Jim Reinders designed Carhenge
Jim Reinders designed Carhenge, One of Nebraska’s oddest, and most most recognizable, tourist attractions, Carhenge, has a new owner.
With a 4-to-1 vote, the Alliance City Council on Tuesday night accepted the 96-foot ring of 38 vintage automobiles which are stacked to replicate Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England.
Carhenge’s creator, Jim Reinders, studied the actual Stonehenge while living in England and decided to replicate it from cars as a tribute to his father, Herman Reinders. He enlisted about 35 relatives to erect it on 10 acres of the family farm north of Alliance.
For the pillars, they sunk automobiles, trunk side down, five feet deep into the ground and welded cars on top to form the arches. A 1962 Cadillac represents Stonehenge’s healstone. Reinders painted the entire thing grey to evoke the monument from which he drew his inspiration. The family dedicated it on the Summer Solstice of 1987.
Initial reaction to Carhenge was mixed, with some locals viewing it as little more than a vertical junkyard, said Friends of Carhenge President Marcia Buck. At one point, the Alliance City Council ordered Carhenge torn down.
Buck said the local view of the monument — dubbed the second wackiest attraction in America by the website Tripadvisor — has become a lot more accepting over the past decade, although there are some who still roll their eyes at its mention.
State tourism officials estimate about 80,000 people visit the site annually. Within the first five weeks of the gift shop opening this summer, visitors from 48 states and 14 countries had signed the guest book, Buck said. There is no charge to visit Carhenge, which is open year round. It’s supported through donations and summer gift-shop sales.
Reinders gave the site to Friends of Carhenge. The nonprofit has struggled to raise enough money to cover maintenance, insurance and state property taxes, Buck said.
The group put the site up for sale in 2011 with a price tag of $300,000, Buck said, and found someone willing to buy it. But the buyer wanted to tear it down and ship it off to another site.
“Thank you, but no,” she said the nonprofit responded.
Reinders, who now lives in Texas, is aware and approves of the site being donated to the city, Bush said.
Alliance City Manager J.D. Cox said the city will take over management of the site Oct. 1, and it will be run by Visitors Bureau Director Kevin Howard.
City officials plan to invest about $15,000 in grounds improvements, including pathways upgrades, Cox said. There also has been discussion of adding awnings for shade, new trees and an RV campsite.
After the upgrade, the site is expected to cost $39,000 annually to maintain, which will be covered by summer sales and donations, Cox said.
Friends of Carhenge plans to now concentrate on fundraising efforts, Bush said.
About 10 other vehicle-based sculptures, known as the Car Art Reserve, have been added to the site since the construction of Carhenge.
Buck said that Councilman Ralph Yeager cast the sole dissenting vote for the city to accept Carhenge while voting for it were Fred Feldges, Wally Seiler, Trent Benzel and Rachel Lewis.
With a 4-to-1 vote, the Alliance City Council on Tuesday night accepted the 96-foot ring of 38 vintage automobiles which are stacked to replicate Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England.
Carhenge’s creator, Jim Reinders, studied the actual Stonehenge while living in England and decided to replicate it from cars as a tribute to his father, Herman Reinders. He enlisted about 35 relatives to erect it on 10 acres of the family farm north of Alliance.
For the pillars, they sunk automobiles, trunk side down, five feet deep into the ground and welded cars on top to form the arches. A 1962 Cadillac represents Stonehenge’s healstone. Reinders painted the entire thing grey to evoke the monument from which he drew his inspiration. The family dedicated it on the Summer Solstice of 1987.
Initial reaction to Carhenge was mixed, with some locals viewing it as little more than a vertical junkyard, said Friends of Carhenge President Marcia Buck. At one point, the Alliance City Council ordered Carhenge torn down.
Buck said the local view of the monument — dubbed the second wackiest attraction in America by the website Tripadvisor — has become a lot more accepting over the past decade, although there are some who still roll their eyes at its mention.
State tourism officials estimate about 80,000 people visit the site annually. Within the first five weeks of the gift shop opening this summer, visitors from 48 states and 14 countries had signed the guest book, Buck said. There is no charge to visit Carhenge, which is open year round. It’s supported through donations and summer gift-shop sales.
Reinders gave the site to Friends of Carhenge. The nonprofit has struggled to raise enough money to cover maintenance, insurance and state property taxes, Buck said.
The group put the site up for sale in 2011 with a price tag of $300,000, Buck said, and found someone willing to buy it. But the buyer wanted to tear it down and ship it off to another site.
“Thank you, but no,” she said the nonprofit responded.
Reinders, who now lives in Texas, is aware and approves of the site being donated to the city, Bush said.
Alliance City Manager J.D. Cox said the city will take over management of the site Oct. 1, and it will be run by Visitors Bureau Director Kevin Howard.
City officials plan to invest about $15,000 in grounds improvements, including pathways upgrades, Cox said. There also has been discussion of adding awnings for shade, new trees and an RV campsite.
After the upgrade, the site is expected to cost $39,000 annually to maintain, which will be covered by summer sales and donations, Cox said.
Friends of Carhenge plans to now concentrate on fundraising efforts, Bush said.
About 10 other vehicle-based sculptures, known as the Car Art Reserve, have been added to the site since the construction of Carhenge.
Buck said that Councilman Ralph Yeager cast the sole dissenting vote for the city to accept Carhenge while voting for it were Fred Feldges, Wally Seiler, Trent Benzel and Rachel Lewis.
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