photo in the public domain
We’ve been working on getting photos of this structure which is named Mystical Horizons and is often billed as a Stonehenge for the 21st century. We have received no answers from the photographers, but finally found this rather nice photo posted on a tourist site and marked clearly “in the public domain.” Thank you, internets! [Sorry, our old links are dead. Here's one given us in a comment by one Gentle Reader.]
The wall by the benches has notches that line up with the standing stones to capture the sun near the horizon on certain crucial days during the year. There is also a star tube for viewing Polaris. This really is a 21st century creation in the sense that it lacks the ponderousness and wonder of Stonehenge and also takes the guesswork out of the viewing process. It seems very user-friendly: stand here, look there. Not in the ancient mysterious style at all!
We’re probably influenced by the beauty of the flat land and the distant horizon, because it isn’t a Stonehenge replica in any real sense–not a lintel in sight!–and yet we’re awarding it a score of 6½ druids. Something about it and its command of the wide horizon musters enough wonder in us to make it seem special. Nicely done!
I agree with your scoring. It is not the lintels it is all about the aura and the fun.
Simon
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here’s a working link (the links above are dead) to a good image of the site from the county website (although it doesn’t have any information about it):
http://bottineau.com/Photoalbum/100_2561.jpg
thanks for the great blog
Thank you for your help!
I took this picture at the very first Winter Solstice after the structures were completed. North Dakota’s newest landmark is Mystical Horizons, the “Stonehenge” of the prairie. Based on local engineer and designer Jack Olson’s vision for a 21st-century Stonehenge, the Mystical Horizons site offers a breathtaking view overlooking the farmland west of the Turtle Mountains. The stone and cement structures are designed so that visitors can view the summer and winter solstices and the equinox. Throughout the year, site goers can enjoy the North Star Polaris Sighting Tube and the sundial.
Great picture! And thanks for the information.
If Steve Jobs had decided to produce a Stonehenge, he would have approved this one. 21st Century Stylish !
An album of photos taken at Mystical Horizons in North Dakota.
http://jwpictures.smugmug.com/Photography/Mystical-Horizons/16804485_HHT2Hz#1657194019_L2w4V2F
Enjoy…
Wonderful! Thank you. I will put a link in the post some time soon!
I just took some pretty good pictures of it today. I would be happy to share if someone would tell me how
Are you by any chance on Facebook or Twitter? You could post them on the Facebook Clonehenge group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/54283875914/ or tweet them to Clonehenge on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Clonehenge
If you’re not on either, you can email them to me at nancy dot wisser at gmail dot com, with actual dots and @ , of course.
Looking forward to seeing them! Thanks.