Ann Arbor, Michigan is normally thought of as a sports city. It is home to several collegiate campuses and is an adopted center for Packers Football fanaticism. There is however, a whole city theme that is often overlooked. Travelers to Ann Arbor with a keen eye will notice tiny vintage-style doorways displayed everywhere.
These tiny doorways are present in the walls of private and public buildings, and seem to be maintained through every season. The secret behind these tiny replica doorways is Ann Arbor’s claim to the famed author Jonathan B. Wright. Mr write penned the famous childrens book “Who’s Behind The Fairy Doors.”
This book was a sentimental tribute to the author’s daughters, and as early as 1953, Ann Arbor fans began taking his imaginary tales to heart. The concept of a tiny, hidden door in unexpected places symbolizes an entrance to the world of the fantastic. Each door is a unique portal to a fairy land where individual dreams can come true, and wishes can be granted.
The business owners and residents of Ann Arbor, MI have taken squire Wright’s writings and made them into a mysterious city legend. When visiting Ann Arbor, everyone will notice miniature doorways in brick walls, underneath lattices, and hiding just beyond the public’s gaze. These doors are symbols of how the people of Ann Arbor maintain their belief in possibilities, magic, and the power of the Northern fairy lands.
The first fairy door was inlaid in 2005 in a wall at Sweetwater’s Coffee and Tea. Hundreds of other magical doors have sprung-up since, and have become quintessential facets of Ann Arbor’s charm!
