Haines Shoe House (1948)
Shoe salesman Mahlon Haines needed to drive up business for his shoe store. Taking a cue from the Mimetic architectural form gaining popularity across the country. He built his two-bedroom house in the shape of a work boot. The house is five stories tall, with the living room at the toe and the kitchen in the heel. Two bedrooms lie within the ankle, and there is a recreation room in the instep. A shoe-shaped doghouse lies just outside. He operated the shoe-house as a rental property until his death in 1962. For the next twenty years it was a tourist destination and ice cream parlor, but the building started to deteriorate. In 1987, Haines granddaughter bought the property, keeping it as long as she could maintain it. As of 2024, the property once again runs as a rental property, and has appeared on many documentaries about unique living spaces.
