In 1941, a unique home was built in Kaleva out of 60,000 glass bottles by John Makinen. Mr. Makinen owned the local pop bottling factory so he used chipped or flawed bottles from his pop bottling factory for his house. It was designed with artistic placement of the many different colored bottles and was a tourist draw long before it became a museum. In 1983, with fund raising efforts by the community, the Kaleva Historical Society was able to purchase the property from the John Makinen family and thus established its new and permanent home.
Historic items are faithfully inventoried, preserved and displayed and over the years visitors from all over the world come to appreciate the history of the area through these artifacts. One of the most noteable collections on display is the Makinen Tackle Collection. The Makinen Tackle Collection was purchased by the village of Kaleva in 2008 from a collector in Wisconsin. Bill Gregory had assembled an example of every piece that had been made at the Makinen Tackle Factory in Kaleva during the 50’s and 60’s. The collection is now displayed at the Kaleva Bottle House Museum, 14551 Wuoksi Ave., Kaleva, MI 49645.
Do you have to schedule a tour or is it open certain times to just go?
Hello, and thank you for contacting the Manistee County Visitors Bureau. To arrange a tour at the Kaleva Bottle House, you may call 231.299.4484 and let them know we sent you!
My sister and brother-in-law are coming to visit us from Texas in September. We are going to be in Manistee on Wednesday, September 19th. Is there any way we could get a tour? I know you aren’t usually open on Wednesday that time of the year but is it possible to get a tour anyway. We would appreciate hearing from you.