Celebrate Summer Solstice At America’s Stonehenge!

Stonehenge is one of those places that draw people for all sorts of reasons: curiosity, wonder and those seeking some sort of mystical experience. The massive stone circle on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England is visited by people the world over. Estimated to be more than 3,500 years old, Stonehenge is one of those ancient mysteries that have baffled men for centuries.

Likewise, an unusual man-made structure on the plains of Western Nebraska has both baffled and bemused visitors for almost thirty years. While the Americanized version doesn’t inspire awe in quite the same way, the quirky testimonial to its creator’s genius does leave a lasting impression. Erected in 1987 by Jim Reinders, a former Alliance, Nebraska citizen, Carhenge has drawn thousands of visitors to the area and in 2014, USA Today voted it one of the Ten Most Quirky Monuments to visit.  It ranked number three, just behind Big Tex in Dallas and the Longaberger Home Office (baskets) in Newark, Ohio.

Reinders, an engineer, worked in England for several years and made numerous trips to the Stonehenge site, fascinated with the science, history and astronomy associated with the ancient stones. The idea was born out of his desire to pay tribute to the age-old mystery of Stonehenge here in America. The dimensions of Carhenge closely replicate the original. Rising 15 to 17 feet in the air, the cars are 7 feet wide–the same size as the standing stones of Stonehenge. All 38 of the major stones at Stonehenge are represented in Reinders’ masterpiece.

Knowing he couldn’t complete the feat on his own, Reinders convinced his family to help.  Together, they collected, arranged and “planted the stones.”  The massive structure is rendered in old Ford LTDs, Subarus, pickups of all makes, station wagons, Cadillacs and even an old Gremlin. It is an amazing feat of engineering.

When they completed the monument, the family celebrated with a cookout and burned an outhouse as the ceremonial sacrifice. Alliance citizens wanted to tear it down 24 hours later, but after seeing more and more visitors making the 80 mile trek from Interstate 80 to view the amazing site, they began to change their minds.

Now owned by the Friends of Carhenge, the 10 acre site has recently received some upgrades like new interpretive signs, an audio history and a new coat of gray paint for the structure itself. Now 87, Reinders lives in Pearland, Texas and makes the pilgrimage to Carhenge every other year. He is planning to visit next year on August 21, 2017, for the total eclipse of the sun. A momentous event in astronomy circles, Carhenge fans are already booking rooms to participate in the once in a lifetime event.

If you can’t make it to England to see Stonehenge, I highly recommend a visit to Carhenge. When I dropped by to see it for myself, I couldn’t stop smiling. That’s when I discovered the beauty in Mr. Reinders’ genius monument: You may not be awe-inspired, but you will have a hard time walking away without a great big smile on your face. Maybe that’s just what Jim Reinders had in mind all along.

Happy Summer Solstice!