Remember when the future ran on brass, steam, and impossible machines?

One still sits in William Huxley's house — and it's waiting for you.

Huxley House is a fully immersive steampunk escape room experience where every room tells part of a story. The workshop is mid-experiment. The gauges still quiver. The family left in a hurry, and the puzzles they left behind are yours to solve. The whole house is the escape room — no app, no host, just you and the mystery.

Solve it in an evening or take all weekend. The stakes, it turns out, are higher than you'd expect.

The escape room:
William Huxley was an inventor ahead of his time — and something went wrong. Work your way through a chain of puzzles woven into every room of the house, follow the story the family left behind, and unlock two secret spaces: a hidden laboratory and something we'll let you discover for yourself. Along the way, you'll face a decision that affects the fate of the machine — and possibly all of humanity. No pressure.

Plan for 1–2 hours, with a text-based hint system available if you need a nudge. And yes, something unexpected happens near the end. We're not going to spoil it.

Sleeping arrangements:

• 2 king bedrooms (one en suite, one off the kitchen)

• Kids Loft — a converted attic with four twin beds, telescope and planet theming, and a wonderfully mismatched bohemian vibe

• Sleeps up to 8

• 2 full bathrooms

The space:
Built circa 1920 and taken down to the studs — then rebuilt as William Huxley's world. Brass, copper, worn wood, and gauges on every wall. Hardwood floors, new kitchen and bathrooms, spray foam insulation from footer to roof ridge. This is a new house that happens to look beautifully old.

The back yard has a fire pit. A propane grill lives on the master bedroom's back porch — a lovely spot for morning coffee. The 48, our 1948 Spartan camper, shares the cul-de-sac and rents separately — traveling with a larger group? Book both.

Good to know:

• The house is full of antiques and one-of-a-kind handbuilt pieces — please be gentle with them

• Steps required to enter; one moment in the experience has a physical element — message us first if anyone has mobility concerns

• The puzzle chain is written for adults; kids are welcome along for the ride but may need a hand

• Not pet friendly

• Self check-in, fast WiFi, free off-street parking

• Downtown Fayetteville is 15 minutes away; New River Gorge National Park is right on your doorstep

• If you solve it — keep the secret