The 1959 Chevy Truck that Lives in a Tree

A piece of art this crazy and unique can only exist in America. Here’s the full scoop on the ‘Wisconsin Mad Man’ and his Chevy truck tree house!

It goes without saying that most old Chevy truck owners keep their cherished possessions stored in a driveway or garage. Whether you appreciate it as a collectible or family heirloom or not, we enthusiasts tend to cherish our old pickups. But even though Mark Madson certainly loves his 1959 Chevy truck, he also stores it in the oddest place imaginable – 50 feet in the air, perched in a tree. They don’t call the Clinton, Wisconsin resident the “Wisconsin Mad Man” for nothing, after all.

The question, of course, is why? Well, believe it or not, the idea actually came from something reasonable. Madson wanted to build a cool and unique tree house for his son Luke. So he removed the engine and transmission from his old Chevy truck and hoisted it up into the tree. The truck is secured by brackets to make it stable. Luke and his friends could simply climb up, hop in through the open windows, and imagine they were driving through the air.

Truck in a tree. Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/4fhv68d0GW

— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) August 9, 2017

The ’59 Chevy truck tree house isn’t just some junker, either. Madson performed a full restoration on the truck before he lifted it to its new home. He even takes it down every once in a while to wash and wax it. And even though he wasn’t even sure the tree would hold his pickup originally, the “art piece” recently celebrated its 24th anniversary. Nestled right near Interstate 43, the old Chevy has also become quite the tourist attraction over the years.

The automotive fanatic and inventor has also created things like a big-block Chevy powered weather vane and lawn mower. But it’s his Chevy truck tree house that has garnered him the most fame. The ’59 has appeared in all sorts of TV shows and magazines over the years, becoming a landmark in the small town of Clinton. You can check out all of Madson’s creations, along with a full history of the truck, by heading over here!

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.