Hidden · Houston, United States
Beer Can House
A Houston house wrapped in flattened beer cans and bottle caps, started by a railroad upholsterer who got tired of mowing the lawn.
A house covered in flattened cans, caps and bottles.
The Beer Can House is a folk art house in Houston's Rice Military neighborhood, covered with flattened beer cans, bottle caps, bottles and other beer leftovers. It is estimated to include more than 50,000 cans, and it counts among the city's most recognizable pieces of folk art.
It was made from 1968 through the late 1980s by a local railroad employee who worked as an upholsterer for Southern Pacific and enjoyed his beer. Asked why he started, he said he was sick of mowing the grass.
From a concreted yard to a preserved landmark.
It began after he covered his front and back yards in cement. He set rocks and metal pieces into concrete blocks to make patios, fences, flower boxes and other outdoor features, then moved on to the house itself. His son recalled that he kept eight to ten cases of beer stacked in the garage, and that he liked one brand in particular.
Today the house is owned and run by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, a non-profit founded in 1980 that focuses on works of strong imagination and personal vision. A wall inside carries a quote from the maker about leaving something to be remembered by.
Cans, caps and bottles.
Practical notes.
Before you go.
What is the Beer Can House?
A folk art house in Houston, Texas, covered in flattened beer cans, bottle caps and other beer items. It is estimated to include more than 50,000 cans.
Who made the Beer Can House?
A local railroad employee who worked as an upholsterer for Southern Pacific. He worked on it from 1968 through the late 1980s.
Why did he start covering the house?
It began after he covered his yards in cement. Asked why, he said he was sick of mowing the grass.
Who runs the Beer Can House now?
The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, a non-profit founded in 1980, owns and operates it.
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