Slanted houses, Tilted houses, Gravity houses, Anti-gravity houses, Mystery Spots, they have many names. Up until a few years ago, I was only familiar with one in Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri called "Grandfather's Mansion". My family went to Silver Dollar City yearly starting in 1974 and it was always one of my favorite attractions, especially since I was scared of the roller coaster there, "Fire in the Hole" (it's a really, really tame roller coaster. Okay, I was a big chicken).
Among the brochures I found at a recent sale was this postcard from Silver Dollar City.
Leanin' Lil's Broom at Slantin' Sam's Old Miners Shack (is that enough apostrophes or what???)
Slantin' Sam's Old Miners Shack/Grandfather's Mansion. Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri
Opened 1960, still in operation.
Image courtesy fuzzy64.livejournal.com
Image courtesy fuzzy64.livejournal.com
Image courtesy sdcfans.com
In another brochure (which I previously posted) from the same find as the above postcard was a similar attraction at the Clarksville, Missouri Skylift called The Mystery House.
The Mystery House. Clarksville, Missouri
Opened ?, Closed ?
The Mystery House. Clarksville, Missouri
Image courtesy eBay
Image courtesy eBay
I also previously posted these brochures from another find last year.
The Mystery of the Magnetic House. Cascade, Colorado
Opened ?, Closed ?
The Haunted Shack. Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California
Opened 1954, closed 2000.
The Haunted Shack Knott's Berry Farm
The Haunted Shack Knott's Berry Farm
Those finds combined with a recent post over at the Papergreat blog made me start wondering how many of these crazy lopsided tourist traps existed. There's a great write-up on the history of these attractions at Daffy Klub including some of the original design plans. That site and a lot of Googling lead to the following attractions. Trust me, I had no idea how big this post would balloon to by the time I was done. It left my head spinning almost as if I'd toured every one.
You'll notice, many of them featured the same phenomena such as balls rolling or water running uphill, precariously balanced chairs for you to sit in, ledges to stand on, bars to swing from and gravity-defying brooms. Get your balance and let's dive in.
Confusion Hill Gravity House, Pearcy, California.
Opened 1949, still in business.
Image courtesy tripavisor.com
Image courtesy thegirlwhomoved.wordpress.com
Mystery Spot. Santa Cruz, California
Opened 1941, still in operation.
Image courtesy dafe.org
Text reads, "Demonstrating suspended and supported object. 'Mystery Spot' Santa Cruz, Calif"
Demonstrating visable [sic] difference of height
Image courtesy mysteryspot.com
Image courtesy mysteryspot.com
Wonder Spot. Lake Delton, Wisconsin
Opened 1949, closed 2006
Image courtesy usatoday.com
Image courtesy Daily Mail
Image courtesy Daily Mail
Image courtesy Daily Mail
Image courtesy Daily Mail
Mystery Ridge. East Tawas, Michigan
Opened ?, Closed 1960's.
Image courtesy quasi-interestingparaphenaliainc.blogspot.com
Image courtesy quasi-interestingparaphenaliainc.blogspot.com
Image courtesy quasi-interestingparaphenaliainc.blogspot.com
Image courtesy quasi-interestingparaphenaliainc.blogspot.com
Mystery Hill. Irish Hills, Michigan
Opened 1953, still in operation.
Image courtesy quasi-interestingparaphenaliainc.blogspot.com
Image courtesy quasi-interestingparaphenaliainc.blogspot.com
Image courtesy mysteryhillirishhills.com
Casa Magnetica, Six Flags over Texas, Arlington, Texas
Opened 1962, Closed 2011
Image courtesy themeparkinsider.com
Image courtesy parktimes.com
Image courtesy parktimes.com
The Mystery Shack, Calico Ghost Town. Yermo, California
Opened ?, still in operation.
Image courtesy socaldailyphoto
Image courtesy flickriver.com
Image courtesy pinterest
Image courtesy tripadvisor.com
The Mystery Spot. St. Ignace, Michigan
Opened 1953, still in operation.
Their brochure is a pretty bland. No pictures.
Image courtesy dafe.org
Image courtesy cardcow.com
Image courtesy cardcow.com
Mystery Shack. Frontier City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Opened ?, closed (burned down) 1960's.
Image courtesy Amazon.com
Some sites on the internet confuse this location with The Mystery Shack in Calico Ghost Town. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any pictures of the actual illusions.
