Chances are you’ve seen the classic 1983 film A Christmas Story multiple times. From the leg lamp to the pink bunny suit, Ralphie Parker’s 1940s adventures have become an endearing part of many families’ holiday traditions. But behind this nostalgic movie is a real house in Cleveland, Ohio that served as the exterior backdrop. While you’ve seen the rooms on screen many times before, you may be wondering what the floor plan is actually like inside Ralphie’s iconic home. Let’s take a closer look!
The Real-Life Inspiration
While A Christmas Story is set in Indiana, the house used for filming is located over 150 miles away in Cleveland. This is because the movie is based on author Jean Shepherd’s short stories about growing up in the steel town of Hammond, Indiana in the 1930s and 40s. Today, Hammond pays tribute to its famous native son with a bronze statue of a boy getting his tongue stuck to a flagpole, recreating one of the film’s classic scenes.
When scouting filming locations, directors ultimately chose Cleveland for its similar industrial Midwest setting. The house is located in the historic Tremont neighborhood and dates back to 1895, perfectly matching the Victorian architecture of Ralphie’s home. Part of what makes this neighborhood ideal is its proximity to Higbee’s department store, which agreed to participate in filming as the stand-in for the fictional Goldblatt’s in the movie.
Filming Locations Breakdown
When watching A Christmas Story, you may naturally assume the whole movie was filmed inside and out at the Cleveland house. But in reality, it was only used for exterior shots. For indoor scenes, a sound stage was constructed in Toronto, allowing more space for the cameras and actors. In fact, the rooms of the relatively small Victorian home didn’t provide sufficient space required for filming take after take.
So while the exterior shots embed the nostalgic atmosphere of a 1940s Midwest house into our memories, the interior layout we see on screen is actually fictional. This makes touring the real house today all the more fascinating, as you’ll see shortly!
House Purchase and Restoration
After being featured in the popular film, the Cleveland house understandably became an object of interest for fans. But by 2004 the home had fallen into disrepair after going through major renovations. That year, an avid fan of the movie named Brian Jones purchased the house on eBay for $150,000. As the owner of a merchandise company that sold replica leg lamps, Jones recognized the home’s iconic status.
He immediately set out on a mission to restore the home to its on-screen 1940s glory. This meant removing the bland vinyl siding that had been installed, rebuilding the front porch, and replacing windows to recreate the period-perfect exterior.
But Jones went a controversial step further by completely gutting the interior layout. Since the rooms seen in the movie were just sets, he took the artistic license to recreate the fictional floor plan inside the original Victorian shell. While this allowed the house to serve as a true replica, it destroyed much of the 120 year old historic fabric.
The Interior Layout
Thanks to the museum’s efforts, fans can now tour the interior of Ralphie’s house to see if it matches their memory. The floor plan is brought to life in vivid detail, with interactive graphics online allowing you to peek inside each room.
As you walk up the front steps, you enter the small living room featuring the leg lamp, then move into the dining room where the family gathers for Christmas dinner. Off the kitchen is the back door leading to the yards where Ralphie daydreams about defending his family.
Up the wooden staircase, the bathroom where Ralphie decodes his secret message adjoins the bedrooms. Down below, the basement houses the furnace where the “old man” doles out some choice words when fixing the heating. much like many actual old houses, the unfinished basement has exposed piping and cinder block walls.
How the Layout Impacts the Story
What’s brilliant about the movie is how the cozy floor plan adds believability while also creating some iconic, hilarious scenes. The single bathroom causes a traffic pileup with the whole family pounding on the door, desperate for their turn.
And when the furnace breaks, we hear but never see the basement, as Ralphie’s dad shouts obscenties. The small kitchen forces the family to grab plates of food and eat all throughout the house, with the dogs stealing the turkey in the dining room.
Up in his tiny bedroom is the only place Ralphie can hide away with his secret decoder ring, lending intimacy to his disappointment in the anticlimactic message. The modest rooms feel just like an actual old house filled with a bustling family celebrating Christmas together.
An Ode to the Iconic House
The first lines of the movie highlight the house’s importance when the adult Ralphie narrates: “Ah, there it is. My house, and good old Cleveland Street. How could I ever forget it?”
The classic style and snowy front yard immediately roots us in nostalgia for childhood holidays of the past. This time capsule to 1940s life becomes etched in the memories of every viewer.
Thanks to the Christmas Story museum’s efforts, fans can now visit this beloved home in Cleveland themselves. Knowing the real interior may differ from the movie sets barely matters, as the house has become an enduring symbol of vintage family Christmas cheer. Just try not to shoot your eye out!
Conclusion
From the leg lamp to the pink bunny suit, Ralphie’s adventures have become a beloved part of holiday traditions. While filmed in Toronto, the iconic Victorian house in Cleveland provides the perfect nostalgic backdrop. Now transformed into a museum, the home’s restored exterior and recreated interior floor plan allows fans to step inside their favorite Christmas story.