Hellam Shoe House. Sole Survivor.
Hellam Shoe House.
Sole Survivor.

There once was a little old lady who lived in a shoe. Well, not this one. “Colonel” Mathew Haines was known as the Shoe Wizard and made millions from his shoe sales empire. He decided to build the Shoe House in 1948 as a grand advertising gimmick.
What kind of weird shoe is that? Well, it turns out it was modeled after a work shoe. It consists of a wood frame covered with wire and cement stucco. Stained-glass windows sport a shoe motif. Inside, there are three bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, and a living room spread across five different levels. There’s even a shoe-shaped doghouse on the grounds.
It was originally used as a guesthouse for the elderly and honeymooners. All free, mind you, since Haines already had tons of cash. His philosophy was, “I came into this world with nothing, and I’d like to leave it the same way.”
The shoe is still open to the public for tours, so don’t be a heel—come take a look around!
