A Fun Weekend Getaway
Over the years the House on the Rock has evolved to include amazing displays and unfathomable collections that never fail to amaze. You can visit the house on the rock dozens of times and still find something you missed last time.
The house on the rock located in Spring Green, Wisconsin, is only a 4 hour drive from our house in St. Paul, Minnesota. It makes a wonderful weekend trip and we try to visit once a year.
The History Behind House On The Rock
The "House on the Rock" sits atop Deer Shelter Rock, a 60 foot tower of sandstone just south of Spring Green Wisconsin. Construction of the house itself was begun by Alex Jordan Jr. in the early 1940's as a retreat from city life in Madison, Wisconsin.The original 13 room house has grown over the years to house Alex Jordan's amazing collections. House on the Rock is now an extraordinary complex of rooms, streets, buildings and gardens covering over 200 acres. Furnishings include Oriental art, stained glass lamps, bronze statuary and a three-story bookcase filled with rare books. The 14th room was added in 1985 and proves to be the most spectacular, the Infinity Room.
The house officially opened as a public attraction during the summer of 1960, at the urging of Alex Jordan Jr.'s father who had been bankrolling the project.
Spring Green, Wisconsin
Alex Jordan Jr.
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".
House of Alex
House of Alex
Amazon Price: (as of 12/24/2009)
What a cast of characters. House of Alex is the authentic and weird account of how one of the Midwest's most popular and eccentric tourist attractions came into existence. The true story in this riveting tale is the one the slick brochures and hagiographic books never seem to address. Of course they prefer to stick with the banal and sanitized version that is comfortable for 5th graders but rather dull for anyone who essentially knew there was a bit more going on.
Alex Jordan is the obsessive and tyrannical star of the show. He is a cantankerous guy who spent the vast majority of his life collecting the artifacts and constructing the House on the Rock. He had assistance of course, but his unappreciative demeanor and egomania rarely ever allowed himself to give the artists, builders, collectors and artisans their rightful credit and just due. Balousek exposes this recluse in a manner he would no doubt find incredibly uncomfortable if he were still alive.
This book is an obvious unauthorized biography. Strange info abounds throughout its pages. Balousek throws everything into it that he unearthed by way of his extensive research into this odd man and the crazy and entertaining edifice he created. From sexual blackmail and surreptitious nude photos of unknowing strippers to selling rubber cement to repair young women's nylons to Frank Lloyd Wright's blunt criticism; this is a very interesting biography that is unlike most others. ~ Amazon Review By Drew Hunkins
The Infinity Room
Alex Jordan first envisioned the 14th room to be called the "Infinity room" in the 1940's after being inspired by a verse of a Don Blanding poem. Alex wrote his own poem about the house that he imagines as "one long thin room will hang in space." This engineering marvel was finally completed in 1985, after 4 decades of dreaming.Today the infinity room extends for 218 feet over the scenic Wyoming Valley. The room stands 156 feet above the forest floor, with the last 140 feet of the amazing room simply hanging in mid-air, entirelly unsupported. There is no other room like it in the entire world.
The Doorway to Infinity
The room contains 3,264 window panes to allow a clear view in all directions.
The Gate House
The construction of the Gate House was started in 1960 after the House on the Rock was opened to the public. The Gate House serves as the entry way to the main house .This area has a rugged and masculine feel with a unique stone fireplace, 1960's era modern kitchen and glimpses of some of the collections and themes found throughout the rest of the complex. Here you will find Oriental and other ethnic artwork and the first of many fantastic music machines.
Gate House Room
The 1st of many self playing music machines
Inside the House on the Rock
The natural rocks of the cliff are as much a part of the house as the house is a part of the rock.The actual house is a labrinth of stone and wood with every nook and cranny containing new marvels and delights.
There an amazing collection of antique and rare books, cosy reading areas and waterfalls built right into the living areas.
The house contains hundreds of Bauer ~ Coble stained glass lamps inspired by Tiffany, as well as wonderous stained glass windows.
Each room has it's own special mood or theme. The three stories of books and cozy reading nooks inspire fantasy and the music machines add an element of the magical.
