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Wapakoneta, Ohio: The Temple of Tolerance

RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report

Address:
203 S. Wood St., Wapakoneta, OH
Directions:
I-75 exit 111. Drive west on Bellefontaine St. for around a mile, then turn right onto Wood St. The house will be halfway up the block, on the left.
Hours:
Open daily; just walk up Jim's driveway and into his back yard. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
419-738-4474
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Temple of Tolerance.

The Temple of Tolerance

An ordinary house on an ordinary street, but its extensive yards have been transformed by its owner into the Temple of Tolerance.

Roadsideamerica.com Report... [04/15/2012]
Wapakoneta, Ohio -
The Temple of Tolerance: If you're visiting the Temple of Tolerance in Wapakoneta, Ohio, and temple master Jim Bowsher is around, ask politely if you can go inside his house. [04/15/2012] Complete Story...

Visitor Tips and News About The Temple of Tolerance

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Temple of Tolerance

All of the rocks and artifacts have a meaning and a story. I live right down the street and still go and visit. This is not creepy or a freaky place. If you look past your judgments, you might learn a little, especially if you meet Jim, the owner of the property. The history that you see in the yard, from the front all the way to the back, is what everyday society has wanted to toss away and forget happened. Jim wants people to learn from the past, be open, be tolerant. Just remember: they are not just rocks. They are our history. Take pictures, read a book, light a bonfire at the top of the Temple and play your guitar. Open your mind.

[Rebecca Lee, 07/18/2017]

Visitors should get Jim's permission before lighting any fires.

Temple of Tolerance.

The Temple of Tolerance

So worth the side trip if you love extreme, creative rock gardens!

[Caryn Langdon, 04/07/2014]
Temple of Tolerance

We visited this creepy looking house in the middle of the day. Mom was forced to come because she was too afraid to sit in the truck alone while Dad and I explored the massive rock garden. It was very intriguing as we walked around, admiring each different "development" and how they were created. There were old headstones and millstones throughout.

A cat followed us around and we came to this massive barrel; I looked inside through the window and it was just storage for other materials. There was a tree statue thing made out of old tree limbs, an old prison door, endless gates and old benches.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the altar that rises above this mass garden was at some time that of sacrificial devotion, but whatever it was -- it was definitely the coolest free tourist trap of the day! Props to the owner!

[Lockamy, 04/25/2010]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Neil Armstrong: Happy GuyNeil Armstrong: Happy Guy, Wapakoneta, OH - < 1 mi.
Big Space Helmet and MoonprintBig Space Helmet and Moonprint, Wapakoneta, OH - < 1 mi.
Armstrong Air and Space MuseumArmstrong Air and Space Museum, Wapakoneta, OH - < 1 mi.
In the region:
Kennedy's Eternal Flame, Dayton, OH - 57 mi.

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