Artist turned old American cars into the Nebraskan landmark 'Carhenge,' and he had an interesting reason

In the middle of rural Nebraska, 39 spray-painted cars stand upright in a perfect circle called Carhenge – a Nebraska car monument.

Out in the fields of Alliance, Nebraska, rows of rusted Chevys and Cadillacs rise like sacred stones from the ground.

But this wasn’t a stunt, a movie set, or a prank.

In fact, the story behind this installation will tug at your heartstrings.

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The beautiful story behind Carhenge

Carhenge was the brainchild of artist Jim Reinders, who spent time living in England during the 1970s.

While there, he became fascinated by the ancient mystery of Stonehenge.

He then returned to Alliance with an idea: he was going to swap stones for steel to recreate Stonehenge using the cars he grew up with.

In 1987, that idea became reality.

Reinders created a 96ft-wide circle using 39 vehicles, from 1950s Chevrolets to a towering 1962 Cadillac.

Each car spray-painted gray to mimic the weathered stone of the original monument.

The unveiling even took place on the summer solstice, just like the unveiling of the original Stonehenge.

But Carhenge wasn’t just a quirky art stunt; it was a memorial.

The cars were Reinders’ way of paying tribute to his father, who had recently passed away.

What started as a one man’s tribute is now a cult landmark – a place where travelers come for the oddity and stay for the story.

Why the Nebraska car monument still draws a crowd

The Nebraska car monument isn’t just surviving, it’s growing – garnering a reputation as one of the weirdest roadside attractions in the USA.

Visitors keep coming year after year, and what started as a one-off art installation has become a 10-acre ‘Car Art Reserve,’ with new sculptures popping up alongside the original circle.

Back in 2017, Carhenge gained national attention when it sat directly in the path of the solar eclipse. Thousands showed up – including Nebraska’s governor – to watch the sky darken over the cars.

Since then, the monument’s quirky appeal has landed it in everything from indie films like Omaha: The Movie to Pixar’s Cars on the Road. Not bad for a passion project made from scrap metal and spray paint.

To handle the growing interest, a visitor center was added in 2006.

And in 2013, Reinders handed the entire site over to the city of Alliance, making it an official public landmark – who doesn’t love a happy ending?

Carhenge began as a memorial, and now, it’s a tourist magnet and probably the only place where you’ll find a Cadillac moonlighting as a prehistoric altar.

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