Built in Fireplaces
Amazing Statuary is everywhere
The Mill House
The Mill House boasts one of the world's largest fireplaces. Designed to resemble a fireplace in a Scottish castle, the huge fire pit easily holds giant cauldrons. Everywhere you look there are fantastical delights and amazing collections.The Mill House is filled with music machines, suits of armor and a virtual arsenal of antique firearms. More massive collections like mechanical die-cast banks, colorful paper weights, fragile glassware, toy trains and steam engines are displayed all around to delight the eye.
Wall of Armor
Antique Firearms
Lodging
House on the Rock has three different options for lodging with package deals available that include tickets for the House on the Rock tours. Stay and Tour Packages and Stay and Golf Packages are available at the Inn, the North Lodge, and the Resort. Call 800-334-5275 for reservations and more information.
The House on the Rock Resort
The high standards and impeccable tastes of the House on the Rock Resort are reflected in every aspect of the Resort experience - most notably in the 27 holes of championship golf. Beyond the course, the Resort features an exceptional blend of spacious suites, exceptional spa services and exquisite dining delights. With Frank Lloyd Wright influences throughout, our two-room suites offer splendid views of the surrounding countryside and pristine golf course.
Our Resort Stay and Tour Packages allow you to stay at the Resort and visit the Attraction for one great price! Golf Packages are also available allowing you various combinations of our courses. Call 800-822-7774 for lodging reservations, tee times, and so much more.
Spa
Indulge in a little luxury! The House on the Rock Resort is well-known as a wonderful destination for rest and relaxation. Now you can summon the services of our spa to make your stay even more memorable, relaxing and invigorating. Slip away from the stresses of daily life to renew and rejuvenate your mind and body. We offer a variety of therapies, utilizing aromatherapy, herbology and other treatments to indulge your senses.
Golf
**Both Courses Rated 4 ½ Stars by Golf Digest**
While designing 27 holes of championship golf, three prestigious golf course architects took advantage of the amazing natural surroundings. Working with the terrain's rolling hills and tremendous greenery, these legends created the finest golf has to offer - and it's located at the House on the Rock Resort.
Golf Packages, Annual and Corporate passes are available. You'll find the rates and value as ideal as the course! Call 800-822-7774 for reservations and more information.
The House on the Rock Inn
After an exhilarating and active day touring the House on the Rock Attraction, a short, seven-mile drive to the House on the Rock Inn makes for a relaxing retreat. Outside your room, you'll find the Inn has plenty of activity and relaxation for all tastes. Stay and Tour Packages allow you to go from Attraction to relaxation for one great price! Flexible pricing options are available to help you create the perfect getaway or family outing. Call 888-935-3960 for reservations and more information.
The North Lodge
The North Lodge is a comfortable 63 room inn that offers a welcome place to realax for those more budget-minded guest. Along with a variety of room confgurations to meet your needs, the North Lodge comes complete with an indoor swimming pool, sauna and whirlpool. Guests staying at the North Lodge may also use all of the facilities of the House on the Rock Inn.
Stay and Tour Packages allow you to go from Attraction to relaxation for one great price! Flexible pricing options are available to help you create the perfect getaway or family outing. Call 888-935-3960 for reservations and more information.
Caddy Daddy Golf Bag
Constrictor Wheeled Travel Cover
Caddy Daddy Constrictor Wheeled Travel Cover
Amazon Price: $69.00 (as of 12/23/2009)
Caddy Daddy Constrictor Wheeled Travel Covers feature:
The large 50" x 13" x 13" dimensions will accommodate almost any golf bag
All stress points reinforced
Lockable zippers to keep clubs safe
Extra large accessory pocket for additional gear
ID card window for travel
Heavily padded for maximum protection of golf club heads
Ajustable compression straps to keep clubs stable
Premium in-line skate wheels for easy rolling
Heavy-duty skid rails for curbs
Reinforced Velcro lock handle
Top and bottom handles for enhanced maneuverability
Extremely durable 1800DD nylon construction
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Have You Been To House On The Rock?
