Anyone who has driven down Woodlands Parkway during the last two decades can hardly help but notice the gaze of the Midgard Serpent, the 35-foot long mythological snake that peers over the top of Lake Woodlands to stare down passing motorists.

"[It's one of The Woodlands' most iconic sculptures] just because it's so prominent out there," said Tony Motto, owner of SculpTours and author of "The Woodlands Outdoor Sculptures." "Woodlands Parkway has always been the major thoroughfare, so it's hard to miss when you're coming into The Woodlands."

At 35 feet long and 6 feet high, "Rise of the Midgard Serpent" may be the only public sculpture in The Woodlands composed primarily of recycled parts, Motto said.

The six separate sections of the sculpture were built around pieces of recycled oilfield pipeline, he said. The eyes were recycled trailer hitches, and the rest was welded together with bits of metal and recycled oilfield materials, painted green to complete the appearance of a gigantic serpent.

The sculpture was crafted by sculptor Marc Rosenthal in 1983, Motto said. The serpent was constructed as part of a contest for sculptors to build something to be placed along the Buffalo Bayou in Houston for a year.

"Rise of the Midgard Serpent" was one of several winners from the contest and was installed along the bayou at the 1983 Houston International Festival for a year. During its time along the bayou, Cynthia Woods Mitchell, wife of Woodlands founder George Mitchell, first saw the metallic creature.

"Mrs. Mitchell saw it and fell in love with it," Motto said. "She bought it and had it delivered to The Woodlands, but didn't tell anybody, and it showed up on Coulson Tough's doorstep. He had not a clue where this thing came from or what to do with it."

Lake Woodlands had yet to be filled with water at the time, Motto said. Tough, father of Woodlands Township Chairman Bruce Tough, came up with the idea to install it in the lake.

Tough had engineers plan its installation to make it a stationary feature along Woodlands Parkway.

The sculpture was unveiled at the Bottom of the Lake Festival in 1985, Motto said, before the lake was filled.

"A lot of people forget that Woodlands Parkway used to be a two lane road, so you could see it coming or going, but now you can't because of the divider that's there," he said.

Bombarded by birds and by rival high schools who regularly "paint bomb" the sculpture, Motto said, The Woodlands Township Parks and Recreation Department regularly cleans and maintains the sculpture to keep the serpent snake-like green.

Motto said the Midgard Serpent derives from Norse Mythology, a creature created by Loki—the god of mischief—to devour the earth. Although the serpent is defeated by another Norse god and imprisoned in the depths of the earth the serpent bides its time, waiting to rise to the surface again.

Rosenthal had small models of the serpent cast in bronze, Motto said. Fans of the iconic Woodlands sculpture can purchase miniature versions from the sculptor himself.

For more information on the sculpture or to purchase a model, go to www.woodlandsart.com.