Porter Sculpture ParkWayne Porter

Wayne Porter started in the blacksmith trade welding in his father’s shop, and by twelve years old had made his first artwork, a bronze horse. After attending South Dakota State University and majoring in history and political science, he raised sheep for a few years and made art in his spare time. By his twenties, he had begun to experiment with found pieces of metal. As he worked, he made larger and larger pieces, and began to bring them to a vacation property, three hours from his home and blacksmith shop in St. Lawrence. He lives on the hilly site in Montrose from Memorial Day to Labor Day, sleeping in his trailer and hanging out in his shed, located on either side of a small parking area. He greets visitors who have caught sight of his sculptures from nearby Highway I-90, particularly a gigantic 60-foot-high bull’s head, nestled on top of a grassy hill.

This twenty acre property has become the site for an outdoor exhibition – even a “museum” – of Porter’s work; it was set up in the fall of 2000 by Porter himself, helped by his brother, and some fifty works are now on display, most painted in vivid colors. The majority are monumental animals, and most are rather humorous in their depiction. The Porter brothers mow a path through the high prairie grass once a week and lead people through the park. It is open daily, and they charge a small admission fee; all funds go directly back to Porter for his enhancement of the park.

~Evie Altman

25700 451st Avenue
Montrose, South Dakota, 57048 us
Latitude/Longitude: 43.6589314 / -97.1887819

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