The fairy doors in Washtenaw County are one of the most magical additions we’ve ever had. The first Ann Arbor fairy door appeared in the home of Jonathan Wright, local fairyologist, shortly after his daughter was born in 1993. Since then, additional doors have popped up. They slowly became a phenomenon. While all of the original fairy doors are in Ann Arbor, they’ve also popped up all around Washtenaw County.
Ann Arbor
Urban Fairy Doors are the official fairy doors created by Wright. The following doors are said to still be in use:
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- Red Shoes
- Jonathan Wright’s House
- Michigan Theater
- Mott Hospital
- Ann Arbor Library
- Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea
- Lakewood Elementary
- Nicola’s Books
There are also many unofficial fairy doors that have appeared, including at the Institute of Social Research, Ann Arbor Sewing Center, Tree Town Pediatric Dentistry, and Fairy Garden Village.
The door I’m the most obsessed with is the Goblin door, which is taller than any other door in Ann Arbor, hidden within black paint, and with a fairy tombstone out front.
Chelsea & Saline
Chelsea has its own Fairy Trail with 12 tiny doors tucked around downtown spots. Chelsea occasionally has hunts where you can actually grab a passport at the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center and collect stickers as you find the doors, which is extra fun. Some spots where you can chase down the doors include Zouzou’s Cafe and Farm Sudz.
Many of these doors are inside the businesses, so make sure to pop in and take a look!
RELATED: How to Make Your Own Fairy Garden
Saline has a similar vibe to Chelsea, with a hunt and a passport you can pick up from 212 Arts Center (which isn’t all the time, so plan accordingly). Many of the fairy doors in town are created by local artists, which is amazing.
Dexter
Urban Fairy Doors has talked about the fairy door in the daycare, Generations Together, in Dexter. This is the most famous one. That being said, there are actually 39 other doors within Dexter. These are a lot less documented than the original doors, but there are a lot of events surrounding them where you can hunt down the doors and get some complimentary snacks.
If you’re looking for a starting point, some that I know of are:
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- Courageous Books
- Shear Bliss Salon
- Witching Hour Tattoo Studio
Ypsilanti & Manchester
We all know Ypsi is full of whimsy, so it’s no surprise they have their own set of doors. The most famous area is the Normal Park Neighborhood, which is famous for its high concentration of fairy doors within front yards. It has about fourteen tiny, adorable doors to visit. You’re meant to leave treasures at the doors and make a wish.
There are also some downtown, such as the Ypsilanti District Library. However, much of Ypsi’s doors come straight from their residents.
Manchester is quite similar, with its downtown library being a hub for fairy doors. However, during fairy events, you can look around town. The most notable doors are the village setup on Main Street and Hibbard Street.
Washtenaw County is full of amazing doors. These are only the ones we know about. I have seen many, many residents with doors (including my own!)
