The Palace of Depression — Attraction in Vineland

I travel a lot for work and pleasure, and I’m constantly amazed by the things I stumble across — today was no exception. After a quick search, I found a place called The Palace of Depression. With a name like that, I knew it was worth the drive, even if it was supposedly “closed.”

Sure enough, when I arrived, the lot was chained off, but the view from the road was still striking — this quirky, one-of-a-kind structure rising out of the ground. As I was admiring it, I noticed a man in the neighboring yard and struck up a conversation. To my luck, it turned out to be Jeff, someone deeply involved with the site.

What followed was an incredible, unexpected gift: Jeff spent over an hour walking me through the property, sharing the history, showing me archived materials, and giving me a glimpse of the museum and gift shop that’s being developed. His knowledge and passion brought the Palace to life — it’s not just a building, it’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the magic of creativity with nothing more than determination, cement, and a few glass bottles.

As if that wasn’t enough, Jeff sent me off with a piece of art he created, representing the Palace itself. I will treasure it always.

If you have the chance, go. Even if you can only see it from the road, it’s worth the stop — but if you’re lucky enough to meet Jeff and hear the story firsthand, it’s an unforgettable experience.

Thank you, Jeff, for turning an ordinary afternoon into something...

Tattooed a-hole told us to nastily to "move on"! We were here a year ago and nice man told us about history and offered us a tour. Don't know what changed, but I'll be dammed if we will come back again.

The group overseeing the restoration reached out to me after I posted this review. They were concerned and wanted more information on what happened. I'm happy to report that they were very cordial and have rectified the situation. I wish them all the best in their endeavors and with the completion of this Vineland treasure so others can...

I gave this place 4 stars because it is exactly what I expected but would have loved to have walked through. There is a email address provided to request a tour for a small donation. I emailed them the day before Labor Day weekend and I still haven't heard back. Perhaps they were out of town or it went to their spam box, either way, the place wasn't open and we parked on the side of the road to get a few pics. It is always neat to see 'real' places depicted in our...