tumbly

Novato rotating house and wind turbine for kids

The House That Spins Around. A true story near Novato, CA, told for kids 6-8.

Watercolor illustration for The House That Spins Around, near Novato
0:00 / 0:40

Read along

Do you think a house can spin? In Novato, one can! A builder named Sam Harkleroad made a round house that turns on a platform. It can rotate most of the way around, like a slow merry-go-round you live inside! You could eat breakfast looking at the hills, and then turn the house to look at something else.

Sam liked building unusual things from recycled materials. He built a second house with a roof shaped like a giant taco! People also call it the potato chip house. He even put a wind turbine on a workshop roof. Now look out the window.

Can you find a roof that looks like a taco? Or a house that looks different from all the others? Give it a silly name!

Quiz the back seat

What shape is the roof of Sam's other house?

Show the answer

A taco. A taco! People also call it the potato chip house.

3 fun facts

  • Sam Harkleroad built the rotating house around 1960.
  • The rotating house can turn 320 degrees.
  • Both houses still stand and are used today.

For grown-ups

Written with AI from public sources, then checked claim by claim against the sources below before it was published; stories that don't pass stay off the app and this site. Narration is pre-recorded, and nothing you do on this page is tied to your kids.

Sources

More stories in Novato

The Building Shaped Like a Slice Near Novato, CA Β· 1 min listen Β· ages 6-8 Look around Old Town. Can you spot a building shaped like a slice of pizza?

Roads

How things work: roads, bridges, oceans β†’

All stories β†’

Town and county names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).

πŸš— Hear stories on every drive: Open Tumbly Drive