Mystery House St. Augustine, Florida
Opened 1950's, closed 1960's.
Image courtesy papergreat blog
Image courtesy papergreat blog
Image courtesy staugustine.com
Oregon Vortex House/House of Mystery, Gold Hill, Oregon
Opened 1930, still in operation
Image courtesy bakerwrites.com
Image courtesy mysterycasebook.com
House of Mystery. Haines, Florida
Opened ?, closed ?
Image courtesy lostparks.com
Image courtesy floridamemory.com
Uncanny Canyon. Crater Lake, Oregon
Opened 1950's, closed (flooded by reservoir) 1970's
Image courtesy shorpy.com
Image courtesy Sandlotscience.com
Cosmos Mystery Area. Rapid City, South Dakota
Opened 1953, still in operation
Image courtesy tripadvisor.com
Image courtesy pinterest
Image courtesy mentalfloss.com
Mystery Hole. Ansted, West Virginia
Opened 1973, still in operation
Image courtesy mysteryhole.com
Image courtesy aviewoftheworld.com
Image courtesy mysteryhole.com
Anti-Gravity House. Gulfport, Mississippi
Opened? Closed?
Tilt houses date back to 1904 when Arthur B. Griffin filed his patent for what he called a "Trick House". His patent details his trick house as featuring a sloping floor with parallel ceiling and perpendicular walls, making everything appear to be square and level despite the fact that they aren't.
Due to insurance costs, risk of injury and inability to meet ADA standards, tilt houses are a vanishing attraction.
***UPDATE***
Since originally posting this, I've come across additional locations and decided to keep the post up to date on new finds.
Tom Foolery Cabin, Odd House, Odd Hill. Winona, Missouri
Opened 1955. Closed ???
Image courtesy Springfield News-Leader
Image courtesy Springfield News-Leader
Image courtesy Springfield News-Leader
Image courtesy Springfield News-Leader
Image courtesy Springfield News-Leader
Image courtesy Springfield News-Leader
***UPDATE***
I just discovered another mystery spot in my own collection.
Image courtesy Springfield News-Leader
Mr. & Mrs. W. E. Pope and their dog Ruff, owners of the Tom Foolery cabin at Odd Hill
***UPDATE***
Some more gravity house fun from Mr. Karswell over at the "and everything else too" blog.
Phantom Acres Mystery Spot, Lake Ozark, Missouri
Opened 1955. Closed approx. 1970's
I found this brochure for Phantom Acres on eBay.
***UPDATE***
I just discovered another mystery spot in my own collection.
Mystery Hill, Gatlinburg, Tennesee
Opened ??? Closed mid 1970's
i see bumper stickers for the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz, CA all the time around here. not sure if the Winchester Mystery House is one or not, since i haven't been there, but i see bumper stickers for that a lot around here, too: http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/
ReplyDeletei have NEVER even heard of "Yermo, Calif." but it's apparently in the Mojave, so that's probably why. don't get down there very often. : )
i had no idea these were so prevalent, but it makes sense when they are put in the context of wholesome regional tourist fun.
Winchester House may be the original tilted house, but it wasn't originally intended to be. It started out as a normal Victorian home of the Winchester family, but was added to by the widow of Oliver Winchester who did so under the advisement of a medium who told her the spirits of all the people killed by the Winchester rifle were angry and needed appeasement. The house was under construction 24 hours a day until her death.
Deleteyeah, she was definitely bonkers.
Deletehad to come all the way back here to post this relevant thing: Helen Mirren is making a movie about the Winchester Mystery House (!!): http://www.avclub.com/article/helen-mirren-making-movie-about-winchester-mystery-236812
Delete>Helen Mirren is making a movie about the Winchester Mystery House
DeleteInteresting. I'll watch it!
Thanks for the post, I love this stuff! There was one somewhere in New England that I visited a long time ago when I was a kid. Have no idea where it was though.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Dex, I had a good time writing it. I know Chris over at papergreat blog remembers one in New Jersey, but couldn't find any information. I will continue looking for more tilt houses and update as I find them.
DeleteGreat stuff! It's nice to have all these collected in one spot.
ReplyDeleteIt's become an obsession.
DeleteWowzers, you certainly have THE collection of Mystery Spot brochures going on here! Great stuff :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mr. Karswell, and thanks for your addition.
Delete