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All the United States North Carolina Collettsville The House of Mugs

The House of Mugs

A cabin completely covered in coffee mugs, where visitors are welcome to leave one of their own—if they can find an empty nail.

Collettsville, North Carolina

Added By
AnnaMosity
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The House of Mugs a/k/a The Cup House   AnnaMosity / Atlas Obscura User
The House of Mugs a/k/a The Cup House   AnnaMosity / Atlas Obscura User
The collection extends beyond just the house   AnnaMosity / Atlas Obscura User
The chief cup collector where you can usually find him, relaxing on the front porch   http://www.atlasobscura.com/users/josehoagie
Inside, the doll collection and memorabilia   AnnaMosity / Atlas Obscura User
Gateway to the Cups   AnnaMosity
  mhestertravels / Atlas Obscura User
  shelbyreap / Atlas Obscura User
Even the fence…   mhestertravels / Atlas Obscura User
House of mugs!!   sgtconnersbaby / Atlas Obscura User
  AdventureWithTay / Atlas Obscura User
What a find   jake5353 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The House of Mugs (a/k/a, the Collettsville Cup House) is a true labor of love created one nail and mug at a time.

At the very end of an unpaved country road stands a cozy home, completely covered in coffee mugs. The owners, Avery and Doris Sisk, created their quirky attraction almost by accident. It started over 15 years ago with a box-lot of 15 mugs picked up at a flea market. It seemed like a good décor decision at the time, so they hung them up. More and more have been added over the years, and now – at least 20,000 mugs later – Avery and Doris have created a destination. Their cabin in the woods is dripping in cups and mugs of all kinds, the gates and fencing too.

The Sisks are both artists as well as collectors, welcoming and happy to show off their home. If you catch them on the porch you’ll likely be invited inside to see their other collections of dolls and police memorabilia too, but it's the cups and mugs are what draw people in. Most have been collected by the Sisks themselves, but some have been added by the tourists who stop, something the Sisks encouraged. If you can find an empty nail, you’re welcome to leave one too. 

Related Tags

Architectural Oddities Collections Outsider Architecture Outsider Art Architecture

Know Before You Go

There's no charge to see the Sisk's collection, but donations are welcome. To see the Cup House, follow NC Route 90 north/west out of Collettsville for about half a mile and turn left onto Old Johns River Road. Follow for about 2 & 1/2 miles to a gravel road turn-off on the right. Bear right onto the gravel road and follow all the way to the end. No GPS out there, but locals will generally know where the Cup House is, in case you need to ask for directions.

Community Contributors

Added By

AnnaMosity

Edited By

hrnick, MagnumPI, jake5353, shelbyreap...

  • hrnick
  • MagnumPI
  • jake5353
  • shelbyreap
  • mhestertravels
  • sgtconnersbaby
  • AdventureWithTay

Published

May 4, 2016

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Sources
  • http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/24992
  • http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/josh-shaffer/article31973244.html
  • http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/24992
The House of Mugs
2085-2199 Old Johns River Rd
Collettsville, North Carolina, 28611
United States
35.958504, -81.71102
Get Directions

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