1963 rotating house by California builder hits market for first time

In 1963, a builder from California created a circular house capable of rotating 320 degrees using two washing machine motors. Recently, this unique property overlooking Highway 101 in Novato has hit the market for the first time, according to the Wall Street Journal. The listing comprises the rotating house alongside six additional detached homes on a 2.25-acre property, valued at $3.3 million.

All seven residences are presently rented out to tenants. The peculiar house was constructed by Sam Harkleroad, an eccentric local builder and inventor who passed away in 1993 after building numerous unconventional homes throughout Marin County. Harkleroad's grandson, Harold Pozzi, a retired truck driver who has managed the property for 60 years, decided to sell due to the increasing difficulty of maintaining it.

The property is being sold by Pozzi and his late brother's children through commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap.

Harkleroad designed the 1,560-square-foot home around a central cylindrical pillar featuring flexible gas, water, and sewage pipes. The utility lines can turn approximately eight-ninths of a full circle before changing direction. The rotating mechanism is powered by two standard washing machine motors, although it was never intended for continuous rotation like a revolving restaurant.

The house includes a raised floor that creates covered parking underneath the upper level, which features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a wraparound terrace, and large windows. Following Harkleroad's completion of the house in the early 1960s, state authorities acquired the land for the construction of Highway 101, after which Harkleroad reclaimed the property and relocated the entire structure to its present hilltop position overlooking the freeway.

Pozzi inherited the unusual house from his grandfather, who built approximately 25 homes across Marin County using recycled materials and salvaged structures. The rotating house was constructed for around $17,000, with costs minimized by securing corporate sponsorships. For instance, appliance company Tappan provided free kitchen appliances in exchange for Harkleroad allowing public tours of the house post-completion.

Harkleroad, who grew up on a farm in Fresno, finished his formal education after high school and later worked various jobs before purchasing land in Novato in the 1940s. He built a workshop near the round house, installing a homemade wind turbine on its roof using steel oil drum pieces, which powered his tools on windy days without relying on grid electricity.

The 2.25-acre property consists of a mix of unusual buildings, including a home known as the "potato chip house," built by Harkleroad in 1959 with a curved roof designed as a hyperbolic paraboloid. The other five residences have more traditional designs. Due to the lack of similar properties in the vicinity, setting a sale price proved challenging.

Potential buyers might include property developers seeking to redevelop the site or private buyers interested in preserving the property's unique architecture.