Crucified Jesus Sold on Auction Block

Like an empty Easter tomb, this sculpture of Christ has disappeared.

This post card shows the crucifixion scene, one of more than 30 biblical scenes, once known as the Biblical Gardens in the Wisconsin Dell's area. The statues were carried away by an army of evangelical youth in the summer of 1997. The 3/4 scale to life sculptures were bought by the Commission on Youth Services and WELS Lutheran's For Life. The groups planned to use the biblical scenes for publicity photos, videos and dramatic displays. All the statues were purchased for $5,000 dollars, according to WELS.

Here you can find one man's account of carrying off the statues, including Jesus on the cross.

This card, published by Dells Photo Service of Dells, Wisconsin, is one of thousands documenting the tourist attractions, both natural and man-made, that awaited families from the American Midwest. The photo credit goes to John A. Trumble. The card locates the Biblical Garden sculptures between Wisconsin Dells and Lake Dalton, Wisconsin, on Highway 12. The area is a popular summer vacation destinations for residents of Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis.