North Freedom, Wisconsin: Forevertron

This was my second visit to the Forevertron, after stumbling across it 20 years ago. I visited this time with my 6-year-old son, and I would urge anyone with a love of art and/or a school-age child to do the same - there is not just an impressive amount of work here, but also a unique experience that encourages exploration and hands-on play. There are several kinetic and musical sculptures, and very little appears to be off limits. Keep in mind, though, that this site is not the usual sanitized museum experience - parents are recommended to keep a close eye on younger children.

Eleanor Every was watching the site when we visited, and provided a very warm welcome. She didn't appear to mind in the least when my son wandered into the converted van she uses as an office, and even offered to loan us umbrellas when it started sprinkling.

The unique location behind a (quite good) surplus store only adds to the atmosphere. Visiting in April, when the weather was good, we more or less had the site to ourselves. Please do not forget to use the donation box!

By far one of the best sites we visited thanks to Roadsideamerica.com. So many pieces to see. There is a conductor and a life size orchestra, little armies, birds, all kinds of imaginative things. Very cool place, definitely worth the visit, we will be back!

If you don't see it, keep looking -- it is barely visible tucked away behind the surplus store. The path to it is very small.

Doc Evermor is confined to a wheelchair nowadays, due to a stroke that paralyzed the left side of his body, but on a crisp October Thursday he'd taken a taxi out to the sculpture park and was receiving visitors, handing out advice ("Don't go to bed sober!"), teaching the intergalactic handshake, and telling rambling stories about bootlegging and anything else that came up.

And yes, the Forevertron, the Bird Band and all the other sculptures are about the best example of outsider art in situ that I've ever seen. Truly remarkable.

We mentioned being from North Carolina, and Doc Evermor said "Say hi to Vollis Simpson for me!"

Just finished crossing the US and Forevertron was the best stop on our list of sights. Tom Every is still welding and was happy to entertain visitors and discuss his work. Don't forget bug repellent; I think I collected more than 20 bites that afternoon!