Onan's Gold Pyramid House

A six-story-tall golden pyramid, surrounded by a moat

Image of Onan's Gold Pyramid House located in Illinois, US Image of Onan's Gold Pyramid House located in Illinois, US Image of Onan's Gold Pyramid House located in Illinois, US Image of Onan's Gold Pyramid House located in Illinois, US | The largest 24-karat gold plated object in existence. Image of Onan's Gold Pyramid House located in Illinois, US | a busty fence lines the property.

Category Architectural Oddities, Follies and Grottoes, Outsider Architecture

The six-story-tall, 17,000-square-foot Gold Pyramid House in Wadsworth, Illinois has to be one of the most bizarre homes ever constructed. Its builders, Jim and Linda Onan explain in three nouns and two adjectives what their unique home represents: "Power, Gold, Mystery, Exotic, and Impressive." The Onans are subscribers to the seventies cult theory of "pyramid power." Their home is believed to be the largest 24-karat gold-plated object in North America.

Located on an island and surrounded by a giant moat, the Pyramid House has many remarkable features, including a 50-foot statue of King Tut, a metal palm tree and, a three car garage topped by three smaller pyramids.

Join the Atlas Obscura on Obscura Day - March 20th, 2010 - for a tour of the immaculate and eccentric Gold Pyramid House outside of Chicago. The six-story-tall, 17,000-square-foot house is located in Wadsworth, Illinois and is believed to be the largest 24-karat gold-plated object in North America. The home's builder, Jim Onan, will lead a special Obscura Day tour.

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  • Hours Sundays 12PM
  • Website Official Website
  • Address 37921 Dilleys Road , Wadsworth, Illinois, United States
  • Cost $20 Adults, $10 Children 12 and under.
Map/Directions

Go to Google Maps

W. of 41,E. of 74 L on Wadworth Rd. on Dilly Rd/Mill Creek Rd., North of School Stearms Rd.

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  • & Anonymous December 5, 2009
    Jim is my grand father, the tours are up and running he is also selling freedom water for the troops, me being a soldier myself thinks thats very amazing, the replica tomb is actually of king tuts tomb, and was built as an exact replica as he had always told me. My grandmother Linda also sells egyptian jewelry in the basement. It is a very nice house and i have grown up in it my entire life. I recommend visiting it as my Uncle may not be hosting the tours for to much longer.
  • & Anonymous October 4, 2009
    Call 847-662-7777 for info on tours. Jim's a very hospitable guy but this is their family home they do like a little heads up if you plan on visiting.
  • & Anonymous October 4, 2009
    The regular tours are running again. Every Saturday or Sunday depending on the weekend and it's $20 a head for adults. There is a tomb that you get to tour first on the outskirts of the property that he said was built to the same specifications as one of the egyptian tombs. It has some interesting things inside. Then the tour goes on towards the house where you go in and he tells you all about his life and the whys into building the house. Then a tour of his store room where he has a collection of artifacts, replicas and very interesting furnishings. The tour then goes up into the main level of the home where you see the living room, den, kitchen, formal dining room, and sitting room. Very gorgeous home and rather interesting to see overall. Approximately 1:45 between the house and the tomb and the lecture with Jim. Overall a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The tour does not go through the other 3 levels of the house tho.
  • & Anonymous August 15, 2009
    kinda crazy but would be neat to see inside.
  • & Anonymous July 25, 2009
    this is actually in Illinois, not Ohio

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