Ed Gein’s isolated farmhouse in Plainfield, Wisconsin, is almost as notorious as the grave robber, who is the subject of the hit Netflix series Monster: The Ed Gein Story, himself. But unlike the Lizzie Borden House, which we’ll see extensively in the next season of Netflix’s Monster, the location of Gein’s gory past is no longer standing.
The crude, unheated house—where authorities discovered Gein kept a macabre shrine to his deceased mother, Augusta, and the remains of his victim, Bernice Worden—became a popular tourism site after Gein’s 1957 arrest. Nearby residents worried their typically quiet community would be under siege from morbidly curious onlookers.
However, Gein’s property quickly met its demise, and its true fate remains the subject of mysterious speculation today.
Gein’s house and property were put up for auction
In March 1958, only four months after the murder of Worden and Gein’s subsequent arrest, the killer’s farmhouse and personal property were scheduled to be put up for auction.
As seen on a poster from the Wisconsin Historical Society, the sale was set to take place at noon on March 30, with household goods and heavy equipment such as a farming mill and mower up for sale, as well as Gein’s Ford sedan and Chevrolet pickup truck. The farm itself would then hit the block at 2:30 p.m.
According to a newspaper report in the Stevens Point Journal, the auction company planned to charge 50 cents for admission to inspect the farm, but later rescinded the fee. Others planned to sell post cards and serve lunches at the inspection and the auction itself, illustrating how people tried capitalize on Gein’s notoriety. There was also speculation that buyers hoped to turn the house into a museum, which disquieted local residents.
But as it turned out, no one got the chance to own the infamous piece of true crime history.
A mysterious fire destroyed the farmhouse
On March 20, just days before the auction, the Stevens Point Journal reported that Gein’s house was destroyed in a fire.
According to the article, a policeman spotted the glow of the blaze from a nearby village at around 2:30 a.m. By the time the Plainfield volunteer fire department arrived, the fire was out of control and focus shifted to preventing its spread.
When the fire was over, the house was down to its foundation and a “stove and a few palls, tubs and cans lay among the ashes.”
Ironically, Frank Worden—the son of Gein’s victim who initially suspected his crimes—served as chief of the Plainfield fire department and was one of the responders.
Although organizers had started a controlled fire near the house to clear brush and rubbish ahead of the auction, leaving the possibility the incident was accidental, residents and officials immediately speculated the large blaze was an act of arson. “We had to assume that the fire was set,” a state fire marshal said.
The cause of the fire was never determined
Because there was no snow on the ground, tracks were not present to aid investigators in finding a potential suspect. The cause of the fire was ultimately never confirmed.
When later told about the fire that had consumed his former residence, Gein reportedly offered a terse response: “Just as well.”
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the lot where Gein’s house stood is now private farmland. It remains vacant and overgrown with vegetation. Still, many true crime enthusiasts make the pilgrimage to rural Wisconsin for a glimpse of the site.
While the house was never purchased, Gein’s car sold to a carnival operator named Bunny Gibbons for $760. Gibbons toured the automobile around the Midwest, charging 25 cents to view the “Ed Gein Ghoul Car.”
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
