Alternative housing choices such as buses, tiny houses, and shipping containers have grown in popularity in recent years. These low-cost options provide comfort and customization.
Jo Ann Ussery, on the other hand, went on her own unique housing experience long before this trend got off. She bought an old Boeing 727 and converted it into a lovely residence.
Ussery’s adventure began in 1993, when her Benoit, Mississippi house was destroyed. Finding a new home to live was difficult as a widow with two children and limited income.
She pondered purchasing a trailer at first, but quickly realized that it would not suit her enormous family. Ussery’s in-law Bob, an air traffic controller, then suggested something unusual: living on a plane.
Ussery was intrigued by the notion and went to examine a disassembled Boeing 727. It was love at first sight, and she paid $2,000 for it, shipping included.
Ussery dubbed her new property “Little Trump” after learning that Donald Trump also possessed a private Boeing 727. She took on the difficult challenge of changing it into a usable living place on a budget of less than $30,000.
Ussery parked the plane on her property with its nose pointed out over a lake to provide stability during the interior refurbishment. A large amount of concrete was used to secure the tail.
Ussery lost no time in redesigning the plane, which has an interior size of approximately 1,500 square feet. Despite the non-operational windows, which are common in commercial airplanes, the presence of air conditioning rendered this issue insignificant.
After the primary improvements were completed, Ussery concentrated on improving the comfort and beauty of her one-of-a-kind home. Within the plane, she built three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and even a laundry room.
Ussery’s most amazing alteration was converting the cockpit into a lavish master bathroom with a soaking tub, in addition to practical utilities like a phone, an oven, and a washer and dryer. The arrangement was created to offer customers the sensation of floating while admiring the breathtaking view of the lake.
Ussery, astonishingly, finished the full remodeling herself. She lived happily onboard her adapted jet from 1995 to 1999. She eventually decided to convert it into a public museum.
Unfortunately, the plane slipped off the carriage and disintegrated during the process of moving it for display. Despite this setback, Ussery’s inventiveness and perseverance left an everlasting imprint on the world of one-of-a-kind houses.