Random Things about the Failed Mount Rushmore In Middle Of Virginia (12 items)

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  (#4) Each Head Weighs At Least 22,000 Pounds And Stands Around 20 Feet Tall

  Each of the heads weighs about 22,000 pounds - thanks to a steel skeleton covered in fabric and concrete - and stands between 18 and 20 feet tall. Visitors who saw the statues up close said it was quite powerful having a life-like historic figure loom over them.

  Artist David Adickes allegedly wanted the busts up to ten times the size of the final versions and planned to make George Washington a full-body statue standing 92 feet high - about the size of a 10-story building. The idea for the gigantic Washington was scrapped, however, in part because officials told Adickes it needed a lightning rod on top of the head.
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  (#10) The Presidential Heads Aren't The First Large-Scale Sculptures From Artist David Adickes

  David Adickes, the artist behind the heads of Presidents Park, is well-known around Houston, TX, for his giant sculptures. Adickes has created a 67-foot-tall version of Sam Houston, the man the city is named after, and 36-foot-tall renditions of The Beatles. Many critics find the size of his work annoying and intrusive, while others argue it's simply a gimmick. Perhaps the people who avoided Presidents Parks thought the same things.
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  (#7) Washington DC Turned Down A Chance To Host The Presidential Heads

  David Adickes originally wanted to set up the presidential busts alongside other monuments celebrating America's history in the nation's capital. Unfortunately, no one in Washington DC agreed, and Adickes was forced to consider other locations. After looking at land around Williamsburg, VA, Adickes contacted Haley Newman, the developer of a large water park in the area. Williamsburg, less than three hours from DC, seemed like the next best place for Presidents Park. 

  Adickes began making the heads before the park received display permits, forcing Newman to hide several of the busts until the attraction opened. Abraham Lincoln and several others were taken to a hillside in nearby Buena Vista, causing confusion among campers and other visitors. Several other presidents ended up at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens before the park officially opened.
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  (#9) The Presidential Busts Were Inspired By A Trip To Mount Rushmore

  Houston artist David Adickes decided to create the collection of heads after an inspirational visit to Mount Rushmore in the early 2000s. While stopping by the monument on his way home from Canada, he got the idea to celebrate all the US presidents. Adickes also wanted to make the experience more personal by creating sculptures "big enough to get in front of and look in the eyes."

  As a Texan, Adickes believed bigger was better. He created the heads on a grand scale, noting how the Statue of Liberty is impressive due to its size and location overlooking a harbor.
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  (#1) The Heads Were Damaged When Moved To A Nearby Farm After The Park Closed

  For two years after the park closed, the heads of Presidents Park fell into disrepair. Eventually, the land was auctioned off and the park became a car rental company - but the heads survived. Park owner Haley Newman asked local concrete recycler Howard Hankins to crush the heads and get rid of them. Feeling guilty about destroying the works of art, Hankins instead kept the heads and stored them on his 400-acre farm, about 10 miles from the park grounds.

  Transporting 43 concrete heads weighing at least 20,000 pounds each wasn't cheap, costing Hankins about $50,000. Holes were made in the top of the heads so cranes could pick them up, and many of the presidents' necks cracked when the heads were lifted off the ground. Noses were broken, chins were scraped, and the crew made other openings as they experimented with the best methods for moving the giant sculptures. Lincoln suffered the most damage, as he was dropped and suffered a morbidly apt hole in the back of his head.
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  (#11) The Heads Aren't Currently Open To The Public, But Curious People Still Seek Them Out

  Without a tourist attraction license, Howard Hankins can't allow the public see the heads on his property. Though many have tried visiting, Hankins often turns people away and rejects most special viewing requests. He has allowed a few people from the media to visit the heads, considering the photographs and articles good for publicity. Hankins also appears in the documentary All The Presidents' Heads, which chronicles his efforts to preserve the sculptures.

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