Nick Engelbert’s Grandview

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One day, when his children were grown, Nick Engelbert retired from farming and began creating concrete and mosaic art. By the 1950s, his rural Wisconsin yard was decorated with around 40 concrete sculptures. Today, you can visit Engelbert’s Grandview and see his handiwork up close! His sculptures have been beautifully restored and maintained, making Grandview a folk art environment and front yard masterpiece. If you’re road-tripping through Wisconsin, make sure to detour to this delightful gem!

concrete sculptures of a woman surrounded by a circle of dwarves
Snow White and the seven dwarves. Paul Bunyan was created for this space too but he is now absent.

Location: W9493 State Road 39, Hollandale, WI 53544
Hours: Open seasonally, sunrise to sunset.
Cost: Free, but donations are appreciated.

concrete sculptures of a man sitting against a tree full of monkeys
“Family Tree” with six monkeys

History

Nick Engelbert was born in Austria in 1881 and fled Europe during the Austro-Hungarian war. He settled in Wisconsin as a dairy farmer and, like so many amazing self-taught artists, didn’t begin making art until later in life. Inspired by the Dickeyville Grotto, Engelbert began transforming his home in 1937 after retiring. Using concrete, glass, shells, and paint, he created colorful statues of animals, historical figures, and mythical creatures. In his 70s, no longer able to make sculptures, he turned to painting and created over 200 oil paintings before his death in 1962.

concrete sculptures of neptune and a clown in a circle
“Neptune’s Fountain”
concrete sculptures of a circle with colorful figures
another view of “Neptune’s Fountain”

After his death, the property became overgrown and the sculptures began to deteriorate. The Kohler Foundation stepped in to restore the site, eventually donating it to the Pecatonica Educational Charitable (PEC) Foundation, which maintains it to this day. Now visitors can walk through the yard and admire Engelbert’s work up close. Since 2024, Grandview is on Wisconsin’s Register of Historic Places.

mosaic concrete sculpture of a two-headed phoenix
“Austro-Hungarian Eagle”
concrete sculptures of an organ grinder and monkey
“Organ Grinder”
woman standing in front of a stone house with a green roof
Nick and Katherine Engelbert bought this house in 1922 and covered the exterior walls with embellished concrete.
concrete sculptures of uncle sam driving an elephant and a donkey
Uncle Sam with Democrat Donkey and Republican Elephant
concrete sculpture of a lion
“Lion”
concrete sculpture of a viking on a ship
“Viking of Norway”
concrete sculptures of three men around a flag
“Three Swiss Patriots” a tableau representing the three founding fathers of the Swiss Republic

What’s Nearby?

Wisconsin is full of outsider art, natural beauty, and top tier road-side attractions. 

  • House on the Rock (Spring Green, WI): A dazzling and overwhelming complex filled with bizarre collections and the world’s largest indoor carousel.
  • Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron (North Freedom, WI): A massive steampunk-inspired sculpture park featuring the world’s largest scrap metal sculpture. Open seasonally.
  • FAST Fiberglass Mold Graveyard: A field of giant discarded molds from largest fiberglass statue manufacturer in the country.
a mosaic walled house
Nick Engelbert used his garage as a sculpture studio. This new building is a replication of the original.

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