The U.S. presidential graveyard: Intriguing end for lifelike sculptures

By Sheena McKenzie, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 12:04 AM EDT, Mon July 4, 2016
A derelict George Washington is a shadow of his former glory, after the Presidents Park in Virginia closed in 2010.
A derelict George Washington is a shadow of his former glory, after the Presidents Park in Virginia closed in 2010.
Courtesy Patrick Joust Photography
Washington's bust is joined by dozens of other former U.S. presidents who were rescued by concrete businessman Howard Hankins.
Washington's bust is joined by dozens of other former U.S. presidents who were rescued by concrete businessman Howard Hankins.
Courtesy Patrick Joust Photography
Hankins, who helped build the original sculpture park, didn't have the heart to destroy the busts when the tourist attraction closed, and instead moved them to his property in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Hankins, who helped build the original sculpture park, didn't have the heart to destroy the busts when the tourist attraction closed, and instead moved them to his property in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Courtesy Patrick Joust Photography
He now <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/9rp3s5yk" target="_blank" target="_blank">hopes to raise $500,000 </a>to restore the sculptures to their former glory and relocate them to a new museum.
He now hopes to raise $500,000 to restore the sculptures to their former glory and relocate them to a new museum.
Courtesy Patrick Joust Photography
What appears to be former U.S. President Bill Clinton, peers out from far left.
What appears to be former U.S. President Bill Clinton, peers out from far left.
Courtesy Patrick Joust
Photographer Patrick Joust asked to visit the surreal site, taking along his wife and two-year-old son.
Photographer Patrick Joust asked to visit the surreal site, taking along his wife and two-year-old son.
Courtesy Patrick Joust Photography
"It was interesting to see my son's reaction to them, since he obviously had no sense of who these people were," said Joust.<br />"His presence made the photo shoot feel a lot more playful. Since we do so much lionizing of our founding fathers and presidents, it's quite striking to see all of these men collected together in such humble circumstances."
"It was interesting to see my son's reaction to them, since he obviously had no sense of who these people were," said Joust.
"His presence made the photo shoot feel a lot more playful. Since we do so much lionizing of our founding fathers and presidents, it's quite striking to see all of these men collected together in such humble circumstances."
Courtsey Patrick Joust Photography
If Hankins' dream of a new Presidents Park comes true, he also hopes to add sculptures of Barack Obama, the next U.S. President, and all the First Ladies.
If Hankins' dream of a new Presidents Park comes true, he also hopes to add sculptures of Barack Obama, the next U.S. President, and all the First Ladies.
Courtesy Patrick Joust Photography
The U.S. presidential graveyard: Intriguing end for lifelike sculptures

Story highlights

Photographer captures crumbling remains of U.S. President busts on Virginian farm

The eerie sculpture park is currently closed but there is a campaign to return the large figures to their former glory

CNN  — 

In a field in Williamsburg, Virginia, a ghostly army of U.S. presidents appears buried chest-deep, as if caught in a nightmarish quicksand.

George Washington’s nose – or what’s left of it – struggles to stay attached to his crumbling concrete face. Stains streak from his dead eyes like tears. The back of his head is a battered mess of exposed metal rods.

RELATED: 12 famous photos recreated in miniature models

Welcome to intriguing remains of America’s Presidents Park, the failed museum where visitors once walked among 43 eerily lifelike busts of the nation’s leaders.

More than five years after the sculpture park closed, its hefty 20ft presidents remain clustered together on Howard Hankins’ nearby farm.

Is this what the end looks like?

The concrete businessman, who helped build the original sculpture park, couldn’t bear to see the stony-faced men destroyed when the tourist attraction closed in 2010, and instead moved them to his own property.

He now hopes to restore the busts to their former glory and exhibit them in a new museum – which would also feature President Barack Obama and previous First Ladies.

Washington's ponytail has probably seen better days.
Washington's ponytail has probably seen better days.
Courtesy Patrick Joust Photography

Photographer Patrick Joust traveled to the farm to document the dilapidated monuments, finding that the more famous the president – the greater the decay.

“The ones that had a large amount of decay included Woodrow Wilson and Abraham Lincoln,” he added.

“Funnily enough, a lot of the lesser-known presidents seemed better preserved.”

RELATED: Greatest buildings you’ll never see: 19 monuments lost in war

Joust also brought his two-year-old son on the photoshoot and was struck by the way the youngster, who didn’t recognize the stern presidents, took a more playful approach.

“I was always fascinated by the kitschy nature of the statues,” explained Joust. “Finding them in a somewhat forlorn place, crumbling away, had obvious symbolism.

“It seemed to symbolize the crumbling state of the ‘Great Man’ narrative that we use to simplify and obfuscate history.”

RELATED: The Pope, ‘The Donald’ and the wall between them

With around $240 of Hankins’ $500,000 campaign raised at time of writing, whether these great men will rise again, remains to be seen.

Zahra Jamshed contributed to this report