This is the inaugural post in my new, semi-regular series in which I will write about the things that make Wisconsin–my adopted home state–weird, wacky, and wonderful. Today’s featured attraction embodies all three, which makes it a fitting place to start! “America’s Dairyland” notwithstanding, there’s a lot more to love about Wisconsin than just cheese (though the cheese is pretty amazing). This is my chance to prove it and spread the Wisco love.
Tara and I have always had a soft spot for kitsch. If there’s a palace made out of corn, a Stonehenge replica with cars, or the world’s largest Holstein cow, we are going to go out of our way to see it. Which is why Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park in North Freedom, WI, has long been on our bucket list. Last Friday, we finally paid it a visit–and walked away amazed.
Dr. Evermor, aka Tom Every, was born in Brooklyn in 1938. Wisconsin, not New York. We’ve driven through Brooklyn and it’s the quintessential blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tiny Midwest town where cows probably outnumber people. Tom’s family began collecting scrap metal to ensure a ready supply during World War II. The Allies emerged victorious when Tom was just seven (yay, Allies!), but his fascination with these materials continued the rest of his life.
Tom founded the Wisconsin By-Products Corporation in Stoughton, WI, in 1964. For the next two decades, he supervised the demolition of some 350 industrial sites across the United States. After he’d had his fill of blowing shit up and retired in 1984, Tom needed a hobby. Eyeing all that scrap metal lying around, he thought, I should build a giant sculpture park centered around a fictional Victorian-era mad scientist type who dreams of creating a “soul-transformation device” and launching himself into the heavens. As one does.
And thus the Forevertron–the centerpiece of Every’s sculpture park–and his alter ego were born.
The Forevertron was assembled using materials salvaged from Tom’s wrecking jobs. It’s an impressive mishmash of metal, including1880s-era electrical generators, lightning rods, high-voltage components from 1920s power plants, and scraps from the Badger Army Ammunition Plant and Henry Ford Museum. It even contains the decontamination chamber from NASA’s Apollo 11 spacecraft. Far out, man.
The Forevertron–the second-largest scrap metal sculpture in the world–weighs 300 tons but was designed to be disassembled and relocated if needed. Various sections are connected by bolts and pins. It includes a teahouse gazebo, where Every said “Queen Victoria and Prince Albert may observe the launching of Dr. Evermor…into the heavens on a magnetic lightning force beam” and a giant telescope “where skeptics may observe the ascent.”
Quite an imagination ol’ Tom had. Either that or access to some very powerful pharmaceuticals.
Like they say on infomercials, but wait..there’s more! Lots more. Like the Bird Band Orchestra, a huge flock of metal birds playing musical instruments of all sorts.
Tom was also big on bugs. The bigger the bugs, the better.
Not to mention amphibians, reptiles, and an assortment of rusting vehicles, from clown cars to automobile/boat hybrids.
Really, it’s all totally random. The whole place has a Dr. Seuss-meets-steampunk vibe that appeals to the young and old alike. If you’re into weirdness, Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park is your jam. Mark my words.
Tom is also responsible for a bunch of the installations at House on the Rock, another Wisconsin attraction that’s a total mind trip. I described it as “Disneyland for adults” after a visit in 2024. Either that or an acid trip.
A nonprofit organization, the Evermor Foundation, was established in 1999 to provide for the park’s maintenance. Tom Every passed away in 2020, but his vision lives on.
Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park is open Thursday–Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., but hours may vary. The season runs from April 1 to December 24. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. And c’mon…it’s totally worth it! Please don’t visit without leaving at least a few dollars behind. Unique places like this need cash to thrive, whether through donations, fundraising events, or gift shop purchases. Tara and I bought this little metal dragonfly, which perfectly captures the spirit of Tom’s imagination, don’tcha think?
They also sell t-shirts, hats, books, and other items.
All in all, Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park exceeded our expectations! Driving by on Highway 12, other than a giant silver orb and unassuming weathered sign, there’s no indication the Forevertron and all this whimsical goodness is tucked in a clearing behind a copse of trees right next to, appropriately enough, a salvage yard. Totally worth checking out if you’re ever in the area! If I had a rating system–maybe cheese curds, because why not?–then I give this one 9/10 curds.
Mark My Words 
Leave a reply to Midwest Mark Cancel reply