#10: Alex Jordan Jr. Built the House on the Rock Above a Wisconsin Valley — Construction Began: 1945
Alex Jordan Jr. began working on the rocky site near Spring Green, Wisconsin, around 1945, initially creating a secluded retreat high above the surrounding landscape.
He carried materials up the steep formation and constructed much of the original building himself before the property evolved into a public attraction. After opening to visitors in 1959, Jordan continually expanded the complex with unusual rooms, enclosed streets, mechanical displays, musical machines, enormous collections, and surreal installations. The experience eventually became less like touring a conventional house and more like walking through a physical version of someone’s unrestricted imagination.
