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All the United States Pennsylvania Yorklyn Haines Shoe House

Haines Shoe House

An outlandish shoe shaped house built by an eccentric millionaire.

Yorklyn, Pennsylvania

Added By
Michelle Enemark
Email
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  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shoehous...
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shoehous...
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/diskychick/25...
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/annebphoto/27...
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/annebphoto/27...
  Deniseg2266 / Atlas Obscura User
  Deniseg2266 / Atlas Obscura User
  Deniseg2266 / Atlas Obscura User
  Deniseg2266 / Atlas Obscura User
  Deniseg2266 / Atlas Obscura User
Beck’s Ice Cream sign   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Shoe-themed fence   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
The Haines Shoe House sign at the front door   lorie shaull / Atlas Obscura User
Original Haines Shoes on display inside The Shoe House   lorie shaull / Atlas Obscura User
Mahlon N. Haines, The Shoe Wizard pin and pencils on display inside The Shoe House   lorie shaull / Atlas Obscura User
One of the restored bedrooms inside The Shoe House   lorie shaull / Atlas Obscura User
The kitchen inside The Shoe House with the original furnishings   lorie shaull / Atlas Obscura User
Haines The “Shoe Wizard” stained glass front door window   lorie shaull / Atlas Obscura User
Shoe House 2015   Bradley Bull
Shoe House July 2022   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Shoe House July 2022   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Shoe House Sign   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
New Year’s Day, 2022   texbenedict / Atlas Obscura User
Shoe House 2015  
Shoe shaped doghouse, it’s hidden by the parking lot.   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
Shoe mailbox out front, 2018. The original shoemail box is inside the house in the upper bathroom, a gift to the current owners from Haines’ granddaughter.   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission marker.   Anna Minster / Atlas Obscura User
  lendog666 / Atlas Obscura User
  earlscurious / Atlas Obscura User
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About

An eccentric and self-made man, "Colonel" Mahlon N. Haines sold shoes. Haines built his empire around his shoes, starting with the proceeds of his very first commission. He was well known for his outlandish advertisement gimmicks and dramatic advertising. By 1948, Haines was 73 years old and a millionaire. What was left for him to do but build a shoe house?

Twenty-five feet long and 48 feet tall, the house is a simple structure of wood, wire and cement stucco, with ornate stained glass windows featuring - what else - shoes. The Haines Shoe House served as a three-dimensional interactive billboard of sorts for his Haines Shoe Company. It alerted drivers-by to the opportunity to purchase his shoes, simple work boots for $1.98.

Haines also generously opened the doors of his unique structure to the elderly and newlyweds to spend free vacation time. Any couple married in a town that had one of his shoe stores was welcome to stay at the Shoe House on an all-expenses paid visit which included "a maid, cook, chauffeur and automobile at their disposal and the couple was outfitted from head to toe in new clothing donated by local stores." Honeymooning couples had their chance to live like kings and queens in a fairy tale - though perhaps not quite the one they had mind.

For the last 40 years the Shoe House has passed through the hands of many different owners, and even served a stint as an ice cream shop, despite the questionable idea of buying ice cream served from a shoe. The house has been renovated to portray the look and feel of the 40-50's era when the Shoe House was built and holds a museum on the eccentric life of "Colonel" Mahlon N. Haines.

New owners purchased the Shoe House in 2015, and the Shoe House continues to give guided tours and serve ice cream 

Related Tags

Architectural Oddities Architecture

Know Before You Go

Tours are no longer available. The house is now a vacation rental.

Community Contributors

Added By

michelle

Edited By

sydneylittle, mbison, Rebekah Otto, ickaimp...

  • sydneylittle
  • mbison
  • Rebekah Otto
  • ickaimp
  • lorie shaull
  • Anna Minster
  • lendog666
  • texbenedict
  • Hopey
  • blimpcaptain
  • Deniseg2266
  • earlscurious

Published

August 12, 2009

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Sources
  • /www.facebook.com/HainesShoeHouse
  • http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2202
  • https://www.hainesshoehouse.com/visitors
Haines Shoe House
197 Shoe House Rd
Yorklyn, Pennsylvania, 17406
United States
39.999055, -76.637111
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Nearby Places

The White Cliffs of Conoy

Marietta, Pennsylvania

miles away

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miles away

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

United States

Places 417
Stories 28

Nearby Places

The White Cliffs of Conoy

Marietta, Pennsylvania

miles away

Weightlifting Hall of Fame

York, Pennsylvania

miles away

Cookes House

York, Pennsylvania

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

United States

Places 417
Stories 28

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