Earlier this week archaeologists began excavating Stonehenge in an attempt to decide once and for all exactly when this enigmatic monument was constructed.

Stonehenge has most certainly been around many thousands of years, meaning there has been plenty of time for people to build loads of rip-offs and copies, most of them in the US.

Stonehenge II in Texas is a replica made from wire-mesh “stones” a bit like giant Papier-mâché. Strangely, the stones are about 90% the width of the originals, but only 60% the height - and if you make your way out to see the monument you’ll find it’s flanked by beer-bellied Easter island Moai. Obviously.

There’s ground level pictures on Flickr and more information at Roadside America.

Our second Stonehenge replica is found at Missouri’s University of Science and Technology is at least made of stone, this time made from 160 tons of granite carved with high pressure water jets. Sadly it’s only ½ the size of the original.

There’s also a ground level picture on Flickr.

East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania have a small replica which they apparently dubbed “Stroudhenge”.

Montana’s Stonehenge is located on a private golf course in Montana, and is claimed to be the most accurate replica ever built. But no-one’s been able to confirm that as the golf club is so exclusive.

Lastly, it’s difficult to see from the satellite photos, but Truckhenge whilst not a faithful reproduction certainly scores points through being constructed entirely in the medium of trucks. More info and pictures on Kansas Travel.

Thanks to Henderson Smith, James, FBK and others.

Previously on Google Sightseeing we’ve featured Stonefridge, Maryhill’s Stonehenge, the Segway Inventor’s Stonehenge and a little-known version in England simply called “Stonehenge“.

I’m sorry that we missed this post yesterday, but for all you day-late romantics out there here’s a (slightly patchy) large heart-shaped forest near Kansas City airport. Aww.

We’ve also previously posted various other heart shaped things.

Thanks: Glenn

This is a Children’s science center in Wichita, Kansas called Exploration Place. Alongside the weird shaped buildings there’s some quite nice looking gardens, which I believe incorporate a mini golf course. The official website has a ground level photo at the bottom of the page.

Thanks: Mark Sweat & David Grant.

Studying at University can be quite a stressful experience so why not take your mind of things by indulging in a popular student pastime? No, not drinking and casual sex - creating gigantic letters on the side of a hill! Is there a better way to avoid lectures?

Our first example is a giant “Y” in the mountains to the west of Brigham Young University, Utah. You can see how it’s looking right now thanks to the 24/7 webcams.

There’s a giant “KS” (of an unfinished “KSU” - slackers) outside Kansas State University.

And in Montana everyone has a go with a “M” for Montana State University, another “M” for the University of Montana and just a little north a slightly smaller “L” for Loyola High School (even schoolkids are getting in on the act!).

Thanks: Keith, Elton M, Patia & Todd Spatafore