Why visit Thunder Mountain Monument

Anyone who has ever driven the breadth of Nevada can tell you how the road goes on endlessly, seemingly leading you through varying levels of nothingness. Traversing a series of mountains and valleys across the Great Basin, a high point will only give you a glimpse of the same on the distant horizon. However, Nevada doesn’t like to be boring, and the monotony of such everlasting journeys are often laced with roadside oddities. Along salt marshes you will find names, sayings and pictographs carefully constructed with black rocks and sticks. At crossroads you will find historical and peculiarly colorful roadhouses and shoe trees. In the middle of long sweeping valleys, long ago abandoned farmhouses and stone remnants will pique your curiosity. And along a desolate stretch of Interstate 80, between Lovelock and Winnemucca, you will come across Thunder Mountain Monument.

This too, may at first look like something long abandoned, and in a sense it is. But the bizarre pinnacles of experimental architecture will implore you to stop. Indeed, you are welcome to roam the 5 acres of this offbeat display of sculptures, structures and yard-art made from everything your most twisted childhood mind can fathom.

Along the back side you will find entry through a fence made of wood, iron and bone and be immediately baffled at which direction to take first. At the center of this scrapyard of art is a three-story ramshackle abode of sorts, made of stone, bone, car parts (complete with windshield picture windows) bottles and large white loops made to look like some cartoonish mastodon remains. Statues stand guard on and around the structure. Once brightly painted, the now faded faces are as fierce as they were created to be. Other much smaller structures surround this one, in various states of decay and ruin.  An old rusted car with a cement bust looking skyward adorns one end of the place.

 

 

Inside the Mind of Thunder Mountain

Thunder Mountain Monument has carried several titles; A tribute to Native-Americans, a doomsday refuge, a hippy retreat, museum, and now, roadside Americana at its tribal core. Yet, all of this was built by one man and his story is often times considered as odd and conflicting as his creations.

Dan Van Zant was born in Oklahoma in 1921. Although he carried a Dutch name, he would always claim to be a Creek Indian. A combat veteran of World War Two, he worked as a minister, a deputy in California, a private investigator and for the Park Service. He would later state that even though he went by Dan Van Zant in his younger life, he was always Chief Rolling Thunder Mountain. In 1968 he headed for Nevada with his third wife intending to, “Go where the Great Spirit takes me.” The story goes that he broke down along this stretch of I-80 and camped in the sagebrush. The owner of the five acres he was squatting on came along and offered him a deal for the land that was hard to refuse. Chief Rolling Thunder Mountain was home. Construction began and, like some folky and organic version of The Winchester Mystery House, the building and art never stopped.

People were soon drawn to the unusual homestead. Hippies and counterculture enthusiasts often lived in “The Hostel.” Eventually there were seven structures on the property and as many as 40 people living there in the 1970’s. However, with the 1980’s people drifted back into society. Even the Chief’s wife and children left him.  Alone and aging he was unable to keep up on maintenance and upkeep. In 1989 he took his life, leaving Thunder Mountain to his son, who still looks after the place today.

Thunder Mountain was entered into Nevada’s Registry of Historic Places in 1992. But, don’t expect a tour guide to meet you. It is self-guided with a donation slot. Don’t expect a crowd either, you may have the place to yourself. Although Thunder Mountain has a fair share of visitors, they are often sporadic and your walk through the grounds may be solitary and maybe even slightly eerie.

One thing is certain. After experiencing Thunder Mountain, you will have plenty to think about and imagine during the rest of your journey through Nevada and beyond.