The Tom Kelly Bottle House, constructed in 1906 by Tom Kelly, an ex-stonemason turned gold miner from Australia, stands as a rare exemplar of bottle house design in the United States. In the state of Nevada, where timber is both scarce and costly, resourceful miners utilized inexpensive and easily obtained materials when erecting their dwellings.
A popular choice proved to be glass bottles, which were employed akin to bricks and secured in place with adobe mortar. With their ability to keep interiors pleasantly cool during scorching summers, retain warmth throughout winters, and permit ample natural light, bottle houses garnered immense popularity in hot climates.
For this particular bottle house, Kelly sourced over 50,000 bottles, generously paying local children a modest sum of 10 cents for each wheelbarrow loaded with bottles (equating to approximately $3 in 2021). The overall construction expenses amounted to roughly $2,500, a majority of which was allocated towards acquiring wooden embellishments and fixtures. Surprisingly, rather than residing in the meticulously crafted dwelling, Kelly opted to auction it off. His decision resulted in the sale of 400 tickets at $5 each,
leading to a net loss of approximately $500. The coveted prize of the raffle was bestowed upon the Bennett family, who resided in the bottle house from 1906 to 1914. Seeking to enhance the structure, the Bennetts enlisted the services of Dave Kinney, a skilled shipwright, to construct the porch roof and incorporate decorative elements such as a false chimney and intricate gingerbread trim.
Due to its distinctive location and appearance, the bottle house gained significant recognition as a highly desirable filming destination. In 1924, Paramount Pictures selected it as a captivating backdrop for their motion picture “Wanderers in the Wasteland,” based on the renowned Zane Grey novel. Notably, that same year, the house also featured in the production of “The Air Mail.”
During filming, a portion of the rear wall was temporarily dismantled to accommodate interior shots. Following the conclusion of filming, the production company promptly restored and reconstructed the wall, coupled with performing essential stabilization and preservation work on the exterior. Location of this house is on Rhyolite Road, 1.4 miles North of Nevada Route 374, on the right when traveling North.