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If you’ve driven 101 South through Eureka in recent years, chances are good that at least some part of your brain took note of the big metal crab perched with raised claws behind the cyclone fence, there, at the elbow where Fourth Street becomes Broadway.

That’s the Dungeness in question, pictured above, and it now belongs to the City of Eureka.

The sculpture, which has yet to be named, made its municipal debut in Saturday’s Rhododendron Parade, strapped to a flatbed trailer and hauled along the route by a city-owned utility truck. But expect to see it hauled out for future events, too, such as local concerts, Friday Night Markets and other occasions.

“We saw it as a good opportunity to have something recognizable for the community, a good thing for branding, ” said Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery. He said the sculpture, which will live in the city’s corporation yard and be hauled out for special appearances, is an example of placemaking, an art installation that highlights our local assets while providing a backdrop for selfies and group photos.

The metal-framed critter was created in 2018 by artist Dan McCauley, who sculpted it using sheet metal from an old travel trailer and tubing left over from a Southern Humboldt cannabis grow, according to Eureka Public Works Director Brian Gerving.

McCauley attached the thing – carapace, legs and all – atop the chassis of a modified Ford Ranger so he could take it to the Black Rock Desert of Nevada for the annual Burning Man festival, according to Eureka Assistant City Manager Pam Powell. Afterward, though, he didn’t have much use for it.

”When he wanted to sell it, we were approached about purchasing it for our city mascot, which was kind of cool,” Powell explained.

Slattery was initially skeptical of the idea – that is, until he clapped eyes on El Pulpo Mecanico, the giant, fire-belching robotic octopus created by local artist Duane Flatmo, also for deployment at Burning Man. And so, with the blessing of the city’s marketing firm, Eddy Alexander, and support from staff, the city paid roughly $13,000 to purchase the sculpture and modify it for its own purposes.

As the crab was being set up for a brief display and photo op this afternoon at Madaket Plaza, on the Eureka waterfront, Gerving reached up and extended the small front claws, which swivel around two metal rods.

“I didn’t realize those folded out,” Powell remarked with a smile.

There’s just one problem with the city’s adopted mascot, according to staff: It (he? she? they?) needs a name!

A few ideas have been floated – for example, Crabby Patty, Louie, Crusty Rusty and Silvie the Crab.

But we at the Outpost figured it would be best to turn it over to you, our beloved readers, for your own suggestions.

So! If you have a proposed moniker for the city’s dapper new Dungeness, drop it in the comment section below. Readers can then vote for your favorite nominees. The Outpost may use some of the top suggestions for a future LoCO Pollz entry, and the City of Eureka will naturally agree with our collective wisdom (we assume).

Get to namin’!