Where vehicles are arranged exactly like the stones at that other “henge” in England.
By Diane Sitton
August 2019
These days, you don’t have to travel to England to check Stonehenge off your bucket list. There’s a Stonehenge, of sorts, about 3 miles north of Alliance, Nebraska.
It is not as mysterious as the original. Here, comments such as “awesome” upstage awe; laughter replaces reverence; and American vintage cars supplant the massive stones.
At Carhenge in Alliance, Nebraska, a 1951 Willys Jeep rests atop 1960s sedans
But, in case you’re measuring, the aptly named Carhenge truly is a full-scale, proportional replica of the megalithic monument in England that marks the movement of the sun and moon. It’s just that this one is done with 38 vintage cars. All painted stone gray, they form a 96-foot-diameter circle. Major features include three standing trilithons (two vertical stones topped by a horizontal stone), two station stones, and other major Stonehenge features.
A 1950 Plymouth De Soto precariously spans a 1965 Buick Estate Wagon and a 1975 Ford Country Squire, trilithon-style; a 1959 Pontiac Star Chief serves as a circle stone; and a 1966 Dodge pickup truck juts from the ground at an odd angle to resemble one of the dislodged stones at the original Stonehenge. Nearby, a 1962 Cadillac depicts the heel stone. At approximately 7 feet wide, the cars share dimensions with the standing stones at Stonehenge.
This offbeat roadside attraction was the brainchild of Jim Reinders, a self-styled artist-at-heart who took careful notes of Stonehenge’s size and layout while he was working in England. After the death of Reinders’ father (who once lived on the farm where Carhenge now stands), the family decided to build a Stonehenge replica as a memorial.
A map showing the exact makes and models of the vehicles used in Carhenge is posted at the site’s visitors center.
Some of the old classics were discovered at a local junkyard. Others were not as close at hand. The 1951 Willys Jeep came from more than 1,000 miles away and was hauled to the windswept prairie outside Alliance by a Carhenge project enthusiast. Now it is one of the jewels in the car-crown that’s Carhenge. A well-traveled 1978 Dodge Aspen arrived at its final “rusting place” from Lincoln, Nebraska. It took this aged car two days to make it. It’s normally a 6.5-hour drive.
In June 1987, five years after vowing to build the memorial, the 35-member clan gathered to construct the Stonehenge replica. After “a lot of blood, sweat, and beers,” as Jim recalled, they dedicated Carhenge on the summer solstice, with a celebration filled with poetry, songs, and a play written by some family members.
Reinders donated the 10-acre site to the group Friends of Carhenge. They, in turn, gave it to the citizens of Alliance in 2013.
Besides Carhenge, vehicle art is also on the grounds; the collection includes “The Spawning Salmon, “made from an assortment of parts and pieces.
Today at Carhenge, car art goes beyond replicating history. The site includes the Car Art Reserve, a collection of oddball creations made entirely of cars and car parts. In “The Ford Seasons,” an original display inspired by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi’s musical work, The Four Seasons, Reinders painted upturned Fords to depict wheat’s seasonal cycles. Another artwork consists of tire rims, mufflers, and other automotive parts and pieces that take shape as the aptly named, giant “Spawning Salmon.” The car mania extends to a colorful bench constructed from wheel rims and tailgates.
For sightseers, a stroll through Carhenge isn’t complete without browsing “The Pitstop,” a small gift/snack shop near the entrance (open seasonally). Inside, collections of county, state, and foreign license plates decorate the walls. If you’ve got an old license plate, bring it. Donated plates are welcome. After shopping for T-shirts, caps, mugs, and other souvenirs emblazoned with the likeness of Carhenge (available here and at the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center in Alliance), you can mark your hometown on a large map using a push pin. Don’t miss the Carhenge “map to the cars” posted on the wall near the counter. The chart identifies the make and model of vehicles in the Stonehenge replica.
Carhenge has appeared in film, television programs, and commercials. It is the subject of a documentary. It was featured in Trip Advisor’s 2016 list of Top Family Attractions in the USA. In August 2017 it was a favored location from which to experience the eclipse of the sun.
The list of vehicles used in the Carhenge sculpture includes Chevrolets, Buicks, Cadillacs, and many more.
Despite its quirky allure (or because of it), Carhenge draws more than 60,000 visitors every year. Folks from as far away as Australia come to capture a mystical moment, wax nostalgic over the vintage cars, or snap a selfie. According to one account, a tourist from England who had never visited Stonehenge couldn’t leave Nebraska without seeing Carhenge. Go figure!
More Information
Carhenge is just north of Alliance, Nebraska, on State Route 87, in between Interstate 80 and Interstate 90. Visit the Carhenge website for a map and more details. It is open daily during daylight hours, and admission is free. Visit www.carhenge.com or call (308) 762-3569.