Ann Arbor’s Fairy Doors

In 1993, while Jonathan B. Wright was renovating his century-old home, his young daughters made a delightful discovery: itty, bitty, six-inch doors scattered throughout the space. When opened, the doors revealed tiny railings inside that led to other miniature doors. There were even windows springing up, where lights inside would magically turn on and off.

By 2005, Wright had become a full-fledged Fairyologist, documenting the little doors that were now springing up all around town—obviously, they were fairies, what else could they be? His website has documentation of over two dozen doors from these “urban fairies.”

At the Ann Arbor District Library, the creatures made a home out of a bookcase and several books on fairy tales. Then there is the Peaceable Kingdom, a gift shop where the fairies set up their own elaborate store, filled to the brim with fairy favorites: pennies, toys, acorns, and all other manners of bric-a-brac. Another find is the Michigan Theater’s private fairy theater, complete with a working movie screen. Keep checking Wright’s site for his latest discoveries!