I really like “visionary” art, especially art environments. Like the Watts Towers in Los Angeles, that type of thing. The Beer Can House was started in 1968 by John Milkovisch, a retired Southern Pacific worker. He began inlaying marbles, metal and rocks into concrete in the front and back yards and when he was done with that he started working on the house. Apparently he and his wife Mary liked beer and he began saving all the cans. He cut the cans apart and used the flattened part for the shingles and the round ends to make garlands to hang from the eaves. It is estimated that there are 50,000 beer cans on the house and fences and over 20,000 marbles in the yards. It took him 20 years to complete his projects.
The house is now owned by a non-profit and is open free to the public on the weekends. They have a cute 10 minute video with interviews with John, Mary and one of their sons. He just seemed like a really normal guy.
This is the view from the porch swing.
statue in the back yard.
John used the Culprit to haul rocks and other stuff back to the house.