Opened in 2004, the now-defunct Presidents Park was an open-air museum engineered by local landowner Everette “Haley” Newman, Houston sculptor David Adickes, and local businessman Howard Hankins. The attraction closed in 2010 due to lack of visitors and funds—according to the NY Post, the operators didn’t even have the money, around $60,000, to build a 44th bust of President Obama. Although Hankins was contracted to remove and destroy the 20-foot-tall busts, he opted instead to save them by moving the statues to his farm.
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The process to move the 43 giant heads, which weigh between 11,000 and 20,000 pounds each, took a week and cost around $50,000. While all survived the journey, many sculptures suffered damage—some lost their noses, while others, like Abraham Lincoln’s bust, are missing the back of their heads. The crumbling sculptures have continued to weather over time and take on an increasingly eerie appearance.
Since the busts are on Hankins’ private property, they aren’t open to the public. However, Hankins has hopes to one day open another Presidents Park with the help of the local government and interested preservation groups.
Via Smithsonian
Images © David Ogden
