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valis2Visiting Wisconsin's legendary House on the Rock with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gypsyjolie was absolutely magical.
This has been a long time in coming. I visited there in...March, I think? And I've been thinking about it ever since.
The short story behind the House, according to the website:
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.
Basically, the House on the Rock is a huge, rambling space full of...stuff. Crazy stuff. Tiny stuff. Amazing stuff. Weird stuff. The fascinating thing is that some of the stuff is real, and some of it is fake. Jordan apparently liked showing it all, and had no problem if people were misled. Part of the fun is trying to figure out which is which. Apparently some people even constructed bizarre fakes on purpose just to sell to him. It's all part of an interesting, sly joke on possessions and history and worth. I found it to be one of the coolest experiences ever.
From the Wiki page:
Some of the apparent antiques in the House on the Rock are real, but many are not what they seem: depending on one's point of view one could call them fakes, or replicas, or original and imaginative creations in the style of antiques.
I apologize for the quality of the pictures. The whole place is a little bit dusty and most parts of it are poorly lit. We didn't have a lot of time and I was just snapping pictures whenever I could.
First, our entrance into the astonishing world of the House on the Rock.
Before you get to the House, you go through the Gatehouse. Certain things pop up again and again, like the figureheads holding twin lanterns.
My first glimpse of a music automaton. I'm sure there's a better term for it, but that's what popped into my head. It was quite amazing. You can see all of the different instruments. I don't remember the melody, just that it was a little eerie and interesting, and it didn't grow tiresome easily.
There are quite a few of these automaton dioramas spread out through the House. Interestingly enough, despite appearances, they are also partially fake; according to the Wiki page:
The room-sized assemblages of what appear to be mechanical musical instruments are partly illusion. Some of the instruments actually play, but the strings and woodwinds in particular do not; their sound is actually produced by organ pipes, while the moving instruments fool visitors.
They were my favorite part of the whole experience. Some of the music automaton dioramas take up entire rooms.
The look of this door was everywhere. The handcarved style, with partially see-through elements, was on the walls, the ceilings, the doors.
After the gatehouse, you walk along a very long elevated walkway to get to the House. It winds upward and eventuallly you're looking down from quite a distance.
And now...into the House!
A "living room" of sorts. More wooden cut-outs with blue light behind them, which I love. I'm a fan of odd lighting, and this was everywhere. Also interesting was that the first section we went through really was like a house of sorts. Bookcases, kitchens, giant fireplaces...
More of that wooden cut-out paneling. He must have purchased it by the ton. Also, birch branches were everywhere. The lighting was dark and mysterious, so this flash-lit photo can't do it justice.
One of my very favorite things ever. A music automaton "shrine," just before the entrance of the Infinity Room. A random piece of carpeted wall sits diagonally across it. It plays a mournful song. The music automaton, not the carpeted wall.
Dude, I want this in my house.
The first section of the Infinity Room. The only pieces in the room are this cart, and birch branches.
Welcome to Infinity! Mind the carpet. This room stretches out 218 feet over...nothing, without supports from underneath. It was amazing.
There were birdcages everywhere. And more wood cut-outs.
Though there were places where light came through, and you could get a good shot or two. Here you see the rock that the House is built on. It peeks out here and there. The House straddles it and winds around it.
Here's a good example of both how amazing the place is, and how hard it is to photograph. Windchimes, another set of musical instruments, a giant Asian dragon statue, birdcages, branches, all displayed together. And the horrible nature of the lighting (and my inability to overcome it with my camera settings) contributes to a horrible photograph. But at least you get the picture, so to speak.
More cut-outs with blue light. Birch trees. Imitation Tiffany lamps.
There were tons of bookcases in areas, filled with books.
It was so challenging to take pictures. I had hoped this would turn out well, but it did not.
I like this one, though.
Table with a stained glass top.
Stained glass window.
Finally, a decent photo! There was this little spot where natural light came in, this awesome alcove, and I love the crazy juxtaposition of the statues and the lamp and the birch tree and the rock.
On the roof, the view is amazing.
Stained glass windows from the outside.
Here's what the Infinity Room looks like from above.
More to come soon.
gypsyjolie was absolutely magical.This has been a long time in coming. I visited there in...March, I think? And I've been thinking about it ever since.
The short story behind the House, according to the website:
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.
Basically, the House on the Rock is a huge, rambling space full of...stuff. Crazy stuff. Tiny stuff. Amazing stuff. Weird stuff. The fascinating thing is that some of the stuff is real, and some of it is fake. Jordan apparently liked showing it all, and had no problem if people were misled. Part of the fun is trying to figure out which is which. Apparently some people even constructed bizarre fakes on purpose just to sell to him. It's all part of an interesting, sly joke on possessions and history and worth. I found it to be one of the coolest experiences ever.
From the Wiki page:
Some of the apparent antiques in the House on the Rock are real, but many are not what they seem: depending on one's point of view one could call them fakes, or replicas, or original and imaginative creations in the style of antiques.
I apologize for the quality of the pictures. The whole place is a little bit dusty and most parts of it are poorly lit. We didn't have a lot of time and I was just snapping pictures whenever I could.
First, our entrance into the astonishing world of the House on the Rock.
