Travel Off The Highway In Texas

Roy Boyce

CADILLAC RANCH’S BUMPER CROP HAS 48 YEARS OF SUCCESS.

Cadillac Ranch is an art installation that is recognised by millions of people around the globe. The popularity of the Cadillac Ranch is seemingly enduring, as visitors continuously arrive to view the 10 upturned Cadillac cars in a Texas field. Curious about the concept behind the project, I wanted to understand more about the elements that make it such a popular attraction. I just had so many questions about how it came to be and more importantly, why it is such a popular stop on the road. Having the opportunity to visit the ranch this year gave me the drive, pun intended, to look a bit deeper into the installation by experiencing it for myself.

When heading West from Amarillo Texas on the Interstate (I-40), or if perhaps, like myself, you are following the historic route 66, you will find 10 Cadillac cars, in a line, buried in the mud. Not as a fateful accident or an episode of unexplained alien activity. The cars are an art sculpture known as Cadillac Ranch. They are in chronological order of their manufacture; buried in the mud, front end down and rear pointed up toward the sky. It is said that the angle of the cars is the same as the angle of the Pyramids of Giza. The conceptual purpose, according to the creators, is to show the change in design or the evolution of the rear fin style of the cars over time. The ages of the chosen 10 vehicles are from 1949 to 1963, considered by many to be the ‘Golden Age’ of the American automobile. A time when vehicles arose from the sketches of a designer’s notebook and the style was a reflection of the optimism of the time.

The sculpture is the work of three men from San Francisco. Chip Lord, Doug Michaels and Hudson Marquez. Collectively they were known as Ant Farm: the two architects and Marquez, an artist. Ant Farm were interested in unconventional architectural projects and in trying to overthrow the existing corporate conventions of the time. Inspiration for the Cadillacs came to Marquez from a book about cars1. He is said to have particularly liked the Cadillac because of their tail fins and the way he saw their design evolve with the models. He had envisioned the installation and, when he had the time available, he sketched the project up. With the idea now committed to paper, Ant Farm was now needed a backer. One of the people that they had contacted in the hopes of backing the project was Texas oil millionaire Stanley Marsh 3. I don’t think that it was an easy sell; Marsh wrote in his letter replying to the group that he thought the project was "irrelevant and silly". But fortunately for Chip Lord, Doug Michaels and Hudson Marquez, Marsh was also an unconventional millionaire who happened to like that sort of thing. As Marsh was a man with a reputation for being both a bit eccentric and a prankster, they were able to convince him to support the sculpture and the project went ahead.

In 1974 they had sourced, purchased and assembled the cars into the field. Once they had the cars together, it took just 5 days to execute the plan. In fact, the complete project took only two months from the initial surveying of the property to the last backfill of dirt. The cars, mainly obtained from junkyards, are still the original cars that Ant Farm placed, but they are now in their second location. The vehicles were exhumed from their original location and moved further out from Amarillo in 1997. It is reported that Marsh supervised the move and ensured that the trash and debris surrounding the cars were also moved to the new location. Despite being on private property, visitation to the cars and actively participating in tagging the vehicles with paint is encouraged. Marsh considered that the interaction and painting was a positive move to continually improve the installation. The cars have been stripped of any loose or chrome parts (even the doors) over the years, as people source souvenirs. In September 2019, the oldest Cadillac was burned in an act of arson. It caused so much public outrage and anger, the thought that someone would want to destroy the exhibit. The Dallas Morning News, on reporting the incident, also questioning as to who would want to spoil the fun and break up the party.

What is the experience like?

On arriving at the location, there are no sign posts leading one to the attraction. Not difficult to locate however, since the cars are visible from the highway. You will see the parked cars and see the people, walking like a stream of ants. You will not find an organized parking lot all lined with parking bays. Instead, you will park along the side of the road. A simple gate into the field. The field is just a field. It will be wet and muddy if it is or has been raining, so you have to be prepared. Walking towards the installation, the fragrance of the off-gassing paint becomes stronger as you approach. It was not crowded the day I was there but there was still a steady rotation of people leaving as new artists arrived. It is interesting to see that some arrive with a can or two of paint, whilst others are armed with multiple bags of cans and clearly on a mission. People of all ages, speaking many languages. Some meandering around and in between the cars, others taking photographs of friends and family or

their recently completed painting. Climbing onto or into the vehicles to get a picture. Others are just watching the interaction of the humans with these strangely arranged cars.

For me, the experience was one of public freedom. When you step through the gate there are no signs of instructions. No list of rules and regulations to follow. You do not have to keep to the path since there isn’t one. You cannot keep behind the line and you do not have to stand back from the rope. There are no staff to take your booking, sell you a ticket or check your wrist band. The visitor centre does not exist. Without any security, you will just come and go as you please, as the attraction is always open so you can make your own hours to visit. You can spray paint over someone else’s design or tag. Quickly take a picture when you are finished, as soon someone else will be painting over yours too. There is a surreal etiquette of people sharing the space. A sense of anarchy that lets your inner child loose. A time to be silly, whether you are on your own or with friends and family. A shared experience. You do not need to stand by for too long before someone with a broad smile will be trying to give you a can. Strangers wanting to share the fun.

It is estimated that close to 2 million visitors arrive to see and interact with Cadillac Ranch every year. I had to get my thoughts around this so I looked up Stonehenge for context. Now, I am not saying that Stonehenge is the same as Cadillac Ranch, but it is also a famous, world-renowned site that is a roadside attraction, to some extent. The English Heritage society reports that Stonehenge averages 800,000 visitors per year. Unlike the Cadillac Ranch, to visit Stonehenge you will need to park in the parking lot, follow the path, potentially drop over $100 at the Visitor Centre for tickets for the family, keep behind the rope, and then never get close enough to touch a stone. I know that this is to protect the stones which seemed to do just fine on their own for 3,000 years before English Heritage arrived to protect them, but that is progress.

I believe that Cadillac Ranch’s success has been, and continues to be, freedom. It seems to me that any change to the installation to impose rules and regulations will just alter the vibe, and change the entire experience. As many people do on a daily basis, I left my visit with a broad smile on my face. I looked across the field in the flat landscape before driving away and thought how fitting it all was. Far enough away in the field to be secluded and yet completely visible. A moment in time to be silly. Stanley Marsh 3 passed away in 2014. I think we can agree with him that Cadillac Ranch is silly, however, it is not irrelevant.

The Cadillac Ranch is located at 13651 I-40 Frontage Rd, Amarillo, TX 79124, United States.

The opinions shared are mine based on my own experience. Your experience could be the same or different. Take time to do your own research to see if this is right for you. I was not paid or sponsored by anyone, including The Cadillac Ranch,to visit this location. It was an independent choice and my visit was funded from my personal account.