Virginia, USA, has a Stonehenge of its own, built from Styrofoam. This full size replica was built by Mark Cline of Enchanted Castle Studio in 2004, with the pieces in astronomically correct positions. Lest somebody mistook it for the real thing, a sign at the base of the hill cautions: "Please be gentle. It is foam, not stone."
"About 15 years ago I walked into a place called Insulated Business Systems where they make these huge 16-foot-tall blocks," Mark, a fiberglass sculptor, told Roadside America. "As soon as I saw them I immediately thought of the idea: 'Foamhenge.' It took a while for the opportunity to present itself, of course."
Mark says he went to great pains to shape each 'stone' to its original shape, fact-checking his designs and measurements with the man who gives tours of Stonehenge in England. Each block is set into a hole in the ground and anchored with cement. "I put a 2.5 inch pipe all the way through each one down into the ground, like a nail holding it to the concrete.” And, Mark adds hopefully, "It's non-biodegradable so it might last longer than the original."
Originally, Mark wanted to build what he calls "Hayride Through The Civil War," an attraction that somehow would involve fiberglass molds of reenactors' faces – on the site now occupied by Foamhenge. The plan was dropped in place of Foamhenge because it was cheaper and faster to build first. Reportedly, it took Mark only two days to erect the faux stones. Having gained the necessary experience, Mark says that he can now create four or five Foamhenge megaliths in a day, properly shaped and painted.
Mark, always a comedian, has described Foamhenge as his greatest achievement.
Also see: Carhenge
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