It’s not really an “abandoned” place, as I normally write about, but an interesting public art installation with a bit of a rustic, sometimes lonely feel to it, accompanied by an interesting history. One of the most famous public art installations in the US sits in the middle of a large dirt lot in Amarillo, Texas. The art installation, called Cadillac Ranch, was created in 1974 by Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels, who were part of the art collective Ant Farm. The group had decided to half-bury 10 Cadillacs, 10 different models, which ranged throughout the years 1949-1963. The cars were buried nose-first into the dirt, and showcased the evolution of the car’s tailfins over the years.

Chip Lord and Doug Michels were architects, while Marquez was an art student at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. When Ant Farm was founded, it was meant to bring a different, unique architectural practice that strayed from the normal ways of thinking about and doing architecture. It was meant to help step out of the box of corporate expectations and visions, bringing and blending strange artistic styles and odd ideas into the mix. The group had connections to numerous eccentric millionaires, including Stanley Marsh 3, an artist, businessman and philanthropist. When he was asked by the group to help fund the Cadillac Ranch project, he responded “It’s going to take me awhile to get used to the idea of the Cadillac Ranch. I’ll answer you by April Fool’s Day. It’s such an irrelevant and silly proposition that I want to give it all my time and attention so I can make a casual judgment of it.”

Sure enough, he eventually eased into the idea and funded the project. Cadillac Ranch was originally located in a wheat field, but in 1997 the cars were moved 2 miles to the west in order to remain a good distance from the limits of the growing city. Both sites had belonged to Stanley Marsh, who by this time had become well known in the city for his longtime patronage in funding many artistic endeavors, including the Cadillac Ranch, Floating Mesa; Amarillo Ramp, and a series of fake traffic signs throughout the city, which are collectively known as the Dynamite Museum. In 2013, ownership of the Cadillac Ranch was transferred to a family trust. This was done only a short time before Marsh’s death in June of 2014.

Though Cadillac Ranch sits on private land, visitors are encouraged to enter the property. Visitors are also encouraged to bring paint of their own (or use the spray paint that is often left in buckets at the location) to paint the cars. Ant Farm artists enjoy having the installation open to this type of public interaction from travelers. Chip Lord was quoted saying “If it had been sited in a remote place, it would be pristine today, and no one would have seen it.” Doug Michels had added that “We wanted it to be an interactive monument, so people could express themselves.” Over the years, the cars have been painted numerous different colors. They were painted white during the filming of a television commercial, and later pink in honor of Stanley’s wife Wendy’s birthday. All 10 cars were once painted black to mark the passing of Ant Farm artist Doug Michels, which had also provided a fresh canvas for future travelers/visitors. In 2012, the cars were painted rainbow colors to commemorate gay pride day. The motel chain Hampton Inn had a public relations-sponsored series of Route 66 landmark restoration projects, with Cadillac Ranch being one. The cars were briefly restored to their original colors, but lasted less than 24 hours before fresh graffiti was painted all over them.

The cars were used in numerous music videos, movies, and even referenced to in an episode of King of the Hill, in the final scene of the episode “Hank Gets Dusted.” The ranch was used in the music videos for the song “Living in America” by James Brown and “Aint No Rest for the Wicked” by Cage the Elephant. Brooks & Dunn used the ranch in their video for “Honky Tonk Stomp.” Numerous other bands have also filmed videos at the ranch. Bruce Springsteen has a song titled “Cadillac Ranch” on his 1980 album “The River.” Even Pixar’s 2006 animated film “Cars” depicts Cadillac Ranch as a mountain formation, and the Ant Farm collective and Cadillac Ranch are acknowledged in the film’s credits.

If you visit, just make sure you pay attention to the wind speeds. Trust that bit of information.

Other Stuff:

You can check out other abandoned, eerie and interesting locations, which are publicly visit-able HERE

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