Built in 1948 by Mahlon N. Haines or, as he was often known, the "Shoe Wizard of York" the "Shoe House" was an outlandish example of mimetic architecture. Born in Ohio in 1875 Haines moved to York, PA when he was in his twenties and from small beginnings he built a shoe sales chain of more than 40 stores. He died at the of 87 in 1962. Haines was an enthusiastic philanthropist and lived by the mantra "I came into this world with nothing and I'd like to leave the same way." The "Shoe House" is ...
THE "SHOE HOUSE"
197 Shoe House Rd, Borough of Hallam, PA 17406, USA
39°59'57.73"N 76°38'14.15"W
... perhaps the most long lived reminder of Haines. A stucco covered wood frame building it is some 49 feet long and 25 feet high containing three beds, two baths, a kitchen and a living room across five levels. The building was originally used as a guest house.
On his death Haines left the property to his employees who sold it in 1964 to Eleanor Hallman who ran it as an ice cream parlor for over 20 years. After passing through the hands of a couple of other owners the house was purchased in 2003 by the Farabaughs who have done significant restoration work and now offer guided tours of the unusual property. The house is open to visitors Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 to 5:00 June, July and August and on weekends or by appointment in Spring and Fall.
The "Shoe House" has appeared in many publications and was the site of a clue search in the second leg of the eighth season of the TV show The Amazing Race.
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Sources
Hellam Township Website
Waymarking.com
Shoehouse.us
Roadside America
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