Carhenge

Carhenge is a replica of England's Stonehenge located near the city of Alliance, Nebraska, in the High Plains region of the United States. Instead of being built with large standing stones, as is the case with the original Stonehenge, Carhenge is formed from vintage American automobiles, all covered with gray spray paint. Built by Jim Reinders, it was dedicated at the June 1987 summer solstice. In 2006, a visitor center was constructed to serve the site. Carhenge was featured in Pixar's ''Cars'' franchise spinoff webseries '' Cars on the Road''.

Structure

Carhenge consists of 39 automobiles arranged in a circle measuring about in diameter. Some are held upright in pits deep, trunk end down, and arches have been formed by welding automobiles atop the supporting models. The heelstone is a 1962 Cadillac. Three cars were buried at Carhenge with a sign stating: "Here lie three bones of foreign cars. They served our purpose while Detroit slept. Now Detroit is awake and America's great!"

Carhenge replicates Stonehenge's current dilapidated state, rather than the original stone circle erected between 2500 BC and 2000 BC.

In addition to the Stonehenge replica, the Carhenge site includes several other artworks created from autos covered with various colors of spray paint.

Cars

This table lists cars in Carhenge starting from the west entrance and proceeding left, or clockwise, around the outer ring of cars which represent the sarsen megalith circle of Stonehenge. The inner horseshoe of trilithons are also listed clockwise.

History

Carhenge was conceived in 1982 by Jim Reinders as a memorial to his father, who once lived on the farm now containing Carhenge. While living in England, he studied the structure of Stonehenge, which helped him to copy the structure's shape, proportions, and size. It was built in 1987 by Reinders and around a crew of around 35 family members, and dedicated at the Summer Solstice. Other automobile sculptures were subsequently added to the location of Carhenge, which is now known as the Car Art Reserve. In 1992, Reinders removed a Toyota car from Carhenge, saying "We wanted it to be an American Carhenge, not a Japanese Carhenge".

Reinders donated the 10-acre site to the Friends of Carhenge. In 2011, the Friends of Carhenge listed the attraction for sale for $300,000. In 2013, the Friends of Carhenge donated the site to the Citizens of Alliance.

Carhenge has appeared in film, popular music, television programs and commercials. For example: Film - ''Omaha, The Movie'' (1995); Popular music - Steely Dan (album cover, '' Remastered, The Best of Steely Dan'', 1993); P.O.D. (music video, " Youth of the Nation", 2002); Television - '' Biker Build-Off''; '' Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?'' (episode: "The Great Train Slobbery"); Commercials - Nissan Pathfinder (2006), Nebraska Cornhuskers football (2007). It is the subject of the 2005 documentary ''Carhenge: Genius or Junk?'' and features in the 2007 travel book '' 1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die''.

The path of totality of the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 included Carhenge. An estimated 4,000 people, including Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts, viewed the eclipse from the site. Reinders stated that, at the time of Carhenge's creation, he had not known about the eclipse that would occur 30 years later.Pluhacek, Zach
"Carhenge creator watches once-in-lifetime event near one-of-a-kind creation".
''Lincoln Journal Star'' August 21, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2017.

See also

* Cadillac Ranch
* Spindle
* Stonehenge replicas and derivatives

References

External links

Official site
* , Nebraska State Historical Society
*

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Outdoor sculptures in Nebraska
Roadside attractions in Nebraska
1987 sculptures
Buildings and structures in Box Butte County, Nebraska
Replicas and derivatives of Stonehenge
Tourist attractions in Box Butte County, Nebraska
1987 establishments in Nebraska
Cars in art
Sculptures of objects