funny buildings
browse by countries
Haines Shoe House, Hallam, Pennsylvania, USA
This unique Shoe House was built in 1948 (and completed in 1949) by a shoemaker-millionaire Colonel Mahlon M. Haines for advertising purposes. He owned forty shoe stores in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Haines gave an architect an old boot and asked him to build a house like that. He was inspired by a popular legend of a shoe salesman and this wonderful idea came into his mind. Length of the Shoe House is about 12 meters, height- 8m. It contains five leveles and consists of a wooden frame covered with wire lath and cement. Both the house and its surrounding are designed in such a way that remind a shoe: the mailbox, all the windows, and even a kennel- all made in the form of a shoe. Initially the building was pink, later the walls were painted white.
Colonel Haines gave an opportunity to old couples to spend their vacation in this house, and once he invited lucky newlyweds to spend their romantic week here.
By Lilit Khalatyan, www.building.am
