By Melanie Radzicki McManus | Photo by Travel Wisconsin
Bands that play by themselves. Old swords and pistols. Lots of creepy dolls and fantastical figurines. And an 80 x 35-foot carousel — supposedly the world’s largest — filled with 269 animals, 20,000 lights and 182 chandeliers. All of this, and much more, awaits at Wisconsin’s famous The House on the Rock in Spring Green.
Visitors have long been entertained, amazed, unnerved, perplexed, and even frightened by the contents found at The House on the Rock, a roadside attraction that is difficult to explain. A wealth of exhibits and artifacts lie within its series of interconnected buildings, touching on history, art, music, fantasy and the absurd. And yes, there is a house set atop a rock.
Should you elect to view every exhibit, you’ll walk about 2.5 miles. At one point, that was required, as the attraction had only one exit at the very end. This proved panic-inducing to some, who felt like they were trapped inside. Today, visitors can elect to tour the entire attraction or just a few sections.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The House on the Rock was never intended to be a public attraction, much less one this immense and unusual. Its roots stretch back to 1945, when a man named Alex Jordan, Jr., wanted to build a personal hideaway at a place called Deer Shelter Rock, a 60-foot stone tower near Spring Green. Over the next 15 years, Jordan did just that, although his resulting hideaway was not so much a coherent cottage, but rather a collection of cozy nooks and fireplaces with massive hearths.
By the time of his home’s completion in 1960, curiosity- seekers frequently began dropping by, begging for the chance to peek inside this odd structure. Jordan — a private man — thought he’d drive the people away by charging 50 cents per tour. Instead, they gladly paid the fee. By the end of the year, Jordan had earned $5,000. The next year, his tours brought in $34,000, or roughly $368,000 today, when adjusted for inflation. Jordan decided the money was worth sacrificing his privacy, and The House on the Rock was born.
CONTINUAL GROWTH THROUGH THE YEARS
Now committed to operating a tourist attraction, Jordan began adding value to his tours by amassing random collections to display — bisque dolls, scrimshaw artwork, suits of armor, model ships, Burman Shave signs and more. A fan of self-playing musical machines, he hired skilled workers to craft whatever creations sprang to mind. In 1971, the Streets of Yesterday debuted, a recreated 19th-century Main Street, complete with a red-brick street, carriage house and sheriff ’s office. The spacious exhibit was influenced by the Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum, which had opened a few years prior.
The World’s Largest Carousel was unveiled in 1981, followed a decade later by Heritage of the Sea, a nautical exhibit featuring more than 200 model ships and a 200-foot-tall sea creature rising from the floor.
In the intervening years, Jordan created the Infinity Room, a long, narrow room jutting out from his original home on the rock and out over the adjacent Wyoming Valley. This 218- foot, glass-walled room was crafted with more than 3,000 pieces of glass, including one panel in the floor. Today a favorite spot among visitors, it provides beautiful — if a bit unnerving — views of the valley below.
And there’s still so much more, such as an aviation wing, dollhouse room, circus room and, outside, both a Japanese garden with a 14-foot waterfall and an Asian garden with a pond.
An interesting aspect to all of these exhibits is that there is very little explanatory signage. That was an intentional move on Jordan’s part, as he wanted The House on the Rock to be more of a mystery as opposed to a museum, according to attraction officials. To that end, he also often placed pieces in a shocking manner, such as sitting delicate dolls underneath a skeletal rendition of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Mission accomplished.
HOLIDAY SPECIALS
During the Halloween season, guests can sign on for special evening tours dubbed The Dark Side. During this one-hour, self-guided tour, you’ll be able to wander through a specific portion of the attraction, where the lights will be dim and you’ll encounter special effects such as strobe lights, fog, uneven flooring, and tight spaces. You may even encounter performers who jump out unexpectedly, enhancing the creepiness factor.
If getting scared isn’t your thing, consider a trip during the Christmas season, when two sections of the attraction are decorated for this popular holiday. Instead of people popping out and yelling, “Boo!” you’ll find more than 6,000 collectible Santas and other seasonal decorations, while Christmas songs fill the air.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
If you plan to explore all of the sections in The House on the Rock, budget three to four hours. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing, as you’ll be walking around 2.5 miles. Be aware there are also ramps and uneven flooring in some spots. A few areas of the attraction require tight squeezes or may be a bit claustrophobic; staff is available to help you find alternate routes, should this be an issue.
When the temperatures plunge, don warm clothes. The original house portion of the attraction isn’t heated, and can be quite cold inside. In addition, some of the walkways connecting the various sections lead you outside, so these areas can be chilly as well.
Consider purchasing tokens along with your admission. You can use these to activate the various mechanical bands and other interactive exhibits scattered throughout.
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