temple of tolerance

We toured the private grounds at the recommendation of Tripadvisor. I was glad we took the time. Every inch of this deep back yard is "decorated" in stone, wrought iron, artwork,shrines,etc. there is a mystic atmosphere which culminates in a shrine/temple. My granddaughter claimed it was a mountain.

Hidden treasure but worth finding. Free activity but donations accepted (and encouraged by us). If you get the personal tour that's even better - hear the stories firsthand by Jim Bowsher.

The guy who owns this property thinks WAAAY outside the box! Very creative...very interesting...very unique! And, hard to describe! If you like to find unusual places on your travels - this would fit the bill!

If you are in Wapak you have to see this monolithic wonder. It is surreal. In good weather on Thursday night there is a free blue grass concert that is open session. You never know who you will see. A wonderful place in so many ways!

I live an hour from Wapakoneta. I found a story about the complex while browsing the internet. It feels a little creepy at first because you park in front of Browsher's house, go up his driveway, open a gate and just walk in! But once you're in, you know you are in the right place. I love that it's free. I love that children can run up and over the mounds. I love all the nooks and crannies and surprises that come by slowing down and just paying attention to the details. It's a huge, complex rock/boulder garden filled with artistically placed rocks/boulders/steps/and who knows what.There are two distinctly different areas. The first is the wooded area with gazebo-like areas to sit and think or to sit and read. Lots of smaller sculptures are located here along with gates and cast ironwork. The second is what I call the temple mound area. It's a massive structure that feels like it was discovered by archeologists and is now open to the public. There are many areas around the mound that have their distinct flavor and purpose. There are places to sit, to swing, to have a small bonfire, etc.If you're traveling down 75 and see signs for Wapakoneta, take the 5 minute drive off the freeway for an hour or so and visit. It is worth the time.

Some coworkers and I were in town for the week and finished up early, so we thought we would check out some of the highlights of Wapakoneta. It was suggested to us to check this place out. We pulled onto the street in this residential neighborhood and it was pretty obvious which house you were looking for! It didn't look like anyone was home. I managed to find a phone number for the house and only got an answering machine. We then knocked on the door, and no answer. At this point, we weren't sure if we should simply start walking thru this guy's backyard, but we decided to go ahead and do it anyway. The gate to the backyard was open and off we went. Hey, it's billed as a rock garden so there were lots of rocks, along with foliage. Upon entry, we also saw his cat resting peacefully in a rocking chair. We started walking through the yard admiring all the different rocks and rock formations and was simply amazed by what we were seeing. Throughout the place were areas where you could just sit and relax, which my pregnant coworker did a few times! We kept thinking we would reach the end of the backyard, but nope, it just kept going and going and going (just like the Energizer bunny I suppose)! I couldn't believe the amount of rocks that had to be back there. You'll even find the door from the jail cell of members of John Dillinger's gang. Once you do finally reach the back part of the yard, it's like an open field with this big beautiful rock hill that you can climb to the top of. Simply stunning. I do wish the owner was there as I had a bunch of questions for him like "How many rocks are there?", "How does he get them all back there?", "How long has he been doing this?", and "Is he still continuing to expand it?". If you are in the area, stop by and spend 30 minutes or so walking thru his backyard. You'll be amazed!!

The Garden is privately owned but shared with the world. It is full huge stones and pieces saved from old buildings. You will marvel at the vision and effort one human can put into something they love. I have gone there to meditate, pray and visit with friends and family. We take all of our out-of-town guests there and they simply can't believe it. This is a gem. If you like the idea of traveling to Stonehedge this is your kind of place. Thank you for sharing this amazing place with all who wish to come.