Another kind of home...

If you have read previous entries of this blog, you'll know that my continued search for exciting historical places has taken me all over the state of Colorado. This past weekend, I extended that boundary a bit and made it all the way to Utah- Moab to be exact. When you think of Moab, Historic Preservation might not come to mind, but there are some pleasant surprises here!

As mentioned in the previous blog, the petroglyphs and pictographs are well worth the visit. There is also the amazing landscape. If you know this area, you'll know that National Parks are abundant here. Thankfully these amazing Canyons, Arches, Mesas, and Bridges have been protected through the National Park Service. As a side note, did you know that Historic Preservation in America is actually a part of the National Park Service? That might surprise you but if you think about it, it makes sense.

Moab is truly an amazing place. The landscape is awe-inspiring. But don't get too lost in those red rocks to miss a place like the "World Famous" Hole "N The Rock! I've visited some amazing historical homes, but there has been none like this one.

This is a 5,000 square foot home drilled directly in the rock. Albert and Gladys Christiansen had a small cabin near the rock here in the early 1940's. Albert decided that a better idea would be to live in the rock, instead of near it. They began to chip away at the rock with dynamite and hand drills. Albert worked on the home for 12 years before he had a heart attack in 1957 and passed away. Gladys continued work on the home until she passed away in 1974.

The home has 14 rooms divided by massive rock pillars for support. Being inside the rock, there was a natural temperature of 65-70 degrees year round. Though Albert did build a fireplace, there was no need for heating or cooling of the home. The couple also ran a diner here. They had a 'commercial' kitchen complete with deep fryer that Albert built directly into the rock. After Albert died, Gladys continued to run the diner and give tours of the home. I wish I could say that diner was still there, but it has since been turned into a gift shop.

Unfortunately photos were not allowed inside the house. But I strongly encourage you to take a look at the rooms from the website here: http://www.theholeintherock.com/photos.html This home is very impressive. I can't imagine the work that was put into building this. Albert drilled 65 feet alone just for the chimney of the fireplace. A fireplace they didn't even need mind you.

From this photo below you can see the front door and windows. You'll also notice that Albert was a big fan of President Roosevelt from his memorial to him right above the front door.


In good American fashion, the area surrounding the home was filled with lots of kitsch. There was a petting zoo, several gift shops, and lots of strange "I'm not sure what that is" kind of yard art. This is definitely worth the trip though. If you're ever in the Moab area, don't miss a trip here.

Oh, and don't forget to go mountain biking either. Funny that Moab should just happen to have some of the worlds best mountain biking! I was lucky to squeeze in a ride in between my historic research!