What do you think of House on the Rock?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byI've been there and...
d-artist says:
yes I have visited several times..an interesting place to visit and see in Wisconsin
Posted November 04, 2009
sandyspider says:
I have and also wrote about it. Though you have better pictures. It was Alex Jordan Sr. that discovered the rock which he design the house. And his son Alex Jordan Jr. took over. I loved the architecture but the music drove me crazy.
Posted September 17, 2009
Sandra says:
It is utterly fascinating - I could spend days there, the Music Room, the Library, the original home - SO not like any home I've ever imagined...I could not walk to the end of the Infinity Room, but I did go part way...breath-taking!
Posted September 03, 2009
stargazer00 says:
I visited the House on the Rock several years ago when I was growing up in Iowa. I was so impressed! You really should not miss it if you are in the area. I don't remember the infinity room. I'm thinking maybe that is something relatively new?
Posted May 21, 2009
ElizabethJeanAllen says:
I grew up in Northern Minnesota and we took a trip to the Dells and the sites around there every summer. This lens brought back memories
Posted May 15, 2009
I've never been there, but...
skiesgreen says:
No, but it certainly looks an interesting place for Americans to visit.
Posted December 20, 2009
Ramkitten says:
We were planning to head into Wisconsin after our Boundary Waters trip, but we ended up doing so much fun stuff in Minnesota, we never made it over. But I've heard of this place and it's the kind of thing Steve and I would like. Maybe next time. (Next year.)
Posted August 22, 2009
sittonbull says:
Never heard of it before, but Looks like a fascinating place to visit.
Posted May 19, 2009
paperfacets says:
New place to go. I have not heard of this house and it sounds interesting.
Posted May 14, 2009
The Streets of Yesterday
Feel yourself transported back in time to small town America. Visit an era of quaint little shops and cobbled streets. A time when the horseless carriage was still a novelty.Look through the many windows of the past, into houses with wood burning stoves, an old time apothacary, barbershop and Sherrif"s office. See the fire engines of our ancestors and marvel at this amazing little villiage that lives inside of the house on the rock complex.
Heritage of the Sea
The Heritage of the Sea building was Alex Jordans last big project. The 200 foot sea creature is worth the trip to the House on the Rock all by itself. This display is longer than the statue of liberty is tall. Towering above you, the creature fights a giant Octopus as it swallows a life size whaling dinghy.Walkways take you up and around this mighty creature so you can view it from every angle. Along the way there are hundreds of seafaring exhibits, over 200 models of ships from frigates and cutters to men o' war. Nearly every type of ocean going vessel is represented.
You Will Need A Great Camera!
Kodak EasyShare C813 8.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
Kodak EasyShare C813 8.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Pink)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/24/2009)
I personally recommend this camera. I got it for christmas just this year and it really is amazing. Even I can take fantasic photos with it, and I am the world's worst photographer.
It's really easy to use and the photo editing software is excellent. I can blow the photos up to almost lifesize without losing any of the photo quality. It really is a great little camera.
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Music of Yesterday
This exhibit starts in the theatre lobby with some of the smaller musical machines and moves on to grand rooms that house bigger and then massive and amazingly intricate music machines.From the Cremona player piano to the mechanically operated symphony orchestra in the Baroque Blue Room, wonders abound.
The Josef Franz ~ A towering 27 foot tall and 12 foot wide giant organ, has mechanical action that animates brass, reed, percussion & stringed instruments and more.
The Mikado (pictured) is an astounding Oriental music machine that pumps out chords on a monster pipe organ with 118 keys.
There is an entire wall of instrumentation that plays the "Blue Danube Waltz" in the grand finale of the Russian Musical Fantasy Red Room.
Classic Cars
From the famous tile car, a 1963 Lincoln Continental with suicide doors, armor plated and then covered in blue tiles to the 1953 Packard Coupe, the House on the Rock classic car collection is amazing.There are even stage coaches and a long horse drawn hook and ladder on loan from the Spring Green, WI fire department.
Hot air balloons float above you as you walk through this collection that even includes an antique Ford Popcorn Wagon.
Weird Wisconsin
Your Travel Guide to Wisconsin's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
Weird Wisconsin: Your Travel Guide to Wisconsin's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
Amazon Price: $9.97 (as of 12/24/2009)
Do you like stories about strange phenomena, ghost stories, or stories that simply tingle your spine? How about stories about strange places that exist? Perhaps you are the type of person who is interested in UFO's. What about stories about interesting persons who have their own stories to share? What if I could tell you that this book is all of that and more?
Who would think of a fairly quiet place like Wisconsin as being a state full of weirdness!? Everything from UFO's and ghosts to the world's largest, well, urinal, this book covers it all.
It is very hard to put this book down once you begin to read it, and after reading it, I still find it hard to put the book down! Each story in this book is priceless, and the authors made sure that the book was very reader-friendly.
The only problem I had was that I couldn't rate this book any higher than 5 stars. Amazon Review By DJ JyMe "Knowledge is Power"
Avg. Customer Rating: 
New Spirit of Aviation
In this area you are transported back in time to a 1950's Airfield.Amazing model airplanes soar above you, some with wing spans as long as 8 feet.
A quaint Airport Cafe with 1950's prices on the menu makes this a fun blast from the past.
The World's Largest Carousel
Life size Angels float above you as you become mezmerized in the Carousel room. The impact of this one of a kind carousel defies description. At 80 feey across, 35 feet tall and weighing in at an astounding 36 tons/72,000 pounds, this carousel has 269 handcrafted carousel animals, none of which are horses.Instead you see a mythical menagerie of sea creatures, 53 centaurs, 36 peacocks, mermaids and more.
Set admidst 20,000 lights and 182 chandeliers the carousel is in constant motion while over 200 genuine antique carousel horses decorate the walls.
Get There!
House on the Rock has three different options for lodging with package deals available that include tickets for the House on the Rock tours. Stay and Tour Packages and Stay and Golf Packages are available at the Inn, the North Lodge, and the Resort. Call 800-334-5275 for reservations and more information.
House on the Rock is just a 4 hour drive from Twin Cities International Airport. Plus if you fly to Minnesota you can also visit the "Mall of America" before or after visiting the House on the Rock. The drive there is beautiful, because of the hill formations caused because the ice age glaciers somehow missed this part of the world.
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Thanks For Visiting!
Please take a moment to say hello
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- skiesgreen skiesgreen Dec 20, 2009 @ 9:10 pm
- This is a great lens, very well presented. Love the pics and the history, etc. One day, but it looks unlikely, my old body might get over the Pacific to some of these great places. Top marks and lensrolled to the Great Ourdoors. I may feature it there as well.
Norma
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- d-artist d-artist Nov 4, 2009 @ 1:41 pm
- a vey interesting place to visit...bizarre and facinating...to say the least...nice lens...5*
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- InkedEmma InkedEmma Oct 14, 2009 @ 8:34 pm
- My favorite place in Wisconsin, I remember coming here very young and I still continue to go... (I try to go once a year at least but it's quite a drive from where I live) and I will take my children there too :) Love the House on the Rock, beautiful photos!
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- sandyspider sandyspider Sep 17, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
- Wow, I hadn't been here before. I just wrote a lens on the House on the Rock. Nice lens!
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- Samantha Samantha Sep 14, 2009 @ 11:35 am
- I am 21 and from chicago. I just visited this place for the first time ever on Saturday the 12 of Septemeber, 2009. My boyfriend had told me about it we he had gone at the age of 10. I have never seen anything so spectacular in my life. I wish we would have had more time to wander around this huge display of fantasy and art. I highly recomend a visit to this wonderful House some time in one's life.
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About Mystic Mama
Lensmaster mysticmama has been a member since January 8 2009, has rated 2,498 lenses, favorited 287, and has created 119 lenses from scratch. Bambi Watson donates their royalties to Humane Society of the United States. This member's top-ranked page is "Squidoo Support Sites Mentor". See all my lenses
My Bio
Welcome and thank you for visiting my lens.
My name is Bambi aka: Mystic Mama
I am your Citizen Squid Support Sites Mentor, here to help answer any questions you may have about the many different types of sites & tools available to help you along your Squidoo journey.
I am also a Giant Squid 100 club member, an honorary Squid Angel, & a RocketMom.
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