The Enchanted Highway

Back in March, while traveling through California, we stopped at a chamber of commerce for directions. Two of the lady volunteers were excited to hear about our travels and highly recommended the Enchanted Highway in North Dakota. I wrote it down on our atlas... and here we are!

What is the Enchanted Highway?

It is a sweet story, really.
Gary Greff, a former teacher and school principal, feared that his small community of Regent, North Dakota would die if it relied solely on farming. With no formal training, he began welding in 1989, and unveiled his first large-scale sculpture, The Tin Family, in 1991.

Gary's project has truly brought the community together. Boys Scouts, local students, farmers, local police and fireman, and numerous businesses have devoted time and money into the sculptures. Although Gary's first sculpture was erected in 1991, the Enchanted Highway committee was formed in 1993. Since then, six more larger-than-life sculptures now line the highway from I-90 to Regent, North Dakota.

We started at I-90 where we were greeted by Geese in Flight. I instantly fell in love with the small geese that lined the driveway to the big sculpture.

• Erected: 2002
• Geese are significant to North Dakota
• In the 2002 Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest scrap-metal sculpture
• Cost: $150,000
• Height: 110 feet
• Width: 154 feet
• Weight: 78.8 tons (157,661 pounds)
• Large Goose has a single wing span of 32 feet and 20 feet in length
• Made from over 300 lengths of well pipe and over 12 recycled oil well tanks
• More than $9000 in auto paint was used to color the sculpture.
• Cranes were rented for $20,000 to move, flip and set the sculpture into place.

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Deer Crossing

• Erected: 2002
• Inspired by local white-tail and mule deer
• Seven oil well tanks
• A foot and antler on the large deer were removed so the sculpture could safely pass through the town of Regent (traffic lights).
• The Buck is 70 feet tall, 60 feet long
• The Doe is 50 feet tall, 50 feet long

The Maze at the Deer Crossing

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Grasshoppers Delight

• Erected: 1999
• Inspired by the farmer's pest, the grasshopper
  
• There are 6 hoppers in this display
• The largest hopper is 40 feet tall, 50 feet long
• 2 medium-sized hoppers measure 12 feet by 15 feet in size
• There are no measurements given for the three small hoppers.
• 4 recycled oil field tanks were used for the project

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Fisherman's Dream

• Erected: 2006
• Recreates a lake surface 50 feet above the North Dakota prairie
• Fish include: a Northern Walleye, a Small Mouth Bass, a Bullhead, a Bluegill, and a Salmon - all 30-feet long
• The Rainbow Trout stands 70 feet long

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Pheasants on the Prairie

• Erected: 1996
• Inspired by the game bird brought to North Dakota in the 1800's
• Each bird frame was fully constructed, then cut in half so it would fit through the door
• Rooster: 40 feet tall, 70 feet long, and weighs 13,000 pounds
• Hen: 35 feet tall, 60 feet long, and weighs 12,000 pounds
• Chicks (there are 3 of them): 15 feet tall, 20 feet long, and weighs 5,000 pounds
• It took over $3,000 dollars worth of paint to complete this project

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Theodore Roosevelt Rides Again

• Erected: 1993
• Height: 51 feet
• Weight: 9,000 lbs. with beams
• 30 lengths of pipe were used (weight 300 lbs. each) at 1 3/4 inches thick
• Regent High School class of 1993 constructed the picnic tables and bulletin boards
• A stage coach base was donated and the top was constructed by community members to accommodate children.
• The silhouette was completed, loaded on a flat bed, then escorted by local police to its current location. High winds delayed the erection of the sculpture for a few days.

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The Tin Family

• Erected: 1991
• The Tin Man stands 45 feet tall
• His body consists of a tank that measures 12 feet in height and 10 feet in width
• The cap measures 6 feet in circumference and is 5 feet tall
• The Tin Lady stands 44 feet tall
• Her hair is made of barb wire and her earrings are augers
• The Tin Boy stands 23 feet tall

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Gary does not receive any federal or state funding for his work. He relies strictly on donations. I think that is what makes this road so special.

As we moved from one sculpture to the next, I just felt so pleased. I couldn't stop smiling. I was awed that someone would build these magnificent structures out of the kindness of his heart... to bring life back into his community.

It was fun and exciting to ride over a hill and be able to see the next sculpture. They were colorful and playful works of art. And we were grateful the rain held off enough for us to be mesmerized by all seven sculptures.

At the end of the road, we met Gary at his gift shop in the town of Regent. We had a scoop of "the best ice cream in town." Turns out he has the only ice cream in town. Adorable man with a bid heart, indeed. He is currently working on "The Spiderweb." And it should be out next spring.

I thought the land was donated, but Gary actually leases the land holding his sculptures... and he is "working with," as he says with a smile, one land owner now to obtain permission to install The Web.

As we were leaving, Gary asked that we spread the word about The Enchanted Highway. And so we are - - It was a treat!

Just be careful of the "Police" as you leave Regent. We hear they are real "hard asses."