How It All Started
Cadillac Ranch's remarkable history began in San Francisco in 1972. According to legend, the idea for the automotive art installation came to avant garde artist Hudson Marquez after perusing a car-oriented children's book that he found in a Marin County watering hole.
Marquez, who was part of a San Francisco art-and-architecture collective known as Ant Farm, enlisted the creative assistance of fellow Ant Farmers, Doug Michels and Chip Lord. The trio was made privy to a list of eccentric millionaires who might be willing to fund the project. Affluent Texan media mogul, Stanley Marsh 3, was the ideal candidate for the job.
When the Ant Farm first proposed the notion of Cadillac Ranch to Marsh, he was less than enthusiastic, calling the idea 'irrelevant and silly.' Nonetheless, Marsh soon conceded because, as reported in the Amarillo Globe News, "I want all the friends I can get."
How Cadillac Ranch Was Built
First, Marsh provided several acres of little-used wheat field on the outskirts of Amarillo. Then, the Ant Farm, known for their kitschy, unconventional media displays, went about the task of obtaining almost a dozen used Cadillacs.
Unlike Nebraska's 'Carhenge,' in which a variety of assorted car makes are installed vertically, Cadillac Ranch is made with 100% American-made Caddies, and they are all half-buried at the same angle as the outer walls of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Cars that could run were driven nose-first into their holes; junkers and inoperable Cadillacs found their way into the ground by way of mechanical hoists, explains Legends of America magazine.
By 1997, Cadillac Ranch was no longer on the remote outskirts of Amarillo, so a local contractor was enlisted to relocate the original cars to a new position a couple of miles away. Today, the offbeat attraction enchants visitors from all around the globe.
Good Reasons to Visit Cadillac Ranch
If you're a Baby Boomer, you may remember firsthand some of the remarkable vintage Caddies that now exist as part of Cadillac Ranch. If you're on the younger side, Cadillac Ranch may provide your first real-life glimpse of older models of the revered luxury vehicle. In either case, Cadillac Ranch is bound to open your eyes to the possibilities – and weird magnificence -- of art created 'outside the frame.'
Be Part of the Art
Visit a typical in-town gallery, and you will be forbidden to touch the art. Not so at Cadillac Ranch where visitors are encouraged to bring a can of spray paint and add to the project, notes Culture Curious magazine.
How to Get There
The best way to visit the attraction that earned Roadside America's highest rating is by car. From Sarasota, take I-75 north to US-49 north to I-20 west and drive all the way to Fort Worth, Texas. Merge onto US-287 north, then take exit 62A in Amarillo and follow the signs. Be sure to check Google Maps for road details on the day of your trip.
Learn More About the Cadillac Ranch
Seasoned Cadillac owners already know that their vehicles are ideal for everything from short grocery runs to extensive road trips. If you're not yet an enthusiastic Cadillac driver, now is the right time to visit Sunset Cadillac of Sarasota and test drive a Cadillac for sale. Call (941) 312-2807 or drop by 2200 Bee Ridge Road any day except Sunday. We'd love to put you behind the wheel of a new Cadillac, and we're sure you'll love being there.
