Alaska Tower Cabin Alaskan Dr Seuss House

dr seuss house in alaska

Seuss house,” is named after the legendary storyteller and illustrator himself. The brutalist structure features gravity-defying concrete levels extending from a tapered base. Weidner has been working on the project off and on since the late ‘90s (he’s a lawyer in Anchorage, which keeps him busy).

Camino Real Sumiya

Of course, the observatory at the top served as a bonus attraction. You can't visit the house in person, but if you want to see it, you can get a good view on Alaska's train north. Hidden in the sparse woods outside Talkeetna, Alaska, is a bizarrely singular home known by locals as the Dr. Seuss House, though that isn’t what its creator calls it. While this whimsical house has no direct relation to the famed author, it is easy to see how the structure got its nickname.

Culture Trip Spring Sale

The owner built the house after a forest fire, and originally it had views of Mount McKinley and Denali National Park. But when the trees recovered, he lost his view, prompting him to add more and more stories until it became the 12-story tower it is now. Next time you are traveling deep in the Alaskan wilderness, keep an eye out for the house that looks like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss book.

dr seuss house in alaska

Related Trip Guides

Willow, Alaska's Goose Creek Tower - also known as the Dr. Seuss house, for obvious reasons - was built by a creative individual who wanted to have the best view possible of Denali. In fact, the owner wanted to be able to see the mountain so bad, that as the trees around the house got taller, so did the house. Now, the bizarre residence is considered to be one of the great architectural feats of America. Willow, Alaska’s Goose Creek Tower – also known as the Dr. Seuss house, for obvious reasons – was built by a creative individual who wanted to have the best view possible of Denali. The story behind it is that the owner originally built the house with a view of Denali/Mt. He happened to build it right after a forest fire though, so the trees were all short, new growth.

The 185-foot-tall (56-metre-tall) structure looks like several houses stacked atop each other, which it basically is. Weidner started with the original 40-by-40-foot (12-by-12-metre) log cabin and then realised he could construct pillars that would allow him to put another house on top. Initially, this home was planned to be a 40 x 40 foot log cabin.

This location is on private property and is presented for information purposes only. Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip.

Travel Planner

Phil plans to live in the ground level of Goose Creek Tower, at least part time, once it is completed, and also make it available to visitors. It sat abandoned for almost the same amount of time until a new owner came along and started to work on it. The house is not complete and is on private property that is monitored.

Weidner kept adding levels to what’s been nicknamed the Dr. Seuss House until he reached 185 feet. The only reason Weidner stopped when he did is because federal airspace starts at 200 feet, and he didn’t want the home (which he calls the Goose Creek Tower) to violate any laws. The Giesel Library by William Pereira at San Diego State University, almost as much a spectacle as the so-called “Dr.

The TRUE Story Behind Alaska's Legendary 'Dr. Seuss House'

However, quickly the knowledge he gained from his engineering degree got ahead of him. One floor was added, and then another and another… more and more ladders and staircases were constructed and now, depending on how you choose to arrive at the top, there are somewhere between 14 and 17 floors. The project started as a two-story cabin, but once he got started, Mr. Weidner let his mind (and engineering degree) take over. Sure, it’s a long way to the top, but once you get there, the view can’t be beat. On a clear day, Mr. Weidner can see for over 300 miles in all directions. There are several thoughts as to why the house kept “growing.” Some versions of the story claim that when the house was originally built, it had a fabulous view of Denali.

The unusual 'Dr. Seuss House' that overlooks North America's tallest mountain - The Plaid Zebra

The unusual 'Dr. Seuss House' that overlooks North America's tallest mountain.

Posted: Tue, 10 May 2016 07:00:00 GMT [source]

It is one of the classic 1960s American campus Brutalist treasures, with Seussian, gravity-defying concrete levels that expand outward toward the sky. The closest that architects have come to actually making the architecture Dr. Seuss might be husband and wife artist duo Arakawa and Gins. Dr. Seuss was inspired by architecture, and it is rumored that his famous Whoville is based on the Massachusetts town of Easthampton and nearby Mt. Tom. However, he also inspired many amateur designers, including many treehouse designs, from the simple to the fantastic. As one of the top trial lawyers in Alaska, Weidner had a difficult time finding time to work on it. The home is sadly abandoned now, but apparently has a new owner that is planning to renovate it.

dr seuss house in alaska

If you plan on visiting, keep in mind that although the house is virtually abandoned it’s still privately owned and thus on private property. A great way to see it is by driving past it, on a train, or take a ride with an Alaskan bush pilot, which in general is a great way to see the Alaskan countryside. The building is privately owned and the owner isn’t offering tours (it’s still a construction zone, so it’s not safe to enter), but it’s possible to see the house on the train heading north.

Alaska's "Dr. Seuss House" is a real-life manifestation of the revered storyteller's Whoville - The Architect's Newspaper

Alaska's "Dr. Seuss House" is a real-life manifestation of the revered storyteller's Whoville.

Posted: Wed, 06 May 2015 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Located over 130 kilometers away from Anchorage city, the quirky 185-ft edifice known as Goose Creek Tower looks like a bunch of houses built on top of each other. You can’t visit the house in person, but if you want to see it, you can get a good view on Alaska’s train north. You could also get the best views hiring a bush pilot and flying overhead. The house is located in the Mat-Su Valley between Willow and Talkeetna. Deep in the woods of Alaska, there sits a house that locals fondly refer to as the “Dr. Seuss’ House.” One glimpse and you can immediately see why the house gained that appropriate label.

In Willow, Alaska, a now-abandoned 12-story house sits mysteriously in the middle of the wilderness outside of Anchorage. The towering wooden structure resembles a stack of houses, each smaller than the next as it climbs toward the sky. The quirky tower is as weird and wonderful as Dr. Seuss’ unbuilt works, and the townspeople have named it Dr. Seuss House. It is on private property, but you see it by driving by or taking a helicopter tour. As the story goes, the owner originally built the home to get a good view of Denali (Mt. McKinley), American's tallest mountain. But he built right after a forest fire, so all of the trees were small.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

26 Best Low Light Indoor Plants Best Houseplants for Shade

Review Of Hair Color Caramel Chocolate 2023

29 Low Light Houseplants and Advice on How to Grow Them