Carhenge - Nebraska
This is what road trips are all about, located just north of the town of Alliance Nebraska is the eye popping Carhenge. You can't really miss it, just take US-87 north out of the town and in 3 miles or so you will see this incredible scene on the right hand side of the road.
Carhenge was built by Jim Reinders in 1987 as a memorial to his dad, Jim had lived in England and studied Stonehenge which went a long way toward his choice of memorial. It is actually a fantastic effort and whether you consider it art or not it is a bold statement on the Nebraska plains.
Carhenge was built by Jim Reinders in 1987 as a memorial to his dad, Jim had lived in England and studied Stonehenge which went a long way toward his choice of memorial. It is actually a fantastic effort and whether you consider it art or not it is a bold statement on the Nebraska plains.
I was fortunate to have the place to myself as I journeyed home to Calgary from North Carolina in April 2014, but then again how many tourists are wandering around Alliance Nebraska? Anyway, without people filling the frame every time you want to make a shot it's great to have such things to yourself.
Even the showers and dark skies couldn't kill the mood when walking around the site which houses more than just the replica circle. Below is a sculpture of a spawning salmon by Canadian artist Geoff Sandhurst
Below the 'Fourd Seasons' by Reinder (because all the cars are Fords) represents the seasonal changes of the Nebraska plains as wheat is planted, grows and is harvested before the wind blown snow takes over the landscape.
There are a number of other individual pieces throughout the 10 acre site including the Tyrannosaurus and a series of vehicles poking out of the ground inviting graffiti artists to do their worst.
The station wagon that is converted into a covered wagon is a particularly good fit for the site, showing the years between the two modes of transport in one great piece.
The sky almost threatened to clear to blue while I was at the furthest point from my truck looking south toward the town of Alliance through that incredible 'statement'
The potential for blue disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and I made it back to the west side of the sculpture and the safety of my truck as the heavens opened again with another heavy shower. I had a bite to eat in the car park before leaving this wonderful creation behind and getting back on the road.