The Strange Story Behind North Carolina’s UFO House Will Fascinate You
When you see the front steps of North Carolina’s Futuro House reading ‘Believe’, it almost makes sense that this Outer Space dwelling is tucked away as far as land can go before it meets water. The Futuro House (or, as it is more easily called, the UFO house) is the second most photographed place in the Outer Banks. So, how did a UFO get here – and will they ever ‘phone home?’
The Futuro house was designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen and dates back light years - to 1968, to be exact. These strange homes were originally designed as 'portable' ski chalets. Throughout not just North Carolina, or the U.S, but the entire world, Futuro Houses strangely sit as a display of unique, interesting architecture that only saw a few years of success.
From Germany and England to Estonia, Greece, Australia, and even Taiwan; you'll find a Futuro House. Each house found throughout the world has its own flair and its own essence of the place in which it has found 'home.'
(Pictured: a Futuro House in LA)
The original concept was born when Suuronen was told to design something portable, and accessible for skiing. After studying he discovered the ellipse shape was ideal for the slopes, easily transportable, and could be broken down and moved around. The strange shape somehow fit perfectly for backcountry skiing. It was your own resort on the side of a rugged mountain. Yet the Futuro lived a short life after the oil crisis in 1972 when prices for the plastic material they were made from skyrocketed. Today, there's an estimated 50 to 100 Futuro houses across the world.
The original concept was born when Suuronen was told to design something portable, and accessible for skiing. After studying he discovered the ellipse shape was ideal for the slopes, easily transportable, and could be broken down and moved around. The strange shape somehow fit perfectly for backcountry skiing. It was your own resort on the side of a rugged mountain. Yet the Futuro lived a short life after the oil crisis in 1972 when prices for the plastic material they were made from skyrocketed. Today, there's an estimated 50 to 100 Futuro houses across the world.
Pictured: a Futuro House in Florida.
One on display in Paris.
The North Carolina Futuro House has been here since 1972. Located on a desolate and quiet stretch of HWY 12, the house can be viewed from the road and many people are excited when they stumble upon it. While today the Futuro House is under private ownership, it originally served all kinds of purposes, like a hot dog stand, campground office, and even just a vacant visitor site. The current owner, LeRoy Reynolds, sometimes dresses as an alien to greet visitors (seriously). From the windows you'll see strange masked figures peeking out and the UFO vibe is strong here. While there are plenty of amazing, beautiful sites on the OBX, this one is the second most photographed.
The Futuro House is certainly a unique slice of history. The Futuro homes across the world now serve all different purposes. While some are residential dwellings, others operate as diners, some as small shops, and even others are abandoned, sitting in a field, which could be a strange sight for someone not knowing what they've just stumbled upon. If you want to blast off to outer space while staying on Earth, you must visit this quirky little home.
What a neat slice of history just waiting to be discovered. Have you visited the Futuro House before?
For other oddities in North Carolina that are more on the supernatural side, these 7 cemeteries have both history and hauntings.
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