For the most part, Michigan architecture is classic in design, and we’ve got a number of notable people in our state’s history to thank for thank. There’s Frank Lloyd Wright, Albert Khan, and others who came to define the style which our homes and structures display to the present day.
And then there’s the Pickle Barrel House in downtown Grand Marais. The whimsical, two-story cabin was built in 1926 for then-famous cartoonist William Donahey, known for authoring the Teenie Weenies syndicated cartoon strip. Have a look.
The comic featured teeny, tiny people surrounded by life-sized objects, including the pickle barrel.
By photographer of book cover is Flickr: mgrhode1 The cartoon characters were featured in several advertisements at the time, including a small pickle keg that was used by Teenie Weenie children.
The real-life pickle house was constructed as a summer home for Donahey and his wife as a summer cabin on Grand Sable Lake.
Wystan/Flickr
The main floor was a common living area, while the upstairs featured a bedroom. A smaller, connecting barrel was also built to house the kitchen.
otisourcat/Flickr
shipwrecklog.com/Flickr
The house caused quite a commotion by onlookers who had never seen anything quite like the quirky structure.
Kristina_5/Flickr The house was taken over by new tenants and moved to downtown Grand Marais in 1936.
Over the years, it housed many things, including an ice cream shop, an information kiosk, and a gift shop.
otisourcat/Flickr Pictured here as repairs were being made in 2004.
Today, it’s a museum and features many artifacts about the history of the building and is fashioned to resemble a summer home from the ’20s.
xtaxta/Flickr
jcander/Flickr
Pretty neat piece of history, huh? Tell us, have you ever visited the Pickle Barrel House? What was it like? We wanna hear about it!
By photographer of book cover is Flickr: mgrhode1
The cartoon characters were featured in several advertisements at the time, including a small pickle keg that was used by Teenie Weenie children.
Wystan/Flickr
otisourcat/Flickr
shipwrecklog.com/Flickr
Kristina_5/Flickr
The house was taken over by new tenants and moved to downtown Grand Marais in 1936.
Pictured here as repairs were being made in 2004.
xtaxta/Flickr
jcander/Flickr
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
