World’s Largest Bull’s Head Sculpture, world record in Montrose, South Dakota
Montrose, South Dakota, United States--The
Porter Sculpture Park, located just off Interstate 90 in Montrose, South Dakota, has over 60 sculptures in the Park; the largest sculpture in the park is a 60-foot-tall (18 m) bull head; this sculpture took three years to build, weighs 25 tons, and is equal in size to the heads of Mount Rushmore; it sets the world record for being the
World’s Largest Bull’s Head Sculpture, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.
"Porter Sculpture Park is located just off Interstate 90 in Montrose, South Dakota (about 25 miles west of Sioux Falls, on the eastern edge of McCook County). It is on the South Dakota Drift Prairie, only 1/4 of a mile off of the interstate. There are over 60 sculptures in the Park which is situated on 10 acres of tall grass prairie..
"Many of the sculptures, in the style of industrial art, were made with scrap metal, old farm equipment, or railroad tie plates. The largest sculpture in the park is a 60-foot-tall (18 m) bull head. This sculpture took three years to build, weighs 25 tons, and is equal in size to the heads of Mount Rushmore.
"Every sculpture in the park was made by Sculptor Wayne Porter. The Park is open May 15 - October 15 annually. Admission is $10 per adult, $5 ages 13–17, and free for ages 12 and under. History of the Artist and Porter Sculpture Park Artist: Wayne Porter is a sculptor who grew up in rural South Dakota and learned to weld as a child in his father's blacksmith shop. He has never taken an art class." (Wikipedia)
"Cruising down I-90 in South Dakota, motorists will come upon a massive 60-foot bull’s head, rising out of the ground like some pagan effigy and guarded by a pair of skeletal minotaurs," the Atlas Obscura says.
"Assuming that these steel creations don’t cause the driver to crash before arriving, visitors will find that Porter Sculpture Park is a unique roadside attraction that isn’t afraid to get a little dark. The collection of over 50 welded metal sculptures is the vision of artist and farmer Wayne Porter.
"The sculpture garden is located on the eastern edge of McCook County. Get off I-90 at exit #374 (the Montrose exit), and proceed south on 451st Avenue (for less than a mile; destination will be on your left).The Sculpture park is open daily, 7 A.M.-8:30 P.M. May 15th through October 15th Admission Fee is $10 for Adults, $5 Ages 13-17, Ages 12 & under free."
"Step into a world of metal marvels at Porter Sculpture Park, a South Dakota treasure. Over 60 sculptures crafted from metal with accompanying poetry dot the tall grass prairie the park sits on," the official website says.
"The self-guided loop trail is a third of a mile long and accessible by golf cart if walking is difficult. All sculptures are by artist Wayne Porter, who is on site and enjoys meeting visitors. New works are regularly added, ensuring a fresh experience for returning visitors.
"Hours: We are closed for the season, open again on May 15th, 2024. Plan your trip here spring, summer, or fall. Bambino and I will be waiting for you!
"Admission:$10 FOR ADULTS, $5 Ages 13-17, Ages 12 & under Free
Directions: 45160 257th Street , Montrose, SD 57048; take exit 374 off I-90, go South approximately 1/4 mile and take the first left onto a gravel road which ends at the sculpture park."
"Do You Know What Is Inside The Giant 60 Foot Tall Bull Head Off I-90 in South Dakota? If you've traveled on I-90 about 30 minutes west of Sioux Falls you have probably noticed the great big giant bull horns reaching high into the South Dakota horizon.
"After we parked our car in the Porter Park lot on a hot afternoon we walked up to the little white shed and were greeted by the prairie steel artist himself, Wayne Porter," the
97.3 KKRC says.
"He gave me a little back story saying...“I studied political science and history then went back to Hand County and started a sheep ranch...because I'm brilliant, right? Not a real smart thing to do. While the sheep were on grass I would go in and help my dad blacksmith and I would knock off a sculpture. It added up over a period of time. After a while tour busses would stop in Hand County and wanted to pay me to tour the yard. And I said...boy this is a lot easier than sheep ranching! So I moved everything out here.”
"Cartoonlike buzzards wielding a knife and fork, anvil and oversized mallet might seem like an odd way to welcome tourists, but Porter Sculpture Park is no typical roadside attraction," the The San Diego Union-Tribune says.
"The park’s signature piece is a 60-foot-tall Egyptian-style bull’s head that stares down Interstate 90 motorists as they head out to South Dakota’s Black Hills. Porter spent three years creating the 25-ton monstrosity out of railroad tie plates, dubbing it the “World’s Largest Bull’s Head” on a nearby billboard.
"The sheer size of the piece is amazing, and to weld it with such defined form and scale is even more impressive, said Kelly Ludwig, a Kansas City-based graphic designer who lists the park on the iPhone app she created called “Best Road Trip Ever!”
"Wayne built his signature sixty-foot Bull’s Head in two massive parts, one for the base and one for the ears. When each component arrived at the Porter Sculpture Park, Wayne had never tested them to see if they would fit together as planned.
"When the crane operator lifted the ears up toward the Bull Head, he asked Wayne if an engineer had run the numbers to be sure the parts would fit. Wayne said, “no, but it’ll work,” and sure enough the ears fit perfectly," the official website says.
"When he had more sculptures then fit the space, Wayne began to envision a sculpture park out in the open. When land became available in Montrose, he was able to transport his sculptures there and open the Porter Sculpture Park. Wayne spends his time out there with all of the visitors and his albino dog Bambino who loves attention! "
"Located about 30 miles west of Sioux Falls in the middle of some farmlands, Porter Sculpture Park is truly out in the middle of nowhere. It’s definitely worth a visit, however, as the sculptures are really quite compelling," the A Rambling Unicorn says.
"His largest sculpture is a 60-foot bull which is visible from I-90. The bull took over three years to build and weighs 25 tons. That’s the same size as one of the heads on Mount Rushmore.
"The bull is just one of over 50 sculptures located at the sculpture park. We spent about an hour wandering around the mowed grass pathway between the sculptures and admiring each one."
Photos: Facebook/Porter Sculpture Park
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