An artistic twist on route 66: Cadillac Ranch

On their way down the route 66 highway, tourists are eager to stop, in order to catch a glimpse of the peculiar sight. Ten classic Cadillacs are buried nose-deep into the ground, with their iconic tail-fins sticking out. Cadillac Ranch is attracting people from all over th world.

The project is the brainchild of a group of hippie-artists, who call themselves The Ant Farm in collaboration with eccentric billionaire Stanley March 3. Together, they drove up ten iconic classic Cadillacs, ranging from the 1949 Club Sedan to the 1963 Sedan de Ville and buried them, nose-in, tailfins out at a specific angle. Ideal angle intended, was the same angle of the pyramids of Giza. As decades passed since the installation in 1974, more and more tourists stopped by and scavenged the parts as souvenirs, eventually defacing the classic cars in a somewhat artistic manner with a dash of spray paint and street art. The hippies were, of course, ecstatic over this evolution of their work.

Today, if you happen to stop by you’ll be able to see artists from all over the world taking their chance at defacing, or making an impression on this unusual installation. Either choose to appreciate the sights from afar (away from the clouds of spray paint) or you can choose to be part of the action and bring along some paint yourself. Just remember to take a quick snapshot of your masterpiece, because it is highly likely to be repainted soon.

The Cadillac Ranch serves as a great stopover treat for the sights for travellers going down the Mother Road. Admission is free, so just drive over and park on the shoulder on the south side of old Route 66 and enter the enclosure through an open gate. Make sure to grab a good camera and loads of paint.

Address: I-40, Amarillo, TX
Directions: Just west of the Amarillo city line. I-40 exit 60. Follow the frontage road on the south side of I-40 (old Route 66) east for one mile. Cadillac Ranch will be on the right (south) side; just park your car along the shoulder and enter the pasture through an unlocked gate. Visitors are encouraged; dog friendly.