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House on the Rock
A bizarre house filled with an astounding array of collections
Category Museums and Collections, Unique Collections, Architectural Oddities, Outsider Architecture
During the 1940's, a man named Alex Jordan discovered a 60-foot chimney of rock in the beautiful Wyoming Valley. It was here he decided to build a house on the sandstone formation called Deer Shelter Rock. Jordan built the house as a weekend retreat and never intended it to be a tourist attraction. However, people kept coming to see the architectural wonder they had heard about. Jordan eventually started asking for 50 cent donations. That was only the beginning. The 14-room house is the original structure of what is now a complex of many buildings, exhibits and garden displays.
Alex was a collector all his life and enjoyed visiting museums; however, he did not want The House on the Rock to be a museum. He intended it to be much more than that. Though parts of the collections could have easily found their way into museums, The House on the Rock is more of a trip through the wild and fantastic imagination of Alex Jordan than a visit to a dusty, lifeless museum.
In December of 1988, Alex sold The House on the Rock to longtime associate Art Donaldson, a collector and a businessman who shared his broad interests. Alex remained at The House on the Rock as Artistic Director until his death on November 6, 1989. Art Donaldson continues to own The House on the Rock and builds on Alex's dream of expanding and entertaining visitors from all over the world. Alex continues to be in his own words, "Present but not voting".
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- Hours The hours may be longer depending on the time of year, but it is always open 9-5. Give yourself at least 4 hours. Its a lengthy and engrossing experience.
- Website http://www.houseontherock.com
- Address The House on the Rock, 5754 State Road 23, Spring Green, Wisconsin, United States
- Cost Winter at the House on the Rock January 7 - March 20, 2011 9 am to 5 pm Open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Martin Luther King Day and President's Day (Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) Tours leave every hour on the hour starting at 10:00 a.m. and last tour leaves at 3:00 p.m. Admission Prices: Adults age 18 and over: $17.50 Children age 4 - 17: $12.50 Children 3 and under: FREE Last tour leaves at 3:00 pm. All rates, dates, times and displays are subject to change without notice. Please dress according to the weather as parts of the tour include outside ramps and areas.
Dodgeville (9) Hwy. 23 North to H.O.T.R. Spring Green (9) Hwy. 23 South to H.O.T.R. Appleton/Green Bay (148) / (178) Hwy. 41 South to Oshkosh, then Hwy. 26 South toWaupun,Hwy. 151 South to Madison, then I-90 East towards Janesville(approx. 6 miles), then Hwy. 18 West to Dodgeville, then Hwy. 23 North to H.O.T.R. Chicago (205) I-90 West, past Rockford to Madison, Hwy. 18 West (left hand exit) to Dodgeville then Hwy. 23 North to H.O.T.R. Northshore Residents take I-94 to Milwaukee Madison Hwy. 18 West to Dodgeville, then Hwy. 23 North to H.O.T.R. Minneapolis (240) I-94 East to Wisconsin Dells, then Hwy. 23 South to H.O.T.R. Milwaukee (125) I-94 West to Madison, take the Janesville exit (I-90 E) Stay on I-90 approx. 6 miles, then Hwy.18 West to Dodgeville, then Hwy. 23 North to H.O.T.R.
Comments
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I suspect that there may be one or two other fans of Neil Gaiman haunting this site. They (we) will recall the prominent place that the House on the Rock plays in his story, "American Gods."
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