There’s an amazing dream world that’s just waiting to be discovered in Wisconsin, and it’s a place like no other. Untold bags of concrete mix, combined with the quirky and playful mind of a folk artist, spawned a wonderland of creatures. Wisconsin Concrete Park is an unusual themed park that is a must-visit spot in northern Wisconsin that never fails to bring smiles to visitors of all ages. Here’s what you need to know.
Wisconsin Concrete Park is located in Phillips, a community in Price County. The community began as a logging town and today draws large numbers of tourists seeking outdoor beauty and one very quirky attraction.
The concrete park is hard to miss in its location right along Highway 13. Just look for the crowd of horses, cows, and people.
The park was the brainchild of former lumberjack Fred Smith. He was not formally trained as an artist, but he used his hard work and imagination to create more than 200 sculptures.
Smith began building the sculptures in 1948 and continued until he had a stroke in 1964. His sculptures are created with concrete and decorated with glass beer bottles and other found objects.
The sculptures depict people doing rural activities, like milking a cow. There are also farm animals and wild animals “roaming” the park.
You may recognize a few familiar faces, including Abraham Lincoln, Paul Bunyan, and Ben-Hur. Other figures just look like ordinary residents of northern Wisconsin.
While Smith died in 1976, his well-built sculptures aren’t going anywhere. A storm once damaged many of the sculptures, but they were restored with a grant from the Kohler Foundation, and the property is now a county park. Learn more about the Wisconsin Concrete Park on the park’s website. While you’re in the area and have your camera out, you may want to seek out this incredible covered bridge.
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