If you have ever seen the Disney animated motion picture Cars, the story may sound familiar. A stretch of highway, long forgotten by most travelers, struggles to regain some notoriety and relevance. It is the true story of 32 miles of two-lane roadway that lies in southwestern North Dakota. Although the road has no official route number, it has become known as the Enchanted Highway. PleasureLand RV is pleased to present the true story of this almost forgotten road.
It was back in 1989 that a local artist by the name of Gary Greff came up with the idea. Greff saw how superhighways were siphoning off traffic from rural roads like the one that went through his hometown of Regent, South Dakota. He thought if people had a reason to travel these roads, small towns like his would still be viable. So he began to use scrap metal to build larger than life sculptures along the road.
He used farm tanks, utility poles, barbed wire, and augers to create the 45 foot tall “Tin Family” sculpture. “Teddy Roosevelt Rides Again” was constructed out of well pipe and stands tall at 51 feet. He utilized pipe and wire mesh to create “Pheasants on the Prairie,” weighing in at a total of 13,000 lbs. Greff made use of some old fuel tanks and oil well tanks in creating “Grasshoppers in the Field.” In 2002 he again used oil tanks in the creation of “Deer Crossing.” His masterpiece however, is his giant “Geese in Flight” sculpture. This massive piece of art stands at 154 feet long and 110 feet tall, making it the largest metal sculpture in the world according to the Guinness World Book of Records.
A Regent native, Greff maintains the sculptures and plans to add more. In 2012 he opened up his “Enchanted Castle” motel along the route. If you are planning on RVing to the Black Hills and Badlands areas of this part of the country, consider a trip down the the Enchanted Highway. It can make for a bit more interesting drive than that along the Interstates. The Enchanted Highway runs from Regent to Exit 72 of I-94. It is a trip you and your family won’t soon forget and pictures are a must.
PleasureLand RV is a family owned RV dealership Minnesota, Canada, and the entire Midwest has come to rely on for year-round RV sales, service, parts, and accessories. Enjoy your next trip in a PleasureLand RV!
