Though it may look like any ordinary run-down home, this American Gothic House is a must-see tourist attraction in the state of Iowa. This is due to it being the inspiration behind Grant Wood’s famously known painting, American Gothic. The American Gothic House Center has different props, like pitchforks, for tourists to take photos with standing in front of the historic house.
The house offers a gift shop and an exhibit gallery for visitors. Do you know what’s also in Iowa? The Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead is a farmhouse that was built in 1847, where Buffalo Bill spent his childhood.
Nevada - Mackay Mansion
The Mackay Mansion definitely has a haunted reputation behind it. In fact, Johnny Depp claimed to have seen the apparition of a little girl dressed in all white during the filming of 1995’s "Dead Man." There are years of evidence that point to this house being haunted, and it was named one of Virginia City’s most haunted places.
If you are brave enough to see this for yourself, the house is available for tours. Also in Nevada: The Sears-Ferris House is located in Carson City, and it is the boyhood home of George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. (aka the inventor of the Ferris wheel).
South Dakota - Laura Ingalls Wilder's House
This house is dubbed as “The Little House on the Prairie,” and rightfully so. The home is where Laura Ingalls Wilder spent her years reminiscing about childhood memories that inspired her most famous works. She was never materialistic, as she believed any home larger than this one would be deemed unnecessary for her lifestyle.
Tours today offer an inside look into Wilder's life, as well as offer plenty of events for the whole family to enjoy. Also in South Dakota: The Victorian Pettigrew Home is the residence of Senator Richard Franklin Pettigrew. He aided in the founding of many communities around Sioux Falls.
Hawaii - Shangri La
Doris Duke and her husband were travel fiends, and after traveling the world, they made their final stop in Hawaii, where they fell in love with the beautiful culture and scenery. In fact, they loved it so much that they bought a plot of land on the Honolulu waterfront, and they had a custom home built decorated with Islamic art.
Now, the house has transformed into a museum showcasing Middle Eastern art that she collected throughout her lifetime. Also in Hawaii: Liljestrand House is a house located in Honolulu that is privately owned by a doctor and a nurse. The house is seen as one of the finest and most prestigious pieces of modern architecture.
North Carolina - The Biltmore Estate
The Biltmore Estate is the largest private residence to ever be built in the United States. The 250-room house was home to George Vanderbilt. It is equipped with 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, a bowling alley, a 10,000-volume library, and 65 fireplaces. The home is so big that it has four whole acres of floor space.
Visitors can stay at the iconic location, as well as indulge in fine dining, activities, and even walk around the village on the estate. Also in North Carolina: Körner’s Folly is formerly the home to designer Jule Gilmer Körner. While it may not be North Carolina’s most famous house, it is definitely the most eccentric.