John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad, started his project now known as the Beer Can House in 1968 when he began inlaying thousands of marbles, rocks, and metal pieces into concrete and redwood to form unique landscaping features. The house and landscape are adorned with many different types of beer that John, himself, drank (though his neighbors and his wife, Mary, were always glad to lend a hand!). Did he prefer one brand to the next? His favorite beer was always "Whatever's on special".

John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad started a project in 1968 called the Beer Can House. He began with laying thousands of marbles, rocks, and metal pieces into concrete and redwood to form the unique landscaping features you can see today. After covering the entire front and back yard, because he was tired of mowing the lawn he turned to the house. He then fashioned siding out of aluminum beer cans. Over a period of the next 18 years the house slowly became less visible under a covering of flattened beer cans for both practical and decorative reasons. Garlands of cut beer cans hanging from the roofs edges not only were make-shift wind chimes but also lowered the family’s energy bills. Ripley’s Believe It or Not estimated that over 50,000 cans adorn this monument to recycling.

John never considered his project to be a work of art but just an enjoyable past time, but enjoyed the public’s reaction. Sometimes people would drive around the block a couple of times or come back with a car-load of friends.

The house and landscape are adorned with many different types of beer that John himself drank, sometimes with the help of his wife and neighbors. He was quoted saying he didn’t prefer one brand over the next, just “whatever’s on special.”