Here are some of the other wonderful roadside art sites I have visited over the years. Created in 1974 by a San Francisco art collective called the Ant Farm and situated in a wheatfield owned by the eccentric Amarillo helium magnate Stanley Marsh III, Cadillac Ranch is a playful tribute to the open road. About the only thing you can't do is steal the wheels and hubcaps, which have all been welded in place. Working primarily in concrete decorated with colorful pieces of broken glass and mirrors, he made more than 200 large, festive sculptures between 1948 and 1964, most of them depicting animals, scenes of small-town life and American icons like Paul Bunyan, Sacagawea, Abe Lincoln and the Statue of Liberty. The site is maintained by Price County, making it one of America's most inspired examples of publicly administered art.
Grottoes are among the most stunning roadside artworks.
There are several beautiful examples, but the biggest and best is clearly the magnificent Grotto of the Redemption. Today the Grotto, still managed by Dobberstein's diocese, is a popular destination for religious and secular travelers alike, with guided tours available. The overall effect is like a penny arcade mixed with a carnival, and the whole thing is housed in a bizarre structure made in part from old glass bottles and bicycle wheels. For more information about most of these sites and hundreds of others, read A Guide to the Sculpture Parks and Gardens of America by Jane McCarthy and Laurily K. Epstein, which makes a valuable addition to any travel library. Time Inc. All rights reserved.