Skip to Main Content

Villisca, Iowa: Villisca Ax Murder House and Museum

RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report

Address:
508 E. 2nd St., Villisca, IA
Directions:
Villisca Ax Murder House. I-29 exit 35, then east on US Hwy 34 for 45 miles, then south on US Hwy 71 for three miles. Turn left onto U Ave. The Villisca Ax Murder House is several blocks away, on the northwest corner of 2nd St. and 6th Ave.
Hours:
Tours April-Oct. T-Su 1-4. Overnights nightly year-round. Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Admission:
Tour $10. Overnight stay $428.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Villisca Axe Murder House.

Villisca Ax Murder House and Museum

A still-unknown maniac axed the family in this house in 1912. Visitors can tour the house, or sleep over if they're feeling fearless. Now heated! Memorable "Ax Murder House" sign out front.

Roadsideamerica.com Report...

Ax Murder House.

Villisca, Iowa - Darwin on the Ax Murders
Villisca Ax Murder House and Museum:

Ax Murder House owner Darwin Linn talked in 2007 about that crazy night in 1912.

Watch Video.

Visitor Tips and News About Villisca Ax Murder House and Museum

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

Ax Murder House.

Villisca Ax Murder House and Museum

The sign no longer has blood dripping from it. Tours are from 1-4 pm, so we didn't get inside. We talked to a neighbor. who asked if we could put the house in our trailer and take it away. He said they are not happy with all the traffic that comes through their sleepy little town. I asked who runs it and he said the widow and the next door neighbor. The story is sad, considering no one was found to have committed the horrific acts. You wonder how they lived without giving away their secret, and took it to their grave.

[Rose, 08/14/2017]

Ax Murder House.

Villisca Ax Murder House and Museum

So, the house is ok. The story is crazy. I'm sure it used to be cooler. I went there last month because I was in the area. I decided to take the tour, which isn't really a tour, and really wasn't worth the $10 I paid. The "tour" is someone telling you the sequence of events from that night, and telling you to go explore on your own. Maybe spending the night is better than the daytime tour, I don't know.

[Ashley Craig, 04/24/2014]

Darwin, your guide.

Axe Murder House

Darwin is a super-nice guy. He really gets a kick out of showing people the house, and telling the history of the house (and the whole town). I spent almost 2 hours there. The axe murder house is cool, but Darwin makes it a special, one-of-a-kind experience. If you are bored with the "canned" and scripted walking tour, this is for you.

[Kenny, 10/23/2007]

Darwin's a great host and local history expert. It was a slow tour day, so we tagged along with him from the town museum, over to the murder house, and finished at the cemetery.


Nearby Offbeat Places

Willard the PigWillard the Pig, Villisca, IA - < 1 mi.
Nodaway Town SignNodaway Town Sign, Nodaway, IA - 4 mi.
Coffee Pot and Cup Water TowersCoffee Pot and Cup Water Towers, Stanton, IA - 8 mi.
In the region:
Student Solar System Walk, Red Oak, IA - 15 mi.

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Map and Plan Your Own Roadside Adventure ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Iowa Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

Easter Island Moai in America (Mar 25-31, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings