In 2011, the friends started to experiment with ice saws, but it was only last year that they attempted the Icehenge as they like to call it. Unfortunately, the first attempt failed. For the five friends – Kevin Lehner, Drew McHenry, Quinn Williams, Alec Seamars and Patrick Shields – it was a learning experience.
The beauty of the ice especially when the sun is to the west and at a low angle is breathtaking. “You can appreciate this effect from shore or up close in the late afternoon on a sunny day.” In 2015, the friends returned to finish what they started.
The original structure in Wiltshire, England that we call “Stonehenge” was built between roughly 5,000 and 4,000 years ago and that forms just one part of a larger, and highly complex, sacred landscape. Here is a fairly recent picture of Stonehenge for comparison:
“Icehenge” on Rock Lake returned in 2016. It is similar to the Icehenge the group put up last year in 2015. Built to mimic England’s famous Stonehenge, the sculpture is composed of 300-pound blocks of ice balanced and fastened together with snow and water. With optimum weather conditions, the group finished the sculpture over two weekends. The Icehenge finally gets rested due to the warm temperatures and safety issues.
“When standing in the middle of the Icehenge as the sun sets on Friday the 29th of January, the sun should set on the top of the altar and light should point to the middle of the Icehenge location.” Thousands of people have come to visit the artwork every year.