Haines Shoe House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haines Shoe House |
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in 2008
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| General information | |
| Location | Hellam Township, Pennsylvania |
| Address | 197 Shoe House Road |
| Town or city | York, Pennsylvania |
| Country | United States |
| Construction started | 1948 |
| Construction stopped | 1949 |
| Owner | Waylon and Naomi Brown (2022) |
| Height | 25 feet (7.6 m) |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | 17 feet (5.2 m) wide, 48 feet (15 m) long |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Fred J. Rempp |
The Haines Shoe House is a super cool house shaped like a giant shoe! You can find it in Hellam Township, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It's pretty big, standing 25 feet (7.6 m) tall, 17 feet (5.2 m) wide, and 48 feet (15 m) long. You can even spot it from a main road called U.S. Route 30.
A man named Mahlon Haines, who owned many shoe stores, built this unique house in 1948. He wanted to promote his shoe business. At first, it was a special place for newlywed couples and older couples to enjoy a vacation. Over the years, different owners have used it as a place to rent, a museum, or even an ice cream shop. Today, you can rent it out through Airbnb!
Contents
The Amazing Shoe House
How the Shoe House Began
The Shoe House was built by a shoe salesman named Mahlon Haines in 1948. He wanted a fun way to advertise his many shoe stores. His company even claimed they made shoes "from hoof to hoof," meaning they raised the cattle themselves!
Mahlon Haines gave an architect a work boot and simply said, "Build me a house like this." And that's exactly what happened! The house is 25 feet (7.6 m) tall and has five floors. Right next to it, there's even a tiny shoe-shaped doghouse!
Living in a Shoe: Inside the House
Imagine living inside a giant boot! The living room is in the "toe" of the shoe. The kitchen is in the "heel." Two bedrooms are located in the "ankle" part of the shoe. The "instep" (the top part of the foot) was once a garage. Later, it became an ice cream shop, and now it's a fun recreation room.
Inside, you can also see a beautiful stained glass window. It shows Mahlon Haines holding a pair of shoes. Below it, a message reads, "Haines the Shoe Wizard." For safety, Fire escapes were added to the house in the 1960s.
A Home for Many: Owners and Uses
Mahlon Haines himself never actually lived in the Shoe House. He built a home across the street later in his life. The Shoe House was first used as a special weekend getaway. About 38 older couples each year got to stay there for free! There were also contests for newlyweds from Haines' shoe stores. Winners in 1950 even got a maid, a chauffeur, and free shoes! By the mid-1950s, the house was available for anyone to rent.
After Mahlon Haines passed away in 1962, his employees took over the house. They sold it two years later to a dentist. For about 20 years, it offered tours and served as an ice cream parlor. But then, it started to fall apart.
In 1987, Haines' granddaughter, Annie Haines Keller, bought it and began to fix it up. When she couldn't keep it anymore, Charles and Ruth Miller bought it. They gave tours for eight years. In 2003, Colleen and Ronald Farabaugh became the owners. They gave the house a small makeover and new paint in 2007.
The seventh owners were Jeff and Melanie Schmuck, who bought the house in 2015. In 2018, they fixed a water leak in the "toe" and repainted the outside. They used the original bright yellow color with a brown sole. Sadly, Melanie Schmuck passed away in 2019.
In August 2022, a local family, Waylon and Naomi Brown, bought the house. They planned to offer it for rent through Airbnb. The house has three renovated bedrooms: "Shoelace Space," "Instep Suite," and "Ankle Abode." It can sleep up to six people. All the rooms are filled with cool shoe-themed items, and you can even buy "shoevenirs" on the lowest floor! The house officially started renting on Airbnb in late 2022.
Famous Appearances
The Shoe House has even been on TV! It was featured in the eighth season of the reality show The Amazing Race in 2005. It also appeared on HGTV's What's With That House in 2007. The owners at the time were very happy about all the attention the house received!
In July 2023, the Shoe House received a special historical marker from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. This means it's recognized as an important historical place! In July 2025, the house was given top honors on HGTV's Zillow Gone Wild.