Before you get to the House, you go through the Gatehouse. Certain things pop up again and again, like the figureheads holding twin lanterns.
My first glimpse of a music automaton. I'm sure there's a better term for it, but that's what popped into my head. It was quite amazing. You can see all of the different instruments. I don't remember the melody, just that it was a little eerie and interesting, and it didn't grow tiresome easily.
There are quite a few of these automaton dioramas spread out through the House. Interestingly enough, despite appearances, they are also partially fake; according to the Wiki page:
The room-sized assemblages of what appear to be mechanical musical instruments are partly illusion. Some of the instruments actually play, but the strings and woodwinds in particular do not; their sound is actually produced by organ pipes, while the moving instruments fool visitors.
They were my favorite part of the whole experience. Some of the music automaton dioramas take up entire rooms.
The look of this door was everywhere. The handcarved style, with partially see-through elements, was on the walls, the ceilings, the doors.
After the gatehouse, you walk along a very long elevated walkway to get to the House. It winds upward and eventuallly you're looking down from quite a distance.
And now...into the House!
A "living room" of sorts. More wooden cut-outs with blue light behind them, which I love. I'm a fan of odd lighting, and this was everywhere. Also interesting was that the first section we went through really was like a house of sorts. Bookcases, kitchens, giant fireplaces...
More of that wooden cut-out paneling. He must have purchased it by the ton. Also, birch branches were everywhere. The lighting was dark and mysterious, so this flash-lit photo can't do it justice.
One of my very favorite things ever. A music automaton "shrine," just before the entrance of the Infinity Room. A random piece of carpeted wall sits diagonally across it. It plays a mournful song. The music automaton, not the carpeted wall.
Dude, I want this in my house.
The first section of the Infinity Room. The only pieces in the room are this cart, and birch branches.
Welcome to Infinity! Mind the carpet. This room stretches out 218 feet over...nothing, without supports from underneath. It was amazing.
There were birdcages everywhere. And more wood cut-outs.
Though there were places where light came through, and you could get a good shot or two. Here you see the rock that the House is built on. It peeks out here and there. The House straddles it and winds around it.
Here's a good example of both how amazing the place is, and how hard it is to photograph. Windchimes, another set of musical instruments, a giant Asian dragon statue, birdcages, branches, all displayed together. And the horrible nature of the lighting (and my inability to overcome it with my camera settings) contributes to a horrible photograph. But at least you get the picture, so to speak.
More cut-outs with blue light. Birch trees. Imitation Tiffany lamps.
There were tons of bookcases in areas, filled with books.
It was so challenging to take pictures. I had hoped this would turn out well, but it did not.
I like this one, though.
Table with a stained glass top.
Stained glass window.
Finally, a decent photo! There was this little spot where natural light came in, this awesome alcove, and I love the crazy juxtaposition of the statues and the lamp and the birch tree and the rock.
On the roof, the view is amazing.
Stained glass windows from the outside.
Here's what the Infinity Room looks like from above.
More to come soon.
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(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-19 09:02 pm (UTC)I think you might like The Music House museum up in Traverse City too. They have some amazing music boxes and dance hall organs.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 12:05 am (UTC)I have some GREAT pics of the Mikado music machine. It's incredible. And I'll totally look up the Music House, definitely! My parents live nearby.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-19 09:32 pm (UTC)I have fond fond memories of my trip to Wisconsin when I went there.
Nice to see it hasn't changed much.
The guy was a prolific smoker and had ash vases everwhere because he didnt want to dump ashtrays.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 12:06 am (UTC)And yeah, it doesn't change much, according to my friends. I didn't get to see the Doll Carousel, sadly, but it was still quite the experience.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-19 10:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 12:07 am (UTC)I do have a couple good pics of the carousel. I think that's in set 3, maybe. But the best pics I have are of some of the music automatons. I can't wait to show those!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-19 11:29 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-19 11:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 12:07 am (UTC)Wait till you see parts two and three!!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-19 11:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 12:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 12:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 12:59 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 04:12 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 04:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 08:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 04:08 pm (UTC)And it's in Wisconsin, not Wyoming, not that they're that much different. lol.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 04:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 04:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-20 08:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-21 12:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-22 03:17 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-22 03:42 pm (UTC)And yes, it is such a magical place--and I don't normally use that word! It was...astonishing. And I can't wait for you to see more of the pics! There are either 2 or 3 more entries left, with better pics. SQUEE!!
Glad you enjoyed!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-23 04:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-23 05:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-28 03:41 am (UTC)(We were supposed to have five days to explore WI & Chicago before the con, but went to Upstate NY instead to say goodbye to his ailing Gram.)
Someday. I love those blue-lit cutouts!
The description reminds me a bit of the Winchester Mystery house in San Jose, CA. The gal kept building rooms to try to avoid a curse!
I should probably go, LOL...been living in NorCal well over a decade, here! :P
My mom & I went here a few years ago: http://www.shangrilahawaii.org/
Amazing. Not eclectic in the sense of the other places, but an amazing collection of old Islamic art, and the ocean views...wow.
:D
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-28 10:47 am (UTC)The House on the Rock is way huger, though. I swear, one of the rooms is like a small football field. Seriously!
And wow...that Shangri-La place looks amazing!!