Forevertron
Encyclopedia
Dr. Evermor's Forevertron, built in the 1980s, is the largest scrap metal
sculpture
in the world, standing 50 ft. (15,2 m.) high and 120 ft. (36,5 m.) wide, and weighing 300 tons. It is housed in Dr. Evermore's Art Park on Highway 12
, in the town of Sumpter
, in Sauk County, Wisconsin
, United States
.
The sculpture incorporates two Thomas Edison
dynamos from the 1880s, lightning rods, high-voltage components from 1920s power plants, scrap from the nearby Badger Army Ammunition Plant
, and the decontamination chamber from the Apollo 11
spacecraft. Its fictional creator, Dr. Evermor, was born Tom Every in Brooklyn, Wisconsin
and is a former demolition expert who spent decades collecting antique machinery for the sculpture and the surrounding fiction that justifies it. According to Every, Dr. Evermor is a Victorian inventor who designed the Forevertron to launch himself, "into the heavens on a magnetic lightning force beam." The Forevertron, despite its size and weight, was designed to be relocatable to a different site—the sculpture is built in sections that are connected by bolts and pins.
In addition to the Forevertron itself, the sculpture includes a tea house
gazebo from which Every says Queen Victoria
and Prince Albert may observe the launching of Dr. Evermor; it also includes a giant telescope where sceptics may observe the ascent. Dr. Evermor's art park is home to scores of other sculptures, many of which relate to the Forevertron, such as the "Celestial Listening Ear" and the "Overlord Master Control Tower". Other large-scale sculptures include gigantic insects (the "Juicer Bug" and "Arachna Artie"), the "Epicurean" bellows-driven barbecue train, "The Dragon", and "The UFO". The most numerous sculptures are the "Bird Band and Orchestra" which includes nearly 70 birds ranging from the size of a child to twenty feet tall, all made from scrap industrial parts, geological survey markers, knives, loudspeakers, springs, and musical instruments, among other salvaged materials.
Tom Every says he takes pride in allowing the original materials to remain unaltered as much as possible, using their original forms in new juxtapositions to create his aesthetic. While he himself is not often available for tours of the art park, the site can generally be accessed from passing through the surplus store adjacent to it, Delaney's Surplus. Mr. Every also created much of the installation art for the House on the Rock
, including the world's largest carousel
.
Scrap Metal
Scrap Metal were a band from Broome, Western Australia who played rock music with elements of country and reggae. The members had Aboriginal, Irish, Filipino, French, Chinese, Scottish, Indonesian and Japanese heritage. The band toured nationally as part of the Bran Nue Dae musical and with...
sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
in the world, standing 50 ft. (15,2 m.) high and 120 ft. (36,5 m.) wide, and weighing 300 tons. It is housed in Dr. Evermore's Art Park on Highway 12
U.S. Route 12 in Wisconsin
In the U.S. state of Wisconsin, U.S. Route 12 runs east–west across the western to southeast portions of the state...
, in the town of Sumpter
Sumpter, Wisconsin
Sumpter is a town in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,021 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Bluffview is located in the town.-History :...
, in Sauk County, Wisconsin
Sauk County, Wisconsin
Sauk County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 55,225. Its county seat and largest city is Baraboo. Sauk County is included in the Baraboo Micropolitan Statistical Area and in the Madison Combined Statistical Area....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The sculpture incorporates two Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
dynamos from the 1880s, lightning rods, high-voltage components from 1920s power plants, scrap from the nearby Badger Army Ammunition Plant
Badger Army Ammunition Plant
The Badger Army Ammunition Plant or Badger Ordnance Works is an excess, non-BRAC, United States Army facility located near Baraboo, Wisconsin. Badger consists of 7,354 acres of land. It manufactured nitrocellulose-based propellants during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam...
, and the decontamination chamber from the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
spacecraft. Its fictional creator, Dr. Evermor, was born Tom Every in Brooklyn, Wisconsin
Brooklyn, Wisconsin
Brooklyn is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Wisconsin:*Brooklyn , Wisconsin, a village*Brooklyn, Green County, Wisconsin, a town*Brooklyn, Green Lake County, Wisconsin, a town*Brooklyn, Washburn County, Wisconsin, a town...
and is a former demolition expert who spent decades collecting antique machinery for the sculpture and the surrounding fiction that justifies it. According to Every, Dr. Evermor is a Victorian inventor who designed the Forevertron to launch himself, "into the heavens on a magnetic lightning force beam." The Forevertron, despite its size and weight, was designed to be relocatable to a different site—the sculpture is built in sections that are connected by bolts and pins.
In addition to the Forevertron itself, the sculpture includes a tea house
Tea house
A tea house or tearoom is a venue centered on drinking tea. Its function varies widely depending on the culture, and some cultures have a variety of distinct tea-centered houses or parlors that all qualify under the English language term "tea house" or "tea room."-Asia:In Central Asia this term...
gazebo from which Every says Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and Prince Albert may observe the launching of Dr. Evermor; it also includes a giant telescope where sceptics may observe the ascent. Dr. Evermor's art park is home to scores of other sculptures, many of which relate to the Forevertron, such as the "Celestial Listening Ear" and the "Overlord Master Control Tower". Other large-scale sculptures include gigantic insects (the "Juicer Bug" and "Arachna Artie"), the "Epicurean" bellows-driven barbecue train, "The Dragon", and "The UFO". The most numerous sculptures are the "Bird Band and Orchestra" which includes nearly 70 birds ranging from the size of a child to twenty feet tall, all made from scrap industrial parts, geological survey markers, knives, loudspeakers, springs, and musical instruments, among other salvaged materials.
Tom Every says he takes pride in allowing the original materials to remain unaltered as much as possible, using their original forms in new juxtapositions to create his aesthetic. While he himself is not often available for tours of the art park, the site can generally be accessed from passing through the surplus store adjacent to it, Delaney's Surplus. Mr. Every also created much of the installation art for the House on the Rock
House on the Rock
The House on the Rock, originally opened in 1959, is a complex of architecturally unique rooms, streets, gardens and shops designed by Alex Jordan, Jr...
, including the world's largest carousel
House on the Rock Carousel
The carousel at the House on the Rock, located in Spring Green, Wisconsin, is claimed to be "the world's largest indoor carousel". It features 269 carousel animals, none of which are horses. Hundreds of mannequin angels hang from the ceiling. The carousel itself features over 20,000 lights and 182...
.
External links
- An Artist's Junkyard of Dreams - Article from Wired magazine's Great River RoadGreat River RoadThe Great River Road is a collection of state, provincial, federal, and local roads which follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten states of the United States...
series. - Video diaries of the park - A walk-through of the park in nine unedited videos.