guns at House on the Rock in Wisconsin?

[coosbaycreep]

I drove across America recently, and one of the interesting places I went to was some oddball tourist trap called House on the Rock in Wisconsin (can't remember the name of the town). Anyway, in the brochure, it did state that a lot of the stuff on display there is fake, but a lot of it suppose to be real too. I was curious if any THR members have been there, and if they know whether or not some of the more unusual guns there were real or not, like the giant muskets and blackpowder pistols with numerous barrels?

On a side note, I checked out the Ordinance Museum at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, and that place is like heaven on earth if you're into guns, bombs, tanks, or anything else that has been used to kill large numbers of people in the name of freedom. Well the worth the visit, if for no reason other than to see a 7 ton artillery shell.

 

[Carl]

I've been there. (Awesome place). Most of the main guns on display look pretty authentic, I just think the couple large hand cannons and matchlock muskets might be replicas. Most of the firearms there all have pretty engravings and look like they'd just be collectibles and ceremonials.

 

[Fifteen+1]

I went there back in 1998. I loved it. It was so much fun.

 

[Rembrandt]

Pretty strange looking guns.....some look authentic.

 

[Matt-J2]

I've never been there. It appears as though I need to rectify that, however.

 

[moosehead]

That is a cool place, some really neat old guns there. They also have a large collection of automatic music machines. They're actually small rooms with complete orchestras that operate automatically via air & solenoids, REALLY COOL.

Jim

 

[RPCVYemen]

I chewed some qat one time at the "Palace on the Rock" (Dar Al Hagr) in Suq Wadi in North Yemen. There were lots of AK 47s present, and I am pretty sure they were all functional. I was in Peace Corps at the time, so I didn't have one.

It was an astonishingly beautiful place. If I had to pick anywhere in the world to hang out with a bunch of Muslim men using amphetamines while armed with fully automatic weapon this would be the place:

http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/asia/daralhajar.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khat

I suspect there's no relationship between that house in the rock, and the one in the OP's original post - but it sparked a pleasant memory.

Mike

 

[Cougfan2]

Sounds very interesting. If you are ever through Cody, WY, be sure to drop into the Buffalo Bill Museum. They have an awesome firearms collection including Buffalo Bill's and Annie Oakley's guns from Bill's Wild West Show.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

It is a *CRAZY* and off-beat tourist attraction not far from Frank L. Wright's home in Spring Green, Wis.

Not just guns, but massive collections of almost EVERYTHING, great scenic and views kitsch on a scale that only Wisconsin does well with a straight face and pride (like the Dells area).

Lots of walking, price of entry has gone up, and some of the more elaborate automota and music machines ARE fakes--but the place just sceams eccentric nut case who loved things most gun nuts can appreciate and still had elaborate and out-sized ambitions with architecture, asian-inspired design, and landscaping.

In the winter they have limited hours, but usually display tons of x-mas stuff also--so check to be certain the gun collection area is open (sometimes closed for the season).

Wisconsin is our nearby family-friendly get away destination----we are loyal FIBS---we spend our money and go back home.

 

[Kind of Blued]

if you're into guns, bombs, tanks, or anything else that has been used to kill large numbers of people in the name of freedom.

Funny...

If I had to pick anywhere in the world to hang out with a bunch of Muslim men using amphetamines while armed with fully automatic weapon this would be the place

...and VERY funny.

I've been known to argue the merits of pulling over for a tourist trap while on vehicular vacations. I usually settle my point by saying something to the effect of:

"Well at least know we know, and we can skip it next time..."

*Que 30 miles of awkward silence*

 

[MikePGS]

I've wanted to go there since reading about it in American Gods

 

[Guy de Loimbard]

At least some of those are real guns. I remember one of the cap'n'ball pistols had "USE BLACK POWDER ONLY" stamped on the underside of the barrel. Must have been a Pietta or something. Couldn't tell if they were still fireable, or had been disabled in some way.