This 100-Year-Old House is Literally Made of Newspapers & Apple Peel Glue — It’s Only $2 to Get In

The Paper House in Rockport, Massachusetts

Most people read the newspaper with their morning coffee. Elis Stenman decided to build a house with his.

This quirky Rockport home, made from layers of varnished newspapers in the 1920s, started as an experiment and turned into one of Massachusetts’ most unusual landmarks. Even the furniture inside is made of rolled-up newspapers.

Here’s the rest of the story.

The Guy Who Got Three Newspapers Every Single Morning

Before the internet, people got their news very differently. Stenman received three different newspapers delivered every single morning. His neighbors and friends also contributed their used papers to help with his building project.

He kept everything organized, sorting papers by publication and date before adding them to the house. While his newspaper subscription probably cost a significant portion of his household budget, it served double duty—providing both reading material and building supplies.

How Apple Peels Help Hold This Paper House Together

Stenman created his own adhesive using flour, water, and apple peels to give it extra stickiness.

This homemade mixture turned out to be incredibly strong, helping the paper structure survive decades of harsh New England weather. Between each layer of newspaper, he carefully spread this paste, creating something surprisingly tough.

Newspaper Walls Thicker Than Your Thumb

Next time you’re throwing away your newspaper, think about this. The walls of the Paper House contain 215 layers of newspaper pressed together to make panels about 1-inch thick.

Each section weighs much more than regular walls because of how dense all that paper becomes when compressed. Stenman didn’t just slap these papers together randomly.

He carefully selected and arranged them so interesting headlines and articles would be visible on the outer surfaces. You can actually read news from the 1920s while walking through the house.

A Desk Made From Headlines About Flying Across the Ocean

One of the most fascinating pieces of furniture has to be the desk. Stenman made a fully functional desk using only newspapers that covered Charles Lindbergh’s famous 1927 flight across the Atlantic in the Spirit of St. Louis.

Stenman specifically gathered these papers because he admired this aviation milestone. The desk remains one of the most popular items in the house for visitors to examine.

The Cabinet That Tells a Presidential Campaign Story

There’s a radio cabinet in the house covered with newspaper stories about Herbert Hoover’s 1928 presidential campaign.

Look closely at the edges and you’ll notice they’re made from tightly rolled newspaper tubes. Originally, the cabinet held a working radio that the family would listen to during summer evenings.

A Piano Wrapped in Arctic Adventures

Let’s talk about the piano. Unlike most items in the house, the piano has a wooden interior but is covered with newspaper stories about Admiral Byrd’s expeditions to the North and South Poles.

Stenman arranged the expedition headlines in an eye-catching pattern across the piano’s surface. These polar journeys were big news when the house was being built, showing how Stenman incorporated current events into his home.

Newspapers From Every State Before Alaska and Hawaii Joined

Did you know there’s a geographic treasure in the house? The grandfather clock contains newspapers from the capital cities of all 48 states that existed when it was built.

Standing over six feet tall with a working clock mechanism, this piece required serious dedication to create. Stenman contacted newspaper publishers across the country to request copies specifically for this project.

How a Summer Project Became Famous Without Social Media

Just three years after finishing the house in 1927, it had already become popular enough that postcards were being sold and visitor donations covered the maintenance costs.

Local papers wrote about the unusual building, drawing curious people from surrounding communities. The Stenmans started by just welcoming the occasional passerby but couldn’t have predicted how many people would want to see their unique creation.

What makes this even more impressive is that the house gained fame entirely through word of mouth, long before social media could make something ‘go viral.’

Too Many Visitors Made the Owners Move Out

The stream of visitors became so steady that by the 1930s, the Stenmans decided to move to another house down the street, turning their summer cottage into a full-time museum.

They added a protective porch around the structure to help shield the paper walls from weather damage. While Elis continued creating new paper furniture pieces, his wife Esther helped manage the growing number of tourists.

Admission Used to Cost the Same as Two Sticks of Gum

Money was tight during the Great Depression, but visiting the Paper House wouldn’t break the bank. When it first opened as a museum, you could get in for just ten cents.

This affordable price made it accessible to almost anyone, even during tough economic times. Visitors often brought their own newspapers to contribute to Stenman’s ongoing furniture projects.

The Same Family Has Taken Care of This House for Four Generations

The Paper House continues to be cared for by the Stenman family. Today’s caretakers maintain the honor system for admission fees, keeping alive the humble approach that Stenman established almost a century ago.

Visiting the Paper House in Rockport

Address: 52 Pigeon Hill St, Rockport, MA 01966

The Paper House welcomes visitors from the second Friday of April through the last Sunday of October. It’s open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, and even on weekends in November when the weather cooperates.

Tickets:

• Adults: $2.00

• Children (ages 6-14): $1.00

The place runs on an old-fashioned honor system for admission fees.

NOTE: It’s temporarily closed as of this writing, so check on their website to confirm before your visit.