Jerk Sets Fire to the Oldest Model at Amarillo’s Cadillac Ranch
This is why we can't have nice things.
The folks at Amarillo's iconic Cadillac Ranch report that some JERK (there are a couple of dozen stronger words I'm tempted to use, but kids might read this) set fire to the oldest of the ten Cadillac models half-buried at the ranch. It appears to have started late Saturday night or early Sunday morning.
Thankfully, the car wasn't a total loss and remains structurally sound. Still, a piece of Texas history and culture has been marred, and if it turns out a Texan did it, that's downright treasonous in my humble opinion.
"When all is said and done, the Cadillac Ranch still stands as a testament to time, beauty, art, and history—despite the callous attempt to erase it," the folks at the ranch wrote in a statement posted to Facebook Sunday. "Much like their West Texas home, these Cadillacs are iconic for their strength—through adversity, drought, wind, and fire, they remain standing through the decades."
The ranch's operators say they'll press charges once police round up the culprit(s). On the off chance anyone around Central Texas has information that might be helpful, here's the number for the Potter County Sheriff's Office: (806) 379-2900.
The Cadillac ranch was created in 1974 by a team of artists known as Ant Farm with backing from Amarillo billionaire Stanley Marsh III. The installation was both post-modern art (weird for the sake of weird) and a tribute to the evolution of the iconic Cadillac tailfins from 1949 to 1963.
For decades, visitors have been allowed and encouraged to paint on the cars. Setting them ablaze has never been encouraged, and whoever did it wasn't being creative or cute.