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HANCOCK -- Born in 1885 the man they called “Big Louie” Moilanen was also known as the Copper Country Giant. 

Standing 8-feet-3-inches tall Moilanen was born in Finland and raised in Hancock on a small farm.

He grew up poor but because of his height many knew his name.

“My father was born here in Franklin Mine in 1899 and he was only a young kid 8, 10, 12 years old and Big Louie would come through here with a single horse and a sulkie and he would ride with him. My father said he would reach down and pick him up with one hand and put him in the sulkie,” said organizer Mike Gemignani.  

Gemignani is trying to raise enough funds to build a monument for "Big Louie." It will be made out of granite and stand 8-feet-3-inches tall with his picture and a plaque.

Dana Richter is another organizer and he feels a monument is important.

“There are two aspects of his story. He was a Copper Country celebrity but also he was a simple farm boy and a twist of physiological fate turned him into an abnormal giant and that’s the sad part about it. He died very young,” said Richter.

Moilanen died in 1913 without enough money for a proper burial but the county stepped in to pay for it.  

Some say Moilanen’s granite headstone is the only monument that was left to him and it reads, “Big Louie Moilanen 8-feet-3-inches tall, 560 pounds.”  

Organizers say it will cost around $5,200 dollars for the monument that will most likely stand on the grounds of the Finnish American Heritage Center.

They just applied for a grant through the Keweenaw National Historical Park and they hope the grant along with donations will help.

If you are interested in making a donation you can send it to:  

Big Louie Monument Project

Houghton  County Historical Society

PO Box 127

Lake Linden, MI 49945