Onan, who is/was a contractor, designed and built the house for his family to live in as an experiment. Built several scale models, the last 14' tall, before building for real.
From Chicago Tribune article, July 29, 1989:
On Dilley's Road, North of Grand Avenue. 50 foot statue of King Tut on same property. Property faces Tri-state Tollway. Onan says roses on his property and fish in his moat quickly double and triple normal size. Started the pyramid in 1977 and began living in it 6 1/2 years ago.
Onan wants to build a Hero's memorial in the shape of a huge Aztec stepped pyramid. Once the memorial is there, he intends to donate the pyramid (the memorial or the house? --jm) to an organization that till run it as a museum.
We will give the pyramid away free because this is my hometown. I'm sentimental.Onan is known in Lake County as
The Garage Mansince that was once his speciality.
In the article on the steelcase pyramid, the writer refers to this pyramid as a residence/museum. Perhaps part of the house is being used as the museum?
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