Alliance, Nebraska August 26, 2016 Carhenge

Carhenge in Alliance, Nebraska

       Friday August 26, 2016   Another neat place we heard about that we checked out and thought it was a neat, most unusual piece of art. A family reunion in the summer of 1987 produced what has become America's best-known quirky Stonehenge: It was built in a farm field north of Alliance, Nebraska under the supervision of farmer and (engineer) Jim Reinders, who meant it as a memorial to his dad.
  America Carhenge is a replica of England's Stonehenge located near the city of Alliance, Nebraska on the High Plains region of the United States. Instead of being built with stones as in the case of England's Stonehenge. What makes Carhenge special is that it is made from cars, 38 of them, rescued from nearby farms  and dumps.  Jim Reinders noticed that the dimensions of cars from the 1950's and 60's nearly equaled the stones at Stonehenge, and he built his monument with a 96- foot diameter to match the proportions of the original.
       Three foreign cars were originally part of Carhenge, but were dragged away, ritually buried, and replaced by models from Detroit ( The 'foreigners' grave at the site is marked by another junk- car). The "heel stone" is  a 1962 Caddy. After a couple of summers the Reinders family spray painted  the cars a flat gray to make the monument look more like a Stonehenge.
       Carhenge very nearly didn't survive. The residents of Alliance wanted to tear down Carhenge.
Then the Nebraska Department of Highways wanted to label it a ( junkyard) and erect a big fence around it. The animosity passed, and now signs on the outskirts of Alliance proudly call it "Home of Carhenge."
       In 2006 a visitors center was built at the site.  In 2013 Alliance voted to become Carthage's owner, officially giving its blessing to the monument and guaranteeing its preservation for many years to come. Carhenge remains a remote wonder, far from the nearest interstate. It's a place that you really have to dedicate time to drive to, and appreciate your vehicle when you get there. There were quite a few people stopping in to look at the Carhenge and take pictures of it. I also took a picture of a bench made from two tail gates and painted quite colorful.