A curvy cabin built from tens of thousands of embalming fluid bottles that shimmer in the Wyoming sun is up for sale.
With an asking price of $299,900 as of Sept. 4, the “Crystal Castle” at 1023 Cottontail Drive, is 766 square feet, and the 3.34-acre corner lot has views of open land, trees, hills and Crystal Reservoir.
The one-bedroom, one-bathroom structure has long captured the imagination of passersby and neighbors alike.
“It’s shaped like a castle, so it’s got round turrets on the end,” owner Vicki Fisher said. “On one of the round parts is the living room, and then it goes into a dining room, kitchen, [and] bathroom. And then the bedroom is the turret on the other side.”
Mortician John Widholm, who spent years collecting the square formaldehyde bottles that make up the home’s outer walls, constructed the property in the 1960s.
“He went to northern Colorado and western Nebraska, and it took him two or three years to even collect enough bottles and then another three years [or so] to even build the structure,” said Tyler Walton, listing agent with the Walton Homes Team at ReMax Capitol Properties in Cheyenne.
Fisher purchased the property in the early 2000s and her family used it as a vacation home.
“We would go for weekends,” Fisher said, adding that her family also spent holidays there — including one memorable Christmas when 22 people gathered inside it.
“We were able to fit quite a few people, and it was fun,” she said. “You can see the lake from the property.”
Over time, the Crystal Castle has become something of a local landmark. “Everybody knows it as the ‘Bottle House,’” Fisher said.
Now, after years of memories, Fisher has decided to sell the home following the passing of her husband.
A man's home is his (glass) castle
Widholm’s vision was inspired by bottle houses built in California during the Gold Rush.
"The reason he used the formaldehyde bottles specifically was because they were square,” Walton said. “He thought they would stack better and bind better.”
What about the upkeep? Do the bottles need to be polished? "No polishing has been needed; they stay gleaming all on their own," Walton said. "The seller has saved many bottles from an old retaining wall that was built out of bottles" in case they need to make repairs.
Though she’s made repairs over the years, including fixing the roof, Fisher said she’s kept the house largely as it was when Widholm built it.
The front entryway features a mosaic wall made from colored bottles — a decorative touch Widholm added himself. “It’s bottles that he colored,” Fisher said.
Nestled between the home’s rounded turrets, a modest fireplace stands out with its rich red brick façade — a warm, earthy contrast to the shimmering walls of glass that make up the home’s outer shell.
For Fisher, the magic of the property lies not just in its unusual construction but in its surroundings.
“I love the peacefulness, the view and being so close to town that if you wanted to go up, it’s not a long drive,” Fisher said.
Open house fuels open curiosity
Living in a house made of embalming fluid bottles has sparked curiosity — and a few ghost stories.
“Some people would think that it was haunted,” Fisher said. “There had been articles about it being haunted but [mainly people talked about] the uniqueness of it.”
The property’s open houses have drawn crowds more akin to museum visitors than prospective buyers.
“Open houses have been really cool,” Walton said. “It’s a bunch of people from northern Colorado that have been curious about the house and the history of it.”
One visitor even stumbled upon the home while on a cross-country motorcycle trip.
“He happened to see my open house sign and stopped, and he spent about 45 minutes just learning about the history,” Walton said. “It’s just been such a cool story to tell people.”
Though originally a vacation home, the Crystal Castle is equipped with a furnace and water system, making it suitable for year-round residents.
“We’ve had surprisingly more people looking at it to be a full-time living space rather than a getaway,” Walton said. “A lot of people have been brainstorming ways to maybe change the inside to configure it more to their liking without changing the footprint.”
Some visitors have expressed interest in expanding the layout, wishing for more than one bedroom, in particular. But for Walton and Fisher, the ideal buyer is someone who sees the home for what it is.
“I think if someone wants a spot that’s not your run-of-the-mill everyday cabin ... it’s just a great place for that,” Walton said.
Both Walton and Fisher hope the next owner will cherish the Crystal Castle as much as she and her family have.
“This property has been loved, and you can feel that when you’re there. And I just hope the next caretaker feels and treats it with the love that [Fisher] has,” Walton said.
