Jurustic Park is one of those places that probably never appeared on your radar, but if you are near Marshfield, WI, all I can say is MAKE IT A POINT TO GO!!!
Clyde and Nancy Wynia live on Sugarbush Lane, not far from McMillan Marsh. The very marsh where Clyde found the remains of “Iron Age” critters of all sizes. According to the brochure:
“Jursutic Park is a display of many of the extinct creatures the inhabited the large McMillan Marsh near Marshfield during the Iron Age.
After amateur paleontologist Clyde Wynia discovered corroded remains of these creatures, he began excavating. As the rusted components of these critter were matched as closely as possible with the original creatures, they were welded back together to their original forms.”
As we crossed the bridge from the parking lot to the property, I stopped to read the signs. I knew immediately this wouldn’t be an ordinary adventure…
Shortly after we arrived, a man walked over to us and started to explain what we were seeing. His deadpan delivery and sometimes slightly off-color humor had me in stitches. This was Clyde…
His love affair with sculpted metal began after a trip to Seattle where he saw a bell made from an oxygen tank. His first creation ended up looking like a bird and still hangs in front of their home…
When a neighbor walked by and asked, “Where did you ever get that?” Clyde’s answer was he dug it up out of the marsh and welded it back together. And Jurustic Park was born. Soon he was creating all sorts of extinct critters…
Not all of his creations are marsh finds, for example, meet Abe Lawbender…
Perhaps this is poking fun at his former profession.
There is even a perfect explanation of a Dork…
Clyde loves his role as tour guide! Several of his pieces are articulated and he demonstrates their movements…
There are quite a few dogs around the property, including one who is “Not Fond of Cats”
And cats who just wanna dance…
And lots of frogs…
And he has no qualms about poking fun at politics and other professions…
At his shop, several pieces were “in progress”…
Near the end of our tour, Clyde brought us into the Hobbit House where he introduced us to his wife Nancy.
Nancy is also an artist. She makes exquisite glass and fiber art. I was completely remiss in not taking any pictures of her work, but you can see it here.
Clyde and Nancy were getting ready to celebrate their 62nd wedding anniversary and when I asked him what their secret was he replied, “We don’t let the old in.” They are both in their mid 80’s and have done a damn fine job of not letting the old in.
After several amusing hours we wandered back to the Jeep, but not before I stopped and took pictures of Clyde’s artful sculptures of him and Nancy…
The Wandering RVer 