A hidden Midwest gem: the House on the Rock

Hidden away in the forests of Wisconsin, just three hours from Chicago lies an architectural anomaly. What started out as a stack of rocks has turned into a structure that is truly one of a kind. The House on the Rock is an experience that is simply unexplainable.

The home's site was discovered in 1940 by former-owner Alex Jordan. He would have small picnics on Deer Shelter Rock and occasionally camp out there. Eventually, he bought the 240 acres of property the rock was on and built as he pleased.

As he started to create, curiosity began to form in the surrounding area and Jordan started charging people 50 cents to visit his home. By 1960, the House on the Rock was open to the public. Four extensions connect throughout the property, with each room and building filled with anything and everything.

Jordan was a collector and would buy things and decide what to do with them later. This situation is unique because all the money he made was put back into the house, whether it be building or buying. He had no other source of income.

The original 13-room home exudes a vintage feel and is built around outdoor nature. Although lacking natural light, it is filled with massive fireplaces, stone seating and chandeliers providing light to the dimly lit space.

Extending out from the home 218 feet over the Wisconsin Valley is Jordan’s Infinity Room. With 3,064 windows, this long hallway narrows to a point, suspended over the ground with no support.

A suspending structure, however, isn’t the only fascinating part of this house. Section 2 includes the world’s largest carousel, decorated with 20,000 lights, 182 chandeliers, and 289 creatures, and ironically, not one of these creatures is a horse.

Before approaching the carousel, a 200-foot-long sea creature sculpture battling a giant octopus sits on display. You can also walk down a recreation of a 19th-century street. The red-bricked avenue has a variety of different storefronts, such as a sheriff’s office, a carriage house, and other antiques.

Each of the extensions holds different collections of oddities and each room you walk into has a different theme from the last.

Jordan passed away in 1989 and throughout his whole lifetime, he only spent four nights in the house. In 1988, his home was sold to a longtime business associate, Art Donaldson. Their family has owned and operated it ever since.

The House on the Rock showcases Jordan’s creativity and allows anyone who comes across it to experience something you can’t even put into words. Just a couple of hours away from the heart of Chicago, this hidden gem is a must-see.