Houston’s Beer Can House stands as a testament to 41 years of recycling—and a love of beer.

One of the things I like about living in Houston—in the south, actually—is the eccentricity. People are unashamedly unusual. It’s almost a badge of honor to be a little weird. I mean, what would a party or church picnic be without at least one story about how Uncle Dan dropped his pants and peed on Uncle Ray at Papaw’s funeral. (I know what you’re thinking, and yes, this is a true story. But it happened after Uncle Earl had discharged his sidearm, so it’s not as bad as it sounds.)

Point is, that while Houston has a cosmopolitian reputation, it’s really no different than any other eccentric southern city. And one of my favorite unusual—and as it turns out, eco-friendly—attractions in Houston is the Beer Can House. 

It did not start out as a recycling project, but that’s exactly what it is.

It began in 1968 when beer-loving John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad, wondered what to do with his empty cans. He began by meticulously inlaying marbles, rocks, and metal pieces into concrete and redwood to form unique landscaping features. Eventually, the entire front and back yard were completely covered and he turned to the house itself. He started by pounding used beer cans flat and then adding the aluminum beer can siding over the exposed areas of the house.

After a while, the house was completely covered by the recycled can siding. Milkovisch made garlands from cut beer cans to hang from the roof edges. The cans whistle in the wind, but also lowered the family's energy bills significantly.

Ripley's Believe It or Not has estimated that over 50,000 cans adorn this monument to recycling. Although Milkovisch considered his work an enjoyable pastime rather than art, he did like the reaction he got as people drove through his suburban neighborhood. He once said, "It tickles me to watch people screech to a halt. They get embarrassed. Sometimes they drive around the block a couple of times. Later they come back with a car-load of friends..."

The handmade beauty of the Beer Can House is unmistakable. The house and surrounding grounds change with the light throughout the day, creating beautiful color-scapes and unique shadows. Nearly every inch of the entire property is covered by cans, bottles, marbles and metal trinkets. The effect is magical, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon sunlight.

The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art acquired the Beer Can House after Milkovisch and his wife, Mary, passed away. And while it has taken considerable commitment and dedication to restore the site to its former glory, the renovations have gone well and the house in now open again to the public. 

The Beer Can House is located at 222 Malone Street, between Memorial Drive and Washington Avenue in Houston Texas. It’s open for visitors Saturdays & Sundays.