Flyover Country
In my line of thinking, nearly every square mile of this country has something worthy of exploration. Some of the greatest gems in the United States are in far off rural areas that are, more often than not, considered flyover country.
One such place is in the panhandle of Nebraska, just north of the town of Alliance. Here you will find a tribute of sorts to the very ancient and mysterious “Stonehenge,” which is in England. However, this replica reeks of Americana, as it is made up entirely of vintage automobiles. Painted a placid grey to more resemble the stones and to prevent rusting, the cars are placed in exactly the same positions as the original in its present state.
The person behind this pop culture icon in Jim Reinders, and he is no stranger to the real deal. Having lived in England for seven years, he carefully studied Stonehenge. It was not until he was back in his hometown of Alliance that he decided to build a replica to honor his late father. Huge slabs of stone do not occupy the plains of Nebraska, but there were plenty of scrapped cars around. Luckily, cars are easier to move than 25-ton sarsens.
Carhenge debuted on the Summer Solstice of 1987. Most of the cars are 1950’s and 1960’s models, because those cars are more equal in length and bulkiness to the stones in England. Also identical is the 96-foot diameter of the circle.
A walking path leads you from the parking area out to the free exhibit. But the path does not end there. It continues on in a large loop displaying metal things other than cars. An iron fish and dinosaur are not far off. Other chunks of metal art dot the way, taking one to an assortment of panoramic views of Carhenge. There is even a car where visitors can sign their name, but you will have to bring your own marker.
As with any large creative endeavor, Carhenge did not come into existence without challenges. Residents of Alliance did not like it at first and considered it an eyesore. Demands that it be torn down were heard around town. To make matters worse, the Nebraska Department of Highways wanted to declare it a junkyard and put up a chain link fence around it.
Drive Through Country
Luckily, as Carhenge became popular, tourists and car enthusiasts began to visit the off the beaten path town, bringing business with it. In 2013 the town gave its formal blessing and vowed to help preserve the display for generations to come. Today, upon entering Alliance, a sign proudly states; “Alliance: Home of Carhenge,” and thereafter are signs leading the way, three miles north of town to the site. Touropia has even listed it as one of the 10 best things to see in the state; https://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-nebraska/.
Quirky, baffling, and in-your-face, it is an adventure that should be scribbled onto the bucket list. Adding to the oddity of it is its location, on the high plains, far from any interstate or major thoroughfare, silently standing in the middle of nowhere. Flyover country.
Indeed, nearly all of the sites I visit and write about for my blog are in far off, middle of nowhere, locations. In fact, it is my opinion the best discoveries are in rural America. The seldom heard of, harder to access, under the radar points of interest, are often the greatest treasures.
My point is you should drive and take the little country roads. Stop often and talk to people. Almost every town or county has a location or a piece of history they are proud of. You will not see such things from 30 thousand feet in the air.
Carhenge is not my first car art trip. There is the “International Car forest of the Last Church,” in Goldfield, Nevada. You can check out the blog at https://outerrealmz.com/goldfields-car-forest/.
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