The House of Usher was a large palace atop a hill with its name prominently displayed outside. However, the building proceeded to explode violently, leaving only the sign behind. This was later shown on the late night TV program When Buildings Collapse, with Bart, Homer, and Lisa watching it. Right before its volatile destruction, Homer, while still giddy from seeing the prior collapse of three other buildings, proceeded to ask if they think the House of Usher was going to fall.
Behind the laughter[]
The name of the house, as well as Homer's giddy remark about the house before its destruction, was a reference to Edgar Allen Poe's novel The Fall of the House of Usher.
The design of the house itself, however, resembled the abbey at Monte Cassino, and its destruction in particular more resembled the bombing of the Monte Cassino abbey during World War II.