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The Enchanted Highway
2007-11-04
Story by Jo A. Gast
Photos by Dan Koeck
Gary Graff’s ambitious attempt to put his home town of Regent, North Dakota on the map seems to be working. In fact, it is working so well that his creations are frequently noted in tourist information guides and attract visitors from around the world.
Affectionally dubbed “The Enchanted Highway,” Gary’s astonishing array of larger than life sculptures entice even the weariest of travelers to venture off I-94 onto a highway southwest of Bismarck that weaves through the North Dakota countryside. Along the way, motorists often stop to capture a photo or take a firsthand look at the Tin Family, Giant Grasshoppers, Teddy Rides Again and the other sculptures on the 32-mile stretch of highway.
In 2002, Gary’s creation, Geese in Flight, was honored as the largest metal sculpture in the world by the Guinness Book of Records. To Gary, this award does not detract from his vision. There is yet another sculpture that awaits the artistic welding hands of this quiet man from North Dakota.
