Concrete Folk Art

December 23, 2004 10:22 PM

Fred Smith's Concrete Park near Phillips, Wisconsin. "Born in 1886, a tavern owner and former lumberjack, Fred Smith began building sculptures in 1948, in his 60s. He created more than 200 concrete sculptures and covered them with broken beer bottle glass from his tavern. Said Fred, 'nobody knows why I made them, not even me.' " [more inside]
posted by marxchivist (13 comments total)

I've visited this place, and it has to be seen to be believed. These pictures don't do justice to the size and scale of these things, the are at least 10 feet tall. I was impressed with the Lincoln-Todd monument, "The Second Monument of It's Kind in the U.S.A." Pray tell, what was the first? The Iwo Jima sculpture is nice too, and this is the best statue of horses pulling a giant muskie that I've ever seen. More here, and of course check out Roadside America.
posted by marxchivist at 10:22 PM on December 23, 2004

Excellent
posted by Bighappyfunhouse at 10:26 PM on December 23, 2004

People from Wisconsin have a thing for building sculptures.
posted by drezdn at 10:40 PM on December 23, 2004

Egads drezdn!

As someone who plays upright bass for a living (if you call this a living) those sculptures are straight out of one of my anxiety-ridden-pink-elephants-on-parade type feverish nightmares.

The basses are coming! Hooray! Hooray!
posted by sourwookie at 11:49 PM on December 23, 2004

sourwookie, Doctor Evermore's place is actually really amazing and beautiful; not nightmare-inducing at all, especially if you go at just the right time in the summer when the cottonwood trees are blowing motes everywhere.
posted by interrobang at 12:01 AM on December 24, 2004

In Dublin, OH (near columbus) there is a peculiar site: a field full of concrete corn. Not nearly as cool as the link, but still interesting.
posted by adzm at 12:14 AM on December 24, 2004

Sadly, in 1976, Fred died of multiple lacerations to the face and hands. The exact cause was never determined.
posted by ladd at 12:41 AM on December 24, 2004

drezdn, I'm glad that you brought up Dr. Evermor, because I couldn't remember his name, just that I had read about him in the first issue of Found. Stuff like this always reminds me that people are more than worth it.
posted by scrim at 1:13 AM on December 24, 2004

[this is sweet, said I]
posted by neckro23 at 1:56 AM on December 24, 2004

There would appear to be a severe paucity of good web galleries related to Edward James' Las Posas so excuse the crappy link. It easily covers 20-30 acres, and the way his sculpture blends into the jungle defies description.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:36 AM on December 24, 2004

I must be a real Wisconsinite since I can remember passing this place all the time. It's unimpressing to me now, oddly.

Be sure to check out the Hodag too. Not as cool, and the legend behind it is really annoying if you live up north here, but it's neat nonetheless.
posted by sian at 6:59 PM on December 24, 2004

Dickeyville has a cool grotto.
posted by pekar wood at 7:49 PM on December 24, 2004

The Garden of Eden in Lucas, Kansas, as featured in one of my favorite WTF movies: Wax, or the Discovery of Television Among the Bees.

More.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 8:29 PM on December 24, 2004