I went to Wisconsin this past weekend.
It's only about a 2 hour drive from home to get to where I wanted to go.
So let's see where I went.
It's one of my favorite places!
If you decide to visit, definitely get there early to avoid crowds, and
absolutely opt for the Ultimate Experience, which will
give you access to the entire house.
Part one includes the actual house on (in?) the rock.
It is essentially built into the rocky face of one of the Wisconsin bluffs.
The property is within the Driftless area of Wisconsin.
Basically, it's the part of the state where the glaciers didn't manage to scrape flat.
So the terrain is made up of deep valleys, and rock cliffs.
From the top of the Infinity Room.
It stretches out over the tree tops to infinityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.......
Once inside, you are free to walk around at your own pace.
Certain parts are partitioned off, but generally, you can explore everything.
Alex Johnson, the man you dreamed up with this monstrosity,
supposedly stayed in the house part. There is a kitchen, a living room,
pool table, and an infinity room.
What? Your house doesn't have an infinity room?
Well, you're missing out.
Stuff like this is all over the place.
Johnson was a bit of a collector...to put it mildly.
There are lots of kinds of things.
Glass lampshades, music machines that play themselves,
cars, dolls, toys, model ships.
The Streets of Yesteryear.
Don't miss the bathrooms!
You'll be pleased to find the collections have spread into both
men's and women's restrooms!
This calliope is huge and loud. A tractor sits next to it,
that I can only assume is what was used to pull it.
The little guys move to the rhythm!
One of my favorite rooms is the Heritage of the Sea.
Here is where the model boats and ship paraphernalia is kept.
You can use a token to hear Octopuss's Garden played by
animatronic animals with instruments.
The path leads you up and around the enormous fight between
the whale and the kraken (giant squid).
This scale model of the Titanic is relatively new.
The Titanic follows me wherever I go.
Continue down the rabbit hole....
My other favorite part is the Organ Room.
Yes, there are organs, but it has a wonderful steampunk, Dante's Inferno vibe.
Like a beautiful nightmare.
Music room. One of many. The instruments play themselves when given a token.
Well, well, well, according to this contraption I am one step below Hot Stuff!
Once you get over your over-stimulation and have adjusted to the
the assault on your senses, try to look for details.
Like this doll holding a tiny skeleton.
The horses that weren't allowed on the Carousel.
Yes, the House has the largest carousel in the US.
Over 2 tons, a gazillion lights, and not a single horse.
So, I guess they all watch from the walls and ceiling?
As you leave the House and re-emerge into reality,
take a moment to find the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.
Death, Famine, War, and Conquest.
They're waving goodbye and sending you on your way.
Another new feature is a Japanese Garden, that was at the beginning
stages of development when I was last here. Now it has koi fish, a stone path,
this waterfall feature, and a small bridge.
I like to come back every few years to see what's been added,
and simply because I love looking for the details I missed.
There is a lot to look at, and you will miss something!
Anyway, after I pried myself from the House's clutches, I drove the short
distance to Spring Green for a bit of lunch and a coffee from Arcadia Books.
Then backtracked down the highway again for some time at
Governor Dodge State Park. I wanted to check out the beach.
I wound up at the less crowded of the two beaches.
After some beach time, I packed up the car and headed home.
Can't leave Wisconsin without some New Glarus beer and cheese!
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