The Tin Family

The Tin Family is part of the Enchanted Highway project. The idea of an Enchanted Highway originated in July 1993. The project features metal art works. It utilizes the welding skills of area residents and their artistic abilities. A number of organizations and groups of people contributed ideas.

The committee selected the Tin Family as the first of the projects to decorate the Enchanted Highway.

The art director of North Dakota State University evaluated the plans for the construction of the World's Largest Tin Family and decided that it would indeed be art worthy. An architect drew the plans according to scale and a structural engineer certified the safety of the construction.

The next step consisted of locating the materials needed for the project. Local farmers donated metal tanks. Some metal tanks and needed materials were purchased from a scrap yard. After all the needed materials were collected, the farmers were scheduled to help in the process of welding the Tin Family. It took two months of welding to get the tanks ready to form the bodies of the Tin Family.

STATISTICS OF THE TIN FAMILY

The Tin Man:

-stands 45 feet tall
-the body consists of a tank that measures 12 feet in height and 10 feet in width
-the cap measures 6 feet in circumference and is 5 feet tall
-the tin man has 16 telephone poles to anchor him and to hold him up

The Tin Lady:

-stands 44 feet tall
-her hair is made of barb wire
-her ear rings are augers
-12 telephone poles hold her up

The Tin Boy:

-stands 23 feet tall