Arts & Entertainment
Dover’s Airstream Ranch Is Coming Down
The unusual display of Airstream campers that's been a roadside attraction on I-4 for years is being torn down.
DOVER, FL — Motorists who travel Interstate 4 in the Dover area may soon notice a familiar sight is no more. Work crews have been busy this week tearing down the iconic “Airstream Ranch” display.
The familiar, but quirky art display was put into place by the owners of Bates RV back in 2007 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Airstream RVs. While the display quickly caught the attention of tourists and passersby, not everyone welcomed that shiny installation.
The display came under fire from Hillsborough County, but was ultimately granted a judicial nod of approval in 2010, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The “planted” Airstreams have sat by the eastbound lanes of I-4 in the Dover area ever since.
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That is until this week when work crews were spotted plucking the RVs from the ground.
Folks who love driving by the display took to Twitter to express their dismay at its demise.
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How the #AirstreamRanch was considered a "public nuisance" https://t.co/nBBhNqjtFV is mind boggling and disappointing...FEAR NO ART!
— Fading Nostalgia (@fadingnostalgia) February 9, 2017
Oh no! It's an I-4 staple! --> 'Airstream Ranch,' the RV Stonehenge of Tampa Bay, is being torn down. https://t.co/Xwtca1ROIC pic.twitter.com/TG5JkJJbm4
— Meredyth Censullo (@WFLAmeredyth) February 9, 2017
This is why we can't have nice things. #AirstreamRanch #Florida #Stonehenge https://t.co/sHY7tEWUve
— Walt Hicks (@TheWaltebeest) February 9, 2017
The drive to Orlando just got a bit less interesting. https://t.co/qX7aF3j6qw
— Jovahn Huertas (@Jovahn_Huertas) February 9, 2017
To read more about the end of the Airstream Ranch era, check out the Tampa Bay Times.
Photo by Kathy via Flickr used under Creative Commons
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