Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch — Attraction in Adelanto

Something you probably need to see for yourself The owner and creator of the installation, Elmar Long, grew up in Manhattan Beach, California . Since 1952 he accompanied his father (Elmar Long, 1919-2005), an aeronautical engineer, in his private search for historical utensils on waste bays and abandoned settlements in the Mojave Desert. Long Senior targeted ghost towns and former mine warehouses in the desert to search for civilization waste with a metal detector. [3] lost interest in his collection When the father aged, he donated hundreds of old bottles and other finds his son. He had joined the Marine Corps as a young man , having spent four years in Vietnam and Hawaii. A few years after completing his military service, he moved to the Mojave Desert in 1968.

In 2000, Elmar Long Junior began building the first metal sculptures; He welded sideways approximately 15 centimeters long iron bars on upright pipes (telephone cable masts) of about three meters in height . In this Long rods put the found differently colored bottles, so that a tree-like structure ( "a modern cristmas tree") [4] was formed. (Mostly damaged) were attached finds of all kinds to the top of the stands: old cart, street signs, car parts, handguns, antlers, bed frames, toys, an old jukebox [5] , animal bones, a saxophone, various self-constructed windmills, half a surfboard, a traffic light, a carousel horse or the blue light of a police vehicle from the 1930s. [3] 2002 Long announced his previous work in a nearby lay-related cement plant [6] and devoted himself to the development of his work of art.

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In 2014, the installation consisted of around 200 sculptures. The facility may be used free of charge, donations are requested. Elmar Long is constantly expanding the installation; for the welding together of a tree scaffolding, the artist needed about 90 minutes. After his death, a son is to continue the plant.

The Bottle Tree Ranch has become a landmark. Contributing to historic Route 66 is not only guidebook must-see [7] but also reports in California and national media. So USA Today listed the plant among the ten most inspiring places on Route 66 . [8] The Huffington Post took the ranch in 2014 in the list of the eleven best art centers in Southern California outside Los Angeles on. [9] On 19 March 2006, the national television channel Home and Garden Television [10] and on 20 August 2014 in the television series SoCal Connected reported radio station KCET TV to the ranch. [2] Billy Connolly presented the Bottle Tree Ranch in the last episode of the four-part broadcast Billy Connolly's Route 66 on July 7, 2014...

Bottle Tree Ranch is a quirky, on-going outsider art installation/domicile located on National Trails Highway (formerly and more famously known as Route 66) in a town called Oro Grande just outside of Victorville. Similar to Hulaville, a defunct roadside attraction that at one time could also be found on Route 66, Bottle Tree Ranch is a collection of junkyard treasures including old bottles, typewriters, Lionel train sets, sewing machines, buffalo nickels, the kitchen sink and much more that have all been transformed into a dense forest of mixed media sculptures.

The place lends itself well to photography and it's worth noting that photographer Dave Wyman teaches workshops at the ranch regularly.

In addition to kinetic art and sculptures, Bottle Tree Ranch is clearly an inhabited home and while the front gate has welcoming signage to let yourself in, I felt it was only polite to knock on the door and introduce myself to the artist Elmer Long and Linda, his wife of 40 years.

Elmer is an extremely affable man who will talk your ear off with stories about his life, his love, his art, his family and his beliefs. I get the sense he's told all these stories a million times because his work attracts thousands of visitors world-wide and yet it's as if he's telling them to you for the first time.

As Elmer showed me around, a gentle desert breeze animated windmills and hanging mobiles that he designed to create an enchanting tinkling fairy-like sound. Hummingbirds and honeybees dart all over the premises sipping nectar from feeders while sparrows collect twigs to construct their nests high above the top of the bottle trees. It truly is a magical place.

Bottle Tree Ranch is located at 24266 National Trails Highway, Oro Grande, CA. If the gate is closed, Elmer says to let...

Elmers Bottle Ranch is a quaint stop on the old Route 66 interstate. Visit the website for updates to their hours. When I visited they were due to open at 7am but never did. When I came back I was able to see so much more. Even years later it's amazing to see it!

Signs posted indicate to push the gate open and walk on in but in this case the gate was deadbolted closed. The complete art installation can be viewed from the fence line but it's so much better of an experience inside.

🚗 Parking off the road on dirt right out front of the entrance.

💰 Donations recommended in the back at the wishing well

It was definitely not as I expected as the work was rather close together as opposed to many images I saw making it appear spread out and more spacious. Still an interesting use of old supplies and an eclectic spot to take some pictures and stop to stretch after some hours of driving.

The return trip 2 years later with my family was just as good...