The founder and President of the Turkey River Cultural Center and Wood Carving Museum is Stanley “Slim” Maroushek, an master wood carver who has taught wood carving throughout the United States and in the Czeck Republic for the past 40 years. Slim grew up on a farm near Ridgeway, Iowa, just across the road from the Frank and Joseph Bily, creators of the famous Bily Brothers Clocks, Slim often watched the two brothers carve their beautiful wooden clocks and he was intrigued by their talent. They sometimes gave him little carvings that they had discarded, which he treasured. Slim’s dad unwittingly burned most of them, but one little rabbit was salvaged and this was the beginning of his wood carving collection.
As a young adult, Slim worked as a contractor, building houses. He continued to collect
wood carvings, but he did not start carving himself until he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 38, and was no longer able to build houses. Then, the seed of creativity, planted years ago by the Bily Brothers, began to grow and blossom.
Slim began by carving simple little animals and birds, progressing to more complex cowboy and Native American figures, relief carvings and eventually larger-than-life chain saw carvings, including a 6 piece “Hobo Camp” which was on display for many years in Harmony, Minnesota. Slim has taught wood carving to over 300 individuals throughout the United States and in the Czech Republic. In 1997, Slim opened Slim’s Woodshed in Harmony, Minnesota, teaching wood carving, and displaying his growing collection of carvings. When that closed in 2016, much of his collection was put in storage. In 2022, Slim purchased the vacant Ridgeway Elementary School, as a permanent
home for his vast collection.
“It was always my dream to carry on the legacy of the Bily Brothers and to pass on the skills of traditional art and music to the next generation. I am delighted to have my collection displayed in Ridgeway, Iowa, near my boyhood home the home of my most influential mentors, Frank and Joseph Bily.”
Turkey River Cultural Center and Wood Carving Museum 