz began creating life-size plywood cutout people who she calls "villagers." They represent what people in Taylor may have looked like in the early 20th century.
...And some of them look so lifelike that people driving through the town have stopped upon seeing them, waiting for the villagers to cross the street.
Each villager has his or her own personality; they've become familiar faces around town. Some are based on real people from history but most were born from the artist's imagination.
When Sandoz comes up with an idea for a new villager, it's often because she sees a place around Taylor that looks like it could do with an extra friendly face or two.
The artist's goal is to create enough villagers to double the population of the village, which is currently 182 people. There are around 100 plywood villagers already, so the population has indeed increased by quite a bit.
And the unique roadside attraction has worked to draw travelers into this little town that they would normally pass right by. Passersby are intrigued by the plywood characters and want to know more, so they come to Taylor for the story.
The unique art project has created the kind of buzz that tiny villages don’t normally get. Taylor is known around the area – and, in fact, even through the state – as the town whose population is almost half wooden cutouts. Next time you’re in central Nebraska, be sure to stop in and see these wonderfully quirky characters – and don’t forget to stop by the local businesses to help keep this delightful town alive.
Just about half an hour away from Taylor is another town that’s anything but ordinary – read about it here.
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