ROHNERT PARK, CA — Two towering hammers now anchor public spaces in Sonoma County, turning an infamous art mystery into a cross-city statement on curiosity, community, and scale.
Doug Unkrey, the Healdsburg-based artist behind the now-famous oversized hammer, recently completed a second giant work — a 16-foot-long, 800-pound claw hammer with nail titled “Hammer and Nail.”
The sculpture will be permanently installed at SOMO Village in Rohnert Park, expanding the reach of a public artwork that has already etched itself into local lore.
Earlier this month, Unkrey brought the new piece through Healdsburg, where it briefly reunited with its predecessor — a sculpture whose unusual journey included theft, partial recovery, and a community-wide fascination that has yet to fade.
The original hammer sponsored by the Voigt Family Sculpture Foundation first drew international attention in 2018 after it vanished from the lawn of the Abel De Luna Community Center.
The 800-pound artwork, featuring a towering redwood handle and steel head, disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only scuff marks — and, two weeks later, a cryptic clue: a large metal nail driven into the grass, etched with the word “BAIT," the Press Democrat reported at the time.
The 2018 stunt was later revealed to be the work of local residents. But the mystery deepened for months, fueling speculation about how such a massive object could be taken and where it could possibly go, according to the Press Democrat reports.
The case broke open unexpectedly when the hammer head resurfaced, buried on private property. Despite the recovery, the redwood handle — which took hundreds of hours to carve — remained missing.
The city pledged to prevent another disappearance by installing round-the-clock surveillance and possibly GPS
The restored hammer returned to public view during Fourth of July festivities and now stands once again at the Abel De Luna Community Center. City officials say the mystery only strengthened the sculpture’s place in Healdsburg’s identity.
Mayor Chris Herrod said the hammer is a big hit at the Healdsburg repair fair and children love to play on it. "Maybe we need a wrench next time," he added.
Meanwhile, Unkrey’s new ball peen hammer carries the story forward. “It messes with your mind — and that’s what art is supposed to do,” Unkrey said, reflecting on both the sculpture and its strange afterlife.
“Everybody has held a hammer at one time,” Unkrey said. “This one’s just a little heavier.”
Two 18-foot hammers rest side-by-side in Healdsburg in April before the claw version was transported to Rohnert Park. The artist Doug Unkrey and Healdsburg Mayor Chris Herrod stand in background.
The Rohnert Park-destined hammer with nail visible.
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