Located in Rockport, Massachusetts, it’s arguably the least visited place in that beautiful coastal city. The house is mainly made of newspapers and the story behind its construction is intriguing.
It all started in 1922, as an experiment to assess if newspapers were sturdy enough while retaining the print. Mr Elis Stenmans and his wife Esther were Swedish immigrants who purchased the land to build a summer retreat. Mr Stenmans was an avid newspaper reader and started this project as a hobby for 20 years! The house walls were made of 215 paper layers and the furniture is made of rolled and twisted papers slightly glued and tied with strings.
The house used approximately 10,000 newspapers. How did the Stenmans obtain them? they requested material from each capital state and the newspapers of 48 states are represented in the house. In addition, some neighbors donated materials and a family’s friend helped in collecting foreign papers. It was truly a team effort!
Nowadays, the house is a museum where visitors will find a grand father’s clock, a writing-desk, a bookshelf, a radio cabinet and a piano covered with paper rolls. In addition to chairs and lamps.
The house is not 100 % made of paper as it has a standard roof, a wood frame structure and a fireplace; but the interior of the roof is made of paper and the walls too. Visitors can still see some of the news headline in the walls such as “PLAYGROUND FOR 50 CITIES”
The house has survived New England winters since it was built; hence, proving success. Intrigued by this house?
if you happen to visit Rockport, Massachusetts, don’t forget to swing by this architectural curiosity!
Know before you go:
- The museum is open every day from Spring until Fall (10 a.m to 5 p.m)
- Admission is $2 for Adults and it’s a honor system.
- Photos are allowed inside the house
- The address is 52 Pigeon Hill St, Rockport, MA 01966
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