This weekend marks the annual weekend when locals get in FREE OF CHARGE.
"Free of charge to where?" you might be asking yourself. And my answer would indeed be: the House on the Rock of course.
This uniquely Midwestern "attraction" offers a full visual and auditory explanation as to (as the age old adage suggests) why "one man's trash is another man's treasure." Only here in our icy little corner of the earth can you create an entire empire out of colored glass and Christmas mug collections. Oh, and lest I forget, a house on a rock.
We were not fortunate enough to pay the entire (exorbitant) entrance fee when we were mere tourists (keep in mind that all working there, when pressed, which we did, provide nothing more than a vague biography of the man who built the place) so we opted for a third of the tour and close to a third of the cost.
What we got, however, was two hours of what felt very much like the pack rat's version of the 1971 film interpretation of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory... minus the Oompa Loompas and Gene Wilder. But of course, I can't be certain about the Oompa Loompas.
The experience included but definitely was not limited to collections of almost anything, haphazardly packed into every crevasse of this ever expanding compound. Take this lighter collection, for example, much of which was really fascinating. Then I noticed this particular cluster of clutter...Yep. That's "one-a-them" hundred dollar bill lighters next to the Play Boy Bunny paraphernalia. Ah, to collect!
But in the true Reading Rainbow tradition, don't take my word for it. I'm only telling you a fraction of the sights to be seen and you have to experience it for yourself when next you are in town. Only, I'd recommend coming this weekend... free of charge.
3 comments:
So this is the weekend we should have come! I am amazed by the House on the Rock. And that's a mighty set o' lighters.
My dream came true! Good to read a post once more.
I actually think my mom would love something like this.
The real question is how much did you pay when it wasn't free of charge weekend?
no way! free of charge? geez louise, i'm jealous. i'm going to get a jar, label it 'House On The Rock fund' and start filling it with spare change (sorry hobos) so the next time i'm out there i can pay the fee and experience it for myself. i mean, we've got the Fairview Museum but that's small stuff in comparison to HOTR.
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