Fairy Doors - Urban Fairies of Ann Arbor, Michigan

The city that I live in, Ann Arbor, Michigan, is home to a small but growing population of urban fairies. These fairies, like their woodland counterparts, are understandably shy and elusive around humans -- we're big and loud and clumsy in their eyes -- but they feel safe living in this fairy-friendly town.  Their neatly built and decorated fairy doors are easier to spot than they are themselves, although some people, especially smaller children, have seen a few of them behind their doors!

Did you even know that there are such beings as urban fairies?   I would guess that most people still think all fairies live in the woods, under large mushrooms or in tree hollows. That's really a rather uninformed, romanticized concept of fairies in this day and age, don't you think?

Fairies, just like human people, live in many different kinds of settings.   Just as many humans love to live in the city because of its conveniences, so do many fairies.   The urban fairies like being around people (even though they are shy, and don't show themselves often), so it makes sense that they share some of our living spaces and work places, including shops, libraries, and schools.  

The fairy door shown below is one of the best known in Ann Arbor because it's on a busy corner in the downtown area.  It's the first one I discovered, and I enjoy going back to see what little gifts have been left on the door step for the fairies that dwell within.

The first reported evidence of urban fairies living in Ann Arbor was in graphic artist Jonathan B. Wright's home in 1993.   After he did some renovations in their old 100+ year old house on Ann Arbor's Old West Side, his daughters discovered a small 6" high door, that when opened revealed a small staircase and railing going up to another door (that is always locked, so they don't know what is behind that door!).  

They found more fairy doors after a couple of other renovations as well.  Obviously the fairies had found a place they loved in this well-cared for house! 

Our urban fairies have a strong sense of harmony and beauty (as all fairies do), and they build their doors, rooms, and shops to integrate with the architecture of the human buildings that they move into.   You can see that from the photos on this page.  

They choose door styles and colors that go well with the rest of the building as shown above on the beautifully finished fairy door at Red Shoes (gifts and home goods store). 

Red Shoes, by the way, sells some pre-made fairy doors if you'd like to invite some fairies into your home!

There are even a few techno-fairies living in the offices of Google Ann Arbor.   As with the other urban fairy doors in Ann Arbor, this door also coordinates nicely with its surroundings of the Ann Arbor room (the name of one of their conference rooms).   These fairies do have quite a sense of humor (see their "Giggle" logo!)

Visit the Google Fairy Door page on Urban Fairies.

Fairies have also taken up residence in Nicola's Books. Their door, which is near a cozy fireplace in the bookstore, is flanked by two books, "Anderson's Fairy Tales" and "Cinderella and other Classic Italian Fairy Tales".

You can see pictures of other fairy door locations at urban fairy operations - locations.