Truckhenge

Truckhenge is a grassroots art exhibit, part of Lessman's Farm & Catfish Pond, located between Tecumseh and Topeka, Kansas. Truckhenge and Beer Bottle City are also part of the Kaw Region Art Park, as designated by the Association of Shawnee County Recycling And Preservation.

Ron Lessman began creating Truckhenge in May 2000, using antique trucks and a bus he collected over the years. After a legal battle with Shawnee County, Kansas over the trucks, a judge ordered Mr. Lessman to "pick up the trucks". So, he picked them up. Each truck is anchored into the ground with 23 tons of concrete, and each truck contains several quotes by Ron Lessman. Along with the trucks, there are several beer-bottle sculptures and structures integrated into the park as "Beer-Bottle City".

On July 5, 2006, Truckhenge was officially dedicated as part of the Kaw Region Art Park after the Shawnee County Recycling and Preservation Association presented Mr. Lessman with a plaque in honor of his work. On July 7, 2006, the Lessman Farm and Catfish Pond hosted a political fundraiser for the Libertarian Party of Kansas (LPKS), after the fundraiser was forcibly blocked from its original location at Lake Edun by Shawnee County officials.

The Lessman Farm & Truckhenge played host to a concert called "The f*** Phelps Phestival" on June 1 to June 3, 2007. The concert was headlined by the band "Bite Boy".

In July 2007, Ron Lessman began adding onto Truckhenge using several small boats.

Truckhenge has been featured in videos from the KDHE (KS Department of Health & Environment), Roadside America, KS Travel, Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations, and the Filip and Frederik Show.

External links

* [http://www.thomaslessman.com/LessmanFarm/Truckhenge.html Official website for Truckhenge]
* [http://www.ThomasLessman.com Thomas Lessman's website]
* [http://www.kansastravel.org/truckhenge.htm Truckhenge on the KansasTravel.org website]
* [http://www.roadsideamerica.com/sights/sightstory.php?tip_AttrId=%3D16024 Roadside America page about Truckhenge]
* Video: [http://www.ksnt.com/news/7809977.html?video=YHI&t=a Band to Protest Phelps] (6-03-2007)
* Video: [http://www.ktka.com/news/2007/jun/01/biteboy_back_topeka/ Biteboy back in Topeka] (6-01-2007)
* Video: [http://media.49abcnews.com/video/2006/07/05/dana.mov Truckhenge on KTKA 49]
* Article: [http://www.wibw.com/13newsweekend/headlines/7808207.html Band protests Phelps] (6-03-2007)
* Article: [http://rm235.blogspot.com/2007/06/truckhenge.html Room 235 - Truckhenge and Music Phestival] (6-26-2007)
* Article: [http://www.49abcnews.com/news/2006/jul/05/kansas_version_stonehenge_parked_topeka/ Kansas' Version of Stonehenge is Parked in Topeka]
* Article: [http://www.49abc.com/news/2006/jul/07/officers_block_political_party_holding_fundraiser/ Officers Block Political Party Fundraiser]