Entry No. 24 — the Seattle file — filed under: roadside-oddity
Dick and Jane's Spot
Artists Dick Elliott and Jane Orleman have been encrusting their corner house since 1978 with thousands of reflectors, more than 10,000 bottle caps, bottle trees, hubcaps, and painted cutout figures, with work from over 40 Northwest artists packed into the yard. It glows when headlights or sun hit the reflectors, and one figure called Big Red once scandalized the neighbors. It's a private residence, so you view it all from the sidewalk behind the fence; the city even gave them ten extra feet of land so people could look without dodging traffic.
The story
In 1978, artists Jane Orleman and Richard C. "Dick" Elliott started encrusting their corner house at 101 N Pearl Street with safety reflectors, scrap metal, and bright paint. What began as a personal home studio quickly escalated into a dense folk-art environment. Over four decades, the pair crammed the property with over 10,000 metal bottle caps, glass bottle trees, rows of hubcaps, and cut-out figures—eventually weaving in contributions from more than 40 other Northwest artists into the yard.
Naturally, turning a quiet Ellensburg residential lot into a blinding mosaic brought friction. A cutout figure named "Big Red" scandalized local neighbors and touched off zoning debates. But the town eventually made peace with the place. In a rare bit of civic compromise, Ellensburg granted Dick and Jane a ten-foot strip of municipal land along the lot line, giving curious sidewalk travelers enough clearance to admire the fence without stepping out into traffic. Elliott passed away in 2008, but Orleman kept the installation intact.
What it's like
You'll find the Spot at the corner of Pearl Street, looking like a manic kaleidoscope dropped into central Washington. Respect the boundary line: this remains a private residence, so stay strictly on the sidewalk outside the fence. Plan to pass by right at dusk or hit it with your headlights after dark. The thousands of retro-reflective plastic markers instantly ignite, bouncing light back at you and turning the entire yard into an electric grid. Afterwards, walk a block south into downtown Ellensburg to grab a bite and let your eyes uncross.
The move: Drive over Snoqualmie Pass to Ellensburg, walk the fence line of the reflector house at dusk to watch it catch the light, then grab dinner downtown a block away.
- 📍 Ellensburg, Washington
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 101 N Pearl St, Ellensburg, WA 98926
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Recycled Spirits of Iron (Ex Nihilo Sculpture Park) — Pair Ellensburg's geometric reflector yard with Dan Klennert's scrap-metal sculpture forest near Mount Rainier for a full circuit of Washington folk-art environments.
- Goldendale Observatory State Park — Continue south down central Washington to swap thousands of tiny yard reflectors for one of the country's largest public telescope mirrors.
- Iron Goat Trail / Wellington Ghost Town — Make a loop over the Cascade passes, pairing quiet high-country railroad ruins with this vibrant backyard installation.
Good to know
Can I go inside the yard?
No. The Spot is a private residence. All viewing is done from the sidewalk behind the fence line.
Why does the yard shine so bright at night?
Dick Elliott specialized in reflector art, arranging thousands of industrial highway safety reflectors into complex geometric patterns that react whenever headlights or flashlights hit them.
Is there an entry fee or set business hours?
It's free and viewable 24 hours a day from the public sidewalk, though keep noise levels down if visiting late at night.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · Roadside America · reflectorart.com · Tripadvisor
last checked: 2026-06-24