Located on a shoulder of I-80 in Imlay, Nevada, the Thunder Mountain Monument is a collection of outsider art sculptures and architectural forms created by Frank Van Zant starting in 1969. Van Zant, a World War II veteran from Oklahoma, served with the 7th Armored Division and fought in various European campaigns. He was severely burned in a tank battle near Leipzig.
Born on an Indian Reservation in Okmulgee, Oklahoma on November 11, 1921, Van Zant identified himself as Creek Indian due to his upbringing. However, his father became disillusioned with the Creek Nation’s sovereignty and chose to live as an individual, adopting the Native American name Rolling Mountain Thunder after a significant moment of revelation. Van Zant’s main objectives were to construct shelters in anticipation of a potential apocalyptic event and establish a spiritual refuge for seekers during the hippie era.
The Thunder Mountain Monument spans five acres on the south side of a 1,000-foot section of Interstate 80. Initially, there were seven buildings on the site, including a three-story hostel that accommodated many hippies in the 1970s. Today, three stone and concrete buildings remain, along with over 200 concrete sculptures that depict Native Americans, their protective spirits, as well as historical events such as massacres and injustices they suffered.
The Thunder Mountain Monument incorporates various found objects, including car hoods, dolls’ heads, typewriters, and gas pumps. These objects are cleverly integrated into the buildings themselves. For example,the third floor features a wall made entirely of antique bottles, forming a unique stained glass window.
Windows from antique windshields and bottles are also used in other parts of the monument to provide natural lighting. In addition, one framework even forms a large handle symbolizing the Great Spirit’s ability to take the building away after Thunder’s passing. Tragically, the site experienced significant damage from an arson attack in 1983. Despite this setback, Van Zant received recognition as Nevada’s Artist of the Year in the same year.
Thunder Mountain Monument
800 SE Star Peak Road
Imlay, NV 89418
(530) 945-4761
http://ThunderMountainMonument.com/