Haines Shoe House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haines Shoe House |
|
|---|---|
in 2008
|
|
| 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 | Jeff Schmuck (2015) |
| Height | 25 feet (7.6 m) |
| 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. It's about two miles west of Hallam, Pennsylvania, on Shoe House Road. This unique building is a famous landmark near the Lincoln Highway.
Contents
The Story of the Shoe House
How the Shoe House Was Built
A shoe salesman named Mahlon Haines built this amazing house. He had a big shoe business. He wanted a fun way to advertise his shoes. So, in 1948, he decided to build a house shaped like a work boot!
Haines gave a work boot to an architect. He told him, "Build me a house like this." The house is 25 feet (7.6 m) tall. It has five different levels, or stories.
What's Inside the Giant Shoe?
The house looks just like a giant shoe. The living room is in the "toe" of the shoe. The kitchen is in the "heel." There are two bedrooms in the "ankle" part. You can even find an ice cream shop in the "instep" area!
The house also has a special stained glass window. It shows Mahlon Haines holding shoes. Below it, a message says, "Haines the Shoe Wizard." In the 1960s, Fire escapes were added for safety. Right next to the big shoe house, there's even a tiny shoe-shaped doghouse!
Who Lived in the Shoe House?
Vacations and Contests
Mahlon Haines never actually lived in the Shoe House himself. Later in his life, he built a home right across the street. The Shoe House was first used as a fun vacation spot. About 38 older couples each year could stay there for a weekend.
Haines also held contests for newlyweds. If they won, they got a free week's stay! In 1950, one winning couple had all their expenses paid. They even had a maid and a butler! They also went home with a free pair of shoes. In the mid-1950s, the house was also available for rent to the public.
New Owners and Renovations
When Mahlon Haines passed away in 1962, he gave the house to his employees. They sold it two years later to a dentist. For about 20 years, it was used for tours and an ice cream parlor. But then, it started to get old and worn out.
In 1987, Haines' granddaughter, Annie Haines Keller, bought it. She started to fix it up. Later, Charles and Ruth Miller owned it for eight years. They gave tours too. In 2003, Colleen and Ronald Farabaugh bought the house. They gave it a small makeover and new paint in 2007.
The seventh owners were Jeff and Melanie Schmuck. They bought the house in 2015. In 2018, they fixed a water leak in the "toe" of the house. They also painted the outside. It was painted its original bright yellow color. It also got a brown sole and highlights. Melanie Schmuck passed away in February 2019.
The Shoe House on TV
The Shoe House has even been on television! It was featured in the eighth season of The Amazing Race. This reality TV show was first shown in 2005. The house also appeared on HGTV's What's With That House in 2007. The owners were very happy about all the attention the house received.
Images for kids
-
A view of the house in 1999.
