Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village

 

The Bottle Village is a folk art environment built by Tressa "Grandma" Prisbrey. She began the project at age 60, and she completed the village by the time she was 90 years old. Using discarded objects and glass bottles from the local dump, she fashioned many houses and shrines.

As the Bottle Village grew, it became a neighborhood attraction. People flocked to visit, and a small fee was charged for a walking tour. Tours often ended with a meditation room. Several other buildings were added, including a doll-head garden and a shrine to all faiths.

https://medium.com/@waterdamage.mkt/simi-hills-golf-course-983d979b00df

The Bottle Village was originally built on a one-third acre lot in Simi Valley, California. During its construction, Prisbrey used over 90,000 discarded glass bottles. However, in 1994, the Northridge earthquake damaged much of the village. Since then, the village has been restored and is open for tours. A non-profit organization, the Preserve Bottle Village Committee, has been responsible for repairing the buildings and maintaining the site. Eventually, the Bottle Village was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1986, Verni Greenfield wrote a book about the Bottle Village, Making Do or Making Art. She also collected photographs, correspondence, and other materials. Some of the materials are now stored in the University Archives. While it is not a museum, the site has been a popular tourist attraction since its creation. It is still open to visitors by appointment.

Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village is a cultural landmark that has gained interest from historians and art scholars. Located on a one-third acre lot, it is a site that is open to the public. There are 13 structures, a Pencil House, and a Round House. These buildings are made from various materials, and include mosaic pathways and doll-head gardens.

In addition to being a cultural landmark, the Bottle Village is an example of how an artistic concept can be integrated into everyday life. As a large-scale, free-standing, folk-art environment, the Bottle Village speaks to the importance of creative art in the world today. Prisbrey's buildings are made from discarded objects and recycled glass bottles, and the collection is a testimony to the creativeness of her mind. Moreover, the Bottle Village is an example of how creative art can be integrated into a home and neighborhood.

Prisbrey moved to California at the age of sixty, and she worked on the village for twenty-five years. Her first structure was a bottle house to store her pencil collection. She later added other structures, such as a Pencil House and a Shell House. She also created a wall to hide an adjacent turkey farm.

Prisbrey lived through several tragedies, including the deaths of her daughter and three sons. She sold her property after the death of her second husband and her third son. Following the deaths of her fourth son, Prisbrey returned to the village as its caretaker. When she was ninety, she died.

In 1981, the Bottle Village was a recipient of the California State Historical Landmark award. After her death, the Bottle Village was given the title of the National Register of Historic Places.