Ever think of escaping the frustrations of life – of going to that otherworldly place that upholds your idea of how things “should” be? Then why not head down to Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron in Sumpter, Wisconsin and hitch a ride on his space capsule. Forevertron is the largest scrap metal sculpture in the world standing 50 ft. (15,2 m.) high and 120 ft. (36,5 m.) wide. Dr. Evermor is actually the creation of Tom Every, a 70ish wrecking and salvage expert turned artist.
For decades, Every collected scrap metal and machines that he found interesting and historical. In the early 1980’s, he started to question the “tearing down” of things, having nothing to show for his work. His general discontent with the world and desire to build something up led to the birth in 1983 of his alter-ego Dr. Evermor and the construction of his Evermor Sculpture Park.
Dr. Evermor is an eccentric Victorian-era professor-inventor from Eggington, England. As a child, Evermor had been trapped in a huge electrical storm with his father, a Presbyterian minister. “Such a storm,” his father said, “could only come from the hand of God.”
Dr. Evermor believes that if he can combine magnetic force and electrical energy, he can propel himself through the heavens on a magnetic lightning force beam, that will take him to his salvation. The Forevertron is a fantastical 300-ton sculpture made of recycled parts. At the top of the Forevertron sits a glass ball inside a copper egg that is Dr. Evermor’s space capsule. There’s also an antigravity machine, a teahouse for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to observe the event, a telescope to watch as Evermor is hurled to his meeting with God, and a listening machine that will transmit Evermor’s messages back to Earth.
Ok, back to reality. I haven’t been to Forevertron, but I now feel strangely compelled to travel to Wisconsin to see this sci-fi wonder that is visited by artists, historians, tourists, and passers-by. Among other attractions, the park has a pair of bipolar electrical dynamos constructed by Thomas Edison in the late 19th century and a decontamination chamber from the Apollo space mission. Another big favourite is the 70 Bird Band, consisting of 70 sculptures and some can even play music!
To find out more about Forevertron check out this PBS interactive tour. For some great photos go to Heart2art2Heart